My Brisket Chili is the kinda recipe you wanna keep in your back pocket, boos. It’s just THAT easy and THAT good! It has pieces of fall-apart brisket, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a gang of smoky chili powders. It just warms your bones and soul right on up. Now, I didn’t toss in any beans this time around, but if you’re all about that bean life, you gotta check out my mom’s classic Southern chili.
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How to Make Brisket Chili
Step 1: Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Step 2: Add bacon to a large Dutch oven. Cook bacon until browned, fragrant, and fat is rendered.. Then, strain it onto a paper-towel lined plate.
Step 3: Add half of brisket in to the pan with the bacon fat. Sear on most sides. Set aside onto a plate, and repeat with the remaining brisket.
Step 4: Add onions and bell peppers. Cook until translucent. Add in all chili powders, paprika, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder and cook until fragrant.
Step 5: Carefully pour in the beer, scraping the bottom of the pan, releasing all the delicious brown bits. Add Worcestershire, tomatoes, beef stock, and water.
Step 6: Add brisket and bacon back to pan. Cook until brisket is fork-tender.
Brisket Chili Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 pounds brisket trimmed, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ tablespoon dark chili powder can also use ancho chili powder
- ½ tablespoon guajillo chili powder
- 2 teaspoons pasilla chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup Mexican beer
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 15- ounce cans diced tomatoes fire-roasted, with juice
- 2 cups beef stock
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Season brisket with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat, until browned, fragrant, and fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Strain bacon onto paper-towel lined plate.
- Place half of brisket in bacon fat and sear on most sides, about 7-8 minutes. Set aside onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining brisket.
- Add onions and bell peppers. Cook until translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add in minced garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add in all chili powders, paprika, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder and cook until fragrant, an additional minute.
- Carefully pour in beer, scraping the bottom of the pan, releasing all the delicious brown bits. Let beer reduce by half. Then add Worcestershire, tomatoes, beef stock, and water. Add brisket and bacon back to pan.
- Let cook until brisket is fork-tender, about two and a half hours. Stir occasionally. Enjoy with your favorite toppings—diced onions, cheddar cheese, or a side of cornbread. Even better the second day!
Notes
How to store & reheat Brisket Chili
Once you’re done devouring that first bowl (or two!), let the chili cool down completely. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. Make sure it’s sealed tight so it doesn’t make your whole fridge smell like chili! To reheat on the stove, just warm it up over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it’s nice and hot. If you’re in a hurry, pop it in the microwave, covered, for a couple of minutes, stirring halfway through.How long will Brisket Chili last in the fridge?
Your chili will stay good in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.Can I freeze beef brisket chili?
You sure can boo! Just portion it out into freezer-safe containers, and it’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, just thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Let the Beer Breathe: Before you start cooking, pour your beer into a glass and let it chill a bit. Trust me boo, when you pour flat beer into a hot pan, it won’t foam up and cause a mess.
- Sear That Brisket: Let the meat develop a nice brown crust on all sides. It locks in deeper flavor.
- Layer Your Spices: Stir the chili powders around for a minute or so in the pan to release their full flavor before adding the liquid.
- Low and Slow Is the Way to Go: This chili needs time to let all those flavors come together, so keep it on a low simmer.
Ingredient Notes
- Meat Swap: Stew beef or chuck roast can be swapped in.
- Beer Alternative: You can use some extra beef stock.
- Chili Powders: Use chipotle chili powder if you can’t find guajillo or pasilla, or just stick with a good ol’ classic chili powder blend.
- Tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes also work in this recipe. Just toss in a little smoked paprika or liquid smoke to mimic that charred flavor.
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Recipe Help
Yep! After you sear the brisket and sauté the veggies, toss everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the brisket is tender.
You can easily dial back the heat by reducing the amount of chili powder or skipping the spicier ones like guajillo and pasilla.
Just let it simmer uncovered for a bit longer to let some of the liquid evaporate. You can also mash some of the beans (if you added any) against the side of the pot to naturally thicken it up.
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Will the pepper and onion hold up for 2hrs of cooking time?
They do soften, but don’t disintegrate.
Hi wanna make this! Question, since you’re saying low n slow. Would u recommend crock pot?
You can for sure make this in the crock pot! I would still sear everything, but just let it slow cook in the crock pot instead of a dutch oven.