Warm up with this homemade, comforting, flavorful chunky chili on a cold evening. It’s made with tender chunks of beef chuck roast in a Dutch oven and has a deliciously hearty flavor and a wonderful texture.
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Why make this recipe?
Fall is nothing without a steaming bowl of chili goodness. Juicy, melt-in-your-mouth beef chunks and flavorful spices stewed together in a tomato sauce is pure comfort in a bowl. This homemade chili with beef chunks is an essential fall and winter recipe everyone will love!
What’s in the chili?
Beef is one of the main ingredients in a chili and it matters very much which cut of beef you use. The most tender and flavorful cut of beef for stew is chuck roast and that’s the cut you need for this chili recipe. Chuck roast comes from the shoulder of the animal, is well-marbled and very, very tender. And, it remains very flavorful even after 80 minutes of cooking.
In addition to beef, you’ll need vegetables, chicken broth, oil and spices, including chili powder seasoning. You can use store-bought chili powder seasoning for this recipe or make your own (see recipe below). Either way, I recommend getting all spices from a dedicated spice shop to ensure freshness and quality.
How to make homemade chili powder seasoning:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Mix all ingredients together, then store in a dry, airtight container in the kitchen cabinet.
NOTE: You can use homemade chili powder in many other delicious recipes, like this ground beef pasta sauce or this Buffalo ground beef dip.
How to make chunky chili:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Cut beef chuck roast into 1-inch cubes, removing excess fat and silver skin as you go along. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.
Step 2. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven. Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides. Transfer the meat and accumulated juices into a bowl and set aside.
Step 3. Add chili powder and onion to the Dutch oven and fry for a minute.
Step 4. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and chicken broth. Add the meat back in, then add diced tomatoes and corn. Bring the mix to a simmer, then put on the lid, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Step 5. Add bell pepper, cover and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.
How to serve chili:
Serve chili with sour cream, cheddar cheese, crusty bread and finely chopped fresh green onion.
Recipe notes & tips:
- If there is any silver skin on your chuck roast, be sure to remove it completely when you cut the meat. Silver skin will get tough and very unpleasant if you leave it on the meat.
Frequently asked questions:
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.
You can use homemade chili powder seasoning for lots of delicious things! Check out more recipes with chili powder seasoning.
The recipe name chili is simply short for chili con carne, which means chili with meat.
More hearty soups and stews:
- Chicken Tikka Masala (Dutch Oven & Grill)10 hours 40 minutes
- Gnocchi Beef Stroganoff Spiced with Cinnamon and Clove2 hours 30 minutes
- Slow Cooker Beef Back Ribs7 hours 30 minutes
- Broccoli Sausage Soup (with Italian Sausage)25 minutes
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Full Printable Recipe
Chunky Chuck Roast Chili (Dutch Oven)
Equipment:
- knife and cutting board
- garlic press (optional)
- measuring cups and spoons
- paper towels
- Dutch oven
- kitchen tongs
- mixing bowls
- wooden spoon
Ingredients:
For the chili:
- 1 beef chuck roast* (2 to 2 ½ pounds)
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder seasoning** (You can use store-bought chili powder seasoning or make your own. A chili powder recipe is below.)
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ½ ounces), drained
- ½ 15-ounce can corn, drained
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
For the chili powder seasoning (if making your own):
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ teaspoon Hungarian paprika
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
To serve the chili:
- sour cream
- grated cheddar cheese
- crusty bread
- finely chopped fresh green onion
Instructions:
For the chili:
- Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes, trimming off any silver skin and excess fat as you go.
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of 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 to the Dutch oven and fry for a minute.
- Add garlic and fry until fragrant (~30 seconds).
- Add tomato paste and chicken broth.
- Stir well, then add the meat back in. Add diced tomatoes and 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, bread and green onion.
For the chili powder seasoning:
- Mix all ingredients together.
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
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