Hearty one-pot meals like this savory steak chili do more than just warm you up on cold winter days. They nourish the soul from deep within using a yummy stick-to-your-ribs taste that leaves you feeling totally satisfied.
These chili recipes continue to develop intense flavor long after they’ve cooked making them really hard to resist. If you want to add more chili recipes to your dinner rotation, I hope you’ll try my Texas chili, white chicken chili, taco chili, and my Mom’s classic chili next!
Let’s make this!
What I Love About Steak Chili Recipe
I love all the fragrant herbs and spices that slowly fill the air and draw me in until I savor the rich meaty layers of flavor that develop in this recipe. I love the hearty stick-to-your-ribs quality that leaves you feeling completely satisfied when you get to the bottom of the bowl. I love the simmer time that allows me to get some other things done around the house while it’s cooking.
I guess I love just about everything about this steak chili recipe and I bet you will too! Here are some other strong qualities.
- Hearty stick-to-your-ribs goodness
- Layers of rich meaty flavor in every bite
- The secret ingredient for that WOW factor
- Nutrient-dense wholesome ingredients
- Ideal for a family dinner or a large crowd
Steak Chili Ingredients
The ingredient list may look long but it’s really a special combination of convenience foods and veggies along with fragrant herbs and spices. You’ve probably got most of these items in your kitchen already so don’t let the list overwhelm you. Here we go!
- Meat – I like to use beef chuck for this recipe, but any tough, lean cut of meat will work. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but these tougher cuts contain tons of collagen that breaks down during the simmer-time rendering the meat melt-in-your-mouth tender!
- Veggies – A special combination of onions and peppers gives your recipe lots of texture with slightly sweet undertones and warm pops of flavor. Don’t forget to sauté them.
- Spices – Lots of fragrant herbs and spices give this recipe loads of flavor. A quick toast in a hot pan perks them up and brings out their fragrant aromas.
- Chili base – Your chili base is a savory blend of crushed tomatoes, beef broth, Better Than Bouillon (beef flavored) and liquid smoke. You will not believe the intense flavor that develops from here!
- Beans – Beans are always optional but they really amp up this steak chili recipe. I like to use a combination of pinto and kidney beans for a protein-rich boost.
- Secret Ingredient – The secret ingredient is instant decaf coffee crystals. There. I said it! It doesn’t take much but I promise it will give your steak chili recipe a deep crave-worthy flavor.
- Thickener – Your thickener is masa harina which is a naturally gluten-free flour found in the ethnic aisle of most grocery stores. It’s different from regular masa and you’ll love the character it gives your chili!
Recipe Notes
Building intense flavor doesn’t have to be difficult, in fact, it’s down-right simple! Here’s a few extra tips.
- Pot: You’ll want to use a heavier gauge pot if you have one. It helps distribute heat more evenly to prevent scorching. This is very important especially when you have an extended simmer time.
- Aromatics: When you sauté your onions and peppers, you’ll want to do it in the same pan and reserved oil where you browned your beef cubes. And yes, you do need to sauté your veggies! I know it’s all going into the same pot but it’s essential to building the layers of flavor you’re after. Not only does it coax out their sweeter side, but it also helps build your fond.
- Deglazing: Once it’s time to add the liquids to the pot, be sure to scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to incorporate all that intense flavor into your steak chili recipe.
How To Make Steak Chili
- Brown the beef in batches. Set aside.
- Saute the vegetables and aromatics until it’s soft.
- Sprinkle the spices.
- Stir until the spices are fragrant.
- Return the browned beef, add the herbs and seasonings, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and the rest of the ingredients.
- Dissolve the masa and add it too. Boil for about 3 hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
- Stir in kidney beans and pinto beans. Simmer.
- Serve and add toppings.
***See the full instructions below.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Well, I guess that depends on how many people know it’s in there (just kidding – kinda’). Your steak chili recipe should stay fresh and addictingly delicious for up to 4 days when stored properly.
- Can You Freeze This? This steak chili freezes really well, and I love that I can put it in gallon-sized freezer bags. This makes it super easy to make ahead and store as long as I don’t forget to label it!
- Make-Ahead Tips: Most of the ingredients are canned or jarred convenience foods except for the fresh onions, peppers, and garlic. You can chop these ahead of time if that makes things easier, but they need to be cooked when the meat is.
- You can also make your steak chili and store it overnight before serving. Or if your schedule is jam-packed you can go the freezer route. You may need to add a little beef stock to thin it out upon thawing as it will thicken a bit.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
Can I Cook This In A Crockpot?
Yes! If you’ve got a busy day planned, you can make steak chili crock pot style. Just use the same process for browning, sautéing and deglazing. Then when you get it all put together, toss it in the crockpot for a few hours until it’s time to eat.
More Chili Recipes
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steak Chili
Steak chili is one of those hearty stick-to-your-ribs recipes full of fork-tender meat, veggies, and beans with a secret ingredient to amp up the flavor!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded, ribs removed and minced
- 2 poblano chilis, seeded, ribs removed and diced
- 3 red bell peppers seeded, ribs removed and diced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, with juices
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons beef flavored Better Than Bouillon, dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup masa harina, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon instant decaf coffee crystals
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings
- red onion, diced
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- sour cream
- avocado, cut into chunks
- tortilla chips, crushed
Instructions
- Pat beef cubes (3 pounds) dry with paper towels. Heat the oil (1/4 cup) in a large, pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, not crowding the pan. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Repeat with remaining beef.
- Add the onions (2 cups), garlic (1 tablespoon), jalapeno (1), poblanos (2), and red bell peppers (3) and saute over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft. about 8-10 minutes
- Sprinkle chili powder (2 tablespoons), cumin (1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons), and coriander (1 tablespoon) over vegetables and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant about 1 minute.
- Return browned beef to pot and add Italian seasoning (1 tablespoon), bay leaf (1), salt (2 teaspoons), 1 teaspoon black pepper, crushed tomatoes (1 can), beef broth (4 cups), dissolved Better Than Bouillon (2 tablespoons), dissolved masa (1/4 cup masa harina + 1/2 cup water), liquid smoke (1 teaspoon), coffee crystals (1 tablespoon), then stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until meat is fork-tender.
- Stir in kidney beans (1 can) and pinto beans (2 cans) and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes more.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Pot: You’ll want to use a heavier gauge pot if you have one. It helps distribute heat more evenly to prevent scorching. This is very important especially when you have an extended simmer time.
- Aromatics: When you sauté your onions and peppers, you’ll want to do it in the same pan and reserved oil where you browned your beef cubes. And yes, you do need to sauté your veggies! I know it’s all going into the same pot but it’s essential to building the layers of flavor you’re after. Not only does it coax out their sweeter side, but it also helps build your fond.
- Deglazing: Once it’s time to add the liquids to the pot, be sure to scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to incorporate all that intense flavor into your steak chili recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 2662mg | Potassium: 1462mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2913IU | Vitamin C: 130mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 17mg
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. Absolutely delicious and one that my husband requests often. One super awesome thing that you did when writing is that you repeated the amount of each ingredient so that I don’t have to keep scrolling up to the list.
Thank you so much for that thoughtful touch! One of the best recipes I’ve saved and shared.
So happy you liked how we presented the recipe. I really try to give readers the best experience possible! So happy this chili was a hit for you, too!
I have an award winning chili recipe that I never sway from, but I’m so looking forward to making yours, especially with the secret ingredient!
Thanks K!
Regards ~
Vito Boccuzzio
I hope you enjoy, Vito!
Can this be finished in the crockpot?
Absolutely, Tiffany. It’s perfect for simmering.
This looks delicious but I have questions:
Use chuck roast or chuck steak?
After beef has been browned and set aside, when does it get added back into the recipe?
Hi Lynn. I use chuck roast. Add the beef back at #4. <3
Thanks…,can’t wait to try this. Sound yummy!
Thank you, Lynn! 🙂