Chili has been the official state dish of Texas since 1977, and a true Texas “bowl of red” has no beans: just tender chunks of beef in a deep red chile sauce. This slow cooker version does the long simmer for you, so it is ready when the game starts.
Prep: 30 minutes · Cook: 8 hours on LOW (or 4–5 on HIGH) · Serves: 8
Photo: AI illustration.
Why chuck roast instead of ground beef
Ground beef cooks fast and turns grainy in a long simmer. Chuck roast has enough fat and connective tissue to turn soft and spoonable after 8 hours, and the cubes hold their shape. It is the classic choice for Texas red.
Ingredients (8 servings)
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 dried ancho chiles and 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed (or ⅓ cup pure chili powder)
- 2 cups beef broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 chipotle in adobo, chopped (optional, for heat)
- 2 tablespoons masa harina mixed with ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30–60 seconds per side, until they smell toasty. Don’t let them blacken or they turn bitter.
- Put the chiles in a bowl, cover with 1 cup of hot beef broth and soak 15 minutes. Blend the chiles and soaking broth until smooth.
- Pat the beef dry and season with the salt. Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in 2–3 batches, 3–4 minutes per batch. Move the browned beef into the slow cooker.
- Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion in the skillet for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the remaining 1 cup of broth and scrape up the browned bits.
- Add the onion mixture, the chile purée and the chipotle to the slow cooker. Stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef breaks apart with a spoon.
- Stir in the masa harina slurry and cook 20 minutes more, uncovered or with the lid ajar, until the chili thickens. Stir in the vinegar and add salt to taste.
Toppings
Shredded cheddar, diced white onion, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, and saltine crackers or Fritos. For Frito pie, spoon the chili straight into an opened bag of Fritos and top with cheese and onion.
Tips
- Don’t skip browning. It takes 10 minutes and gives the chili its deep, beefy flavor.
- Masa harina is the Texas way to thicken chili; it also adds a light corn-tortilla flavor. Find it in the Hispanic foods aisle.
- Want beans? It won’t be Texas red anymore, but stir in two drained 15-ounce cans of pinto beans in the last 30 minutes.
- Heat level: anchos and guajillos are mild to medium. For more heat, add 1–2 dried chiles de árbol to the blend.
Storage and reheating
Chili tastes even better the next day. Cool it, then refrigerate in airtight containers for 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until it is steaming hot all the way through (165°F).
More hands-off dinners: Crockpot dinner recipes for busy weeknights.
