Chili Con Carne
This chili con carne simmers hearty chunks of chuck roast with peppers, tomatoes, and chili powder until the beef shreds with a spoon and the sauce cooks down into a thick, rich stew. You’re just one pot and one hour away from the best comfort food meal you’ve had this fall!
This chili con carne recipe is the one you choose when you’re focused on the best possible flavor and texture, not just whatever is quickest and easiest. We chose beef chuck roast over ground beef for the juicy, meaty bites and keep the pot uncovered during the low-and-slow simmer so you get a thick, rich sauce that clings to the tender beef. The end result is a simple chili recipe you can complete in an hour that still tastes good enough to win your local cook-off.
Chuck Roast Chili Ingredients
- Chuck Roast – Trimmed and cut into chunks so that it cooks quicker and can be broken down easier.
- Olive Oil – You could swap this for avocado oil, canola oil, or even bacon grease if you want to add a meatier flavor.
- Green Bell Pepper, White Onion, Jalapeno, and Garlic – These cook down in the oil to start everything with a delicious, well-balanced flavor. Remove the jalapeno seeds to keep the heat manageable.
- Canned Tomato Sauce, Rotel (tomatoes with green chiles), and Tomato Paste – Easy, cheap pantry staples!
- Beef Broth – Store-bought is fine, but using homemade can make this even cheaper! Use bone broth for more protein or reduced sodium broth for less salt.
- Chili Powder, Oregano, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Salt, and Pepper – This heavy spice blend gets more powerful and concentrated as the chili simmers on low.
How to Make Chili Con Carne
- Start with a large pot of Dutch oven over medium heat, adding the oil to warm it up. Saute your chopped bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno for 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally, letting them cook until softened.
- Add in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, usually about 30-60 seconds.
- Pour in your canned goods and spices, making sure to break up the tomato paste as it goes in so that it gets fully incorporated into the mixture. Stir well and bring the chili to a simmer.
- Once the liquid comes to a simmer, add in your chunks of chuck roast. Reduce the heat to low, keep the pot uncovered, and let it cook for 30-35 minutes.
- Once the liquid has reduced and thickened, the beef should be cooked through and tender enough to shred. You can serve it as-is with chunks, or you can transfer beef to a cutting board and shred with two forks before stirring back into your chili.
How to Serve Chili Con Carne
We love our chili topped with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of chopped green onions, and a few jalapeno slices for a little kick! You might want crackers, cornbread, or fritos on the side (or top!) if you’re not low-carb.
Ways to use up leftover chili:
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Cool the chili, then store in airtight freezer containers. Enjoy within 6 months for the best flavor. For best texture, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Microwave individual portions at 50% power in 1-minute increments, stirring between blasts. To reheat the full recipe, transfer to a pot over low heat, stirring frequently until warmed throughout.
Tips for the BEST Chuck Roast Chili Con Carne
- Make sure the chili is simmering well while uncovered on low, and do not rush it. This helps the liquid reduce down, creating a deeper, richer, more flavorful chili.
- If you like a really spicy chili, use spicy Rotel, add an extra jalapeno, stir in some chopped chipotle, and serve with your favorite hot sauce.
- Some people like to keep the big, beefy chunks whole, some people prefer all of it shredded, and others like a little bit of both! Test out a bite or two and see what you think.
- The tomato paste tends to clump up, so I find it easier to stir that through and incorporate it with the tomatoes before adding the broth in.
- If you want to stretch this recipe further for cheap, feel free to stir in a drained can of pinto or kidney beans in the last 10 minutes.
Chili Con Carne Recipe FAQs
Chili is basically a stew with a heavy focus on chili peppers. Different regions include different ingredients like beans, tomatoes, meat, etc.
The Aztecs in the 16th century served a chili-based stew, and the rancheros were known for creating a meal from the stew, dried beef, and tortillas. It has evolved as fresh meat and vegetables were more available.
I tested this with and without searing the chuck roast chunks. There was minimal change in flavor or texture, so we decided it was not worth the extra 10 minutes the searing took. If you strongly prefer beef with crispier edges, feel free to work in batches, searing the beef in cooking oil before sauteing the vegetables.
More Amazing Chili Recipes
- Keto Chili Recipe
- Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Ground Turkey Chili Recipe
- Instant Pot Chili
- Keto White Chicken Chili
- White Bean Chicken Chili Verde
Get the Recipe: Chili Con Carne Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 – 2.5 pounds chuck roast, fat trimmed and cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 10-ounce can tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), undrained
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 32-ounce carton beef broth
- 1 7-ounce can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the chopped bell pepper, onion, and jalapeño. Sauté 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they have softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and sauté about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes with chilis, beef broth, tomato paste, and spices. Stir well and be sure to break up the tomato paste so it is fully incorporated.
- Bring the chili to a simmer and add the chuck roast.
- Reduce the heat to low heat uncovered for approximately 30-35 minutes until the liquid has reduced and thickened.
- At this point the beef should shred easily. You can serve it as is, or you can spoon the meat out and shred it into smaller pieces if you prefer.
Notes
- Net carbs per serving: 11.6 g
- The important step here is to be sure the chili simmers on low to truly reduce and thicken. This ensures the flavor will be rich, deep and super flavorful. Don’t rush this.
