A cozy pot of slowly Braised Beef Chili is the ultimate winter meal! Simply simmer hearty stew meat or chuck roast with peppers, tomatoes, beans, and smoky spices, resulting in a fall-apart-tender, full-flavored chuck roast chili.
Best enjoyed alongside cornbread with all the fixings – guacamole, cheese, tortilla chips, and more! – for the perfect rich and comforting dinner. Stovetop recipe with oven-braised, slow cooker/Crockpot and Instant Pot directions provided. Make-ahead and meal prep-friendly.
Recipe by Jess Larson on January 25, 2023
Prep time: PT20M
Cook time: PT3H
Total time: PT3H20M
Rating
5 stars ( reviews)
Keywords
braised beef chili, chili with stew meat, braised beef recipes, chili recipe, winter chili recipe
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil or high smoke point vegetable oil of choice, divided
2 pounds stew meat or beef chuck, trimmed and cubed into 1-inch cubes
2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 medium bell peppers or poblano peppers, deseeded and diced
2 medium jalapenos, deseeded as desired and diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
28 ounces diced fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices
Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat (I use a 5-qt Dutch oven). Use paper towel to pat the surface of the beef as dry as possible, then season generously with about 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Once the oil in the pot is shimmering hot, carefully add in the seasoned beef – work in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding the pot. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
If needed, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pot used to brown the beef. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add in the yellow onions, bell/poblano peppers, and jalapenos, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Once softened, add the garlic and tomato paste to the pot, stirring to coat the veggies. Cook until fragrant and browned, about 2-3 minutes longer.
Nestle the browned beef from Step 1 into the vegetables, then add all remaining ingredients into the pot – the chili spices, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Stir in the beef stock – start with 1 ½ cups and increase to 2 as needed or desired. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cover and simmer 2 ½ – 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fall-apart tender. The braised beef chili will be ready once the meat is fork-tender, or you can easily break it apart with a wooden spoon.
Portion the braised beef chili into bowls, serving with your favorite chili toppings: shredded pepper jack or cheese of choice, smashed avocado or guacamole, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced jalapeño, crushed tortilla chips, etc. Enjoy!
Nutitrion
Calories: 318 calories
Carbohydrates: 32.8 g
Protein: 27.5 g
Fat: 8.9 g
Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 59.8 mg
Sodium: 969.2 mg
Sugar: 9.2 g
Reviews
Robert on 2024-12-01 (5 stars): Wow... thanks for a great recipe!
I had a few pounds of chuck and had always wanted to try a chili with non-ground meat.
The seasoning and aromatics in this recipe were perfect. So good, I've made it twice with no changes.
This is already a wintertime favorite with the fam.
Steve f on 2025-02-01 (5 stars): Excellent. Great flavor. This is on the spicy hot side. I used poblano chilis in place of the green peppers which added a little more heat. Not unbearably so though. My kids loved it ( but they like hot). My wife not so much. Was way too hot for her.
Georgia Nicholson on 2025-09-15 (5 stars): Your Fall-Apart Tender Beef Chili is the best beef chili recipe I have found. I usually cut back on tomatoes in chili, but all the ingredients blend into the most delicious gravy that compliments the beef and veggies perfectly. I pregrill the poblanos, skin, chop, and add right before cooking the 1 1/2 hours. Sooo delicious! My first taste made it an instant favorite.
Tia on 2025-10-12 (5 stars): We really enjoyed this recipe! I hadn't made beef chili in a while, so it was great to have a guide. I did make my own beans (Rancho Gordo Buckeye beans) and substitute the bean broth for the beef broth, but otherwise followed the recipe. I definitely recommend roasting the poblanos. I used two roasted poblanos and one red pepper. Thank you!
Melanie on 2025-12-14 (5 stars): This is one of the only recipes I’ve ever found online that is perfect as is. What an outstanding chili !! We’ve made it a handful of times now and felt compelled to comment because it’s just that great. Thank you for sharing this, it will be the standard in our home now.
Pam on 2026-01-21 (5 stars): This was so very good! Followed the recipe as written (minus beans) and braised in the oven for a little over 2 hours. Like a traditional chili- meat and gravy which we love. Bold rich flavors. I used Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes which have a nice flavor base. I’ll never make chili any other way!
MF on 2026-01-26 (5 stars): Delicious chili! Cooked on the stovetop for 3 hours in a Dutch oven, used 2 poblano peppers and a red bell pepper and added some hot sauce and cayenne at the end to kick up the heat for our crowd that loves spicy chili. Will definitely make again!
Eric on 2026-01-27 (5 stars): This could be the best chili I’ve ever had. Made it tonight for the first time and will be making it again for the Super Bowl party!!!
