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Cozy Slow Cooker Texas-Style Beef Chili: Best No Bean Recipe

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This slow cooker Texas-style beef chili is deeply savory, rich, and packed with smoky, fruity flavor from whole dried chiles. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it comfort food that’s perfect for chilly days or feeding a crowd, with no beans in sight.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes (or brisket trimmings)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 1 dried chipotle chile, stem and seeds removed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dried chiles: Place the stemmed and seeded ancho, guajillo, and chipotle chiles in a bowl. Cover them with boiling water and let them soak for 20 minutes.
  2. Brown the beef: Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef in batches and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until a deep, dark crust forms. Transfer the browned beef to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Scrape this mixture into the slow cooker.
  4. Make the chile paste: Drain the soaked chiles (reserve about 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid). Transfer the softened chiles to a blender along with 1/2 cup of the reserved soaking liquid, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper. Blend until completely smooth. Pour this into the slow cooker.
  5. Deglaze the skillet: Pour about 1 cup of the beef broth into the hot skillet and scrape up all the browned bits. Pour this liquid into the slow cooker.
  6. Add the remaining liquid: Pour the rest of the beef broth into the slow cooker. Add the apple cider vinegar and brown sugar (if using). Stir everything together gently.
  7. Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, or on HIGH for 5-6 hours.
  8. Finish and adjust: After cooking, taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed (about 1 teaspoon). If the chili is too thin, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes, or stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water. If too thick, stir in more broth or water.
  9. Rest before serving: Let the chili sit, covered, for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle.

Notes

For best flavor, toast whole cumin seeds and grind them yourself. Let the chili rest overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor. Skim excess fat before serving. Adjust heat by adding or removing cayenne or using different chiles.

Nutrition

Keywords: Texas chili, no bean chili, slow cooker chili, beef chili, dried chiles, comfort food, gluten-free, dairy-free

Find it online: https://gleamgulp.com/cozy-slow-cooker-texas-style-beef-chili-best-no-bean-recipe/