This hearty, comforting chunky chili is made with tender chunks of beef rather than ground beef. Its highlight is a homemade chili powder blend made with cumin, oregano, Hungarian paprika, ancho chili, chipotle chili and roasted garlic.
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How to make homemade chili powder:
Grind all ingredients in a spice grinder or a mortar with a pestle until you have a fine blend.
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon half-sharp Hungarian paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dehydrated roasted garlic
RECIPE NOTE: As always, I recommend you get spices from a dedicated spice shop because they are so much higher in quality than anything you can get at a regular grocery store.
How to make chunky chili:
Prep the meat:
Step 1. Start with a 2 ½-pound beef chuck roast and cut it into 1-inch cubes (remove any excess fat as you go along). Next, pat the meat dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.
Brown the meat:
Step 2. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a Dutch oven and brown the meat on all sides. (If you’re using a small Dutch oven, work in batches.) Transfer the meat and accumulated juices into a bowl and set aside.
Saute an onion with chili powder:
Step 3. Add 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder and 1 diced yellow onion to the Dutch oven and fry for a minute.
Add liquid and simmer:
Step 4. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until they are fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 2 cups chicken broth.
Add the meat back in, then drain a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes and half a 15-ounce can of corn and add in both. Bring the mix to a boil, then put on the lid, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Step 5. Dice half a green bell pepper and half a red bell pepper, add them in, cover and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.
How to serve the chili:
Serve the chili with sour cream, cheese and crusty bread.
Recipe tips and common questions:
I highly recommend you go with a chuck roast (which comes from the shoulder of the animal) and not with a roast from the round (which comes from the leg). Top round roast is cheaper, for sure, but it contains less fat and turns nearly flavorless after a long cooking time. Chuck roast, on the other hand, is not only more tender but is also still full of flavor after 80 minutes of cooking.
As long as you use a chuck roast, you don’t need to do anything to tenderize the meat. Just follow the recipe and by the end of the cooking time the beef will be nice and tender.
Crusty, rustic bread or bread rolls go best with chili.
Transfer any leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Yes, you can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time. Store the chili in an airtight container in the fridge.
More hearty soups and stews:
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Full Recipe
Chunky Chili
Ingredients
For the chili powder:*
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon half-sharp Hungarian paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dehydrated roasted garlic
For the chili:
- 1 chuck roast** (about 2 ½ pounds)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces), drained
- ½ 15-ounce can corn, drained
- half a green bell pepper, diced
- half a red bell pepper, diced
To serve:
- sour cream, optional
- grated cheese, optional
- crusty bread, optional
- diced green onion, optional
Instructions
For the chili powder:
- Grind all ingredients together in a spice grinder or in a mortar with a pestle.
For the chili:
- Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes, trimming off excess fat as you go.
- Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and brown the meat on all sides. Do this step in batches (adding more oil if needed) so you don't overcrowd the pot. Sear the meat well but watch out not to burn it.
- Transfer the meat and accumulated juices into a bowl and set aside.
- Add chili powder and onion and fry for a minute.
- Add garlic and fry until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and chicken broth.
- Stir well, then add the meat back in, then add the diced tomatoes and the corn.
- Bring to a boil, then put on the lid, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the diced bell pepper, cover and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Serve with sour cream, cheese, green onion and crusty bread.
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