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Hearty Texas-Style Slow Cooker Beef Chili (No Beans)

Texas-style slow cooker beef chili - featured image
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This Texas-style slow cooker beef chili is a deeply flavorful, bean-free chili made with tender chunks of chuck roast and a rich blend of dried ancho and guajillo chiles. It’s the perfect comfort food for game days, cold nights, or any time you crave a bowl of pure, beefy goodness.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds (1.36 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 large dried ancho chiles
  • 2 large dried guajillo chiles
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
  • 2 tablespoons masa harina
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dried chiles: Place the dried ancho and guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 30-60 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly puffed. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 20 minutes until softened. Remove stems and seeds, then blend the chiles with 1/2 cup of the soaking water until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Brown the beef: Pat the cubed chuck roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown undisturbed for 3-4 minutes per side until a deep crust forms. Transfer the browned beef to a slow cooker.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  4. Build the chili base: Pour in 1/2 cup of the beef broth and deglaze the pan completely. Pour this onion-garlic mixture into the slow cooker with the beef.
  5. Add remaining ingredients: To the slow cooker, add the remaining beef broth, drained diced tomatoes, prepared chili paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano. Stir to combine.
  6. Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. At the 7-hour mark (or 3.5 hours on HIGH), check the meat—it should be fork-tender. Use two forks to roughly shred the beef in the pot, then stir it back into the chili.
  7. Thicken the chili: In a small bowl, whisk together the masa harina with 1/4 cup of cold water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the chili. Cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes on HIGH to thicken.
  8. Final seasoning: Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If desired, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a minced fresh jalapeño for extra heat.

Notes

For the best flavor, do not skip browning the beef or toasting the chiles. Drain the diced tomatoes well to avoid a watery chili. The chili thickens as it cools and is even better the next day. For a spicier version, add 1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. For a milder version, use only ancho chiles and remove all seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: Texas chili, beef chili, no beans chili, slow cooker chili, chuck roast chili, ancho chili, guajillo chili, game day chili, comfort food, gluten-free chili

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/hearty-texas-style-slow-cooker-beef-chili-no-beans/