Texas Chuck Roast Red Chili

Name: Texas Chuck Roast Red Chili
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 dried ancho chili peppers, stemmed and seeded; 3 dried guajillo chili peppers, stemmed and seeded; 2 dried chile de arbol (for heat); 2 cups boiling water; 3 lb boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp cumin; 1 tbsp Mexican oregano; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 cups beef broth; 1 tbsp masa harina (for thickening); 2 tsp kosher salt

210 min 8 servings medium

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Texas Chuck Roast Red Chili

An authentic Texas red chili with tender chunks of chuck roast, dried chili peppers, and no beans — just pure beefy, spicy goodness.

Prep

30 min

Cook

180 min

Total

210 min

Servings

Difficulty

medium

In Texas, real chili means no beans and no tomatoes. This Texas red chili starts with dried chili peppers — ancho, guajillo, and chile de arbol — and chunks of seared chuck roast that simmer until fork-tender. The result is a thick, deeply flavored bowl of pure beefy heat.

Ingredients

Servings

Chili Paste

Chili

Instructions

Toast and rehydrate chiles

Toast dried chili peppers in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Cover with boiling water and let soak for 20 minutes until soft. Blend into a smooth paste with the soaking liquid.

Sear the chuck

Season chuck cubes with salt. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Sear beef in batches until deep brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pot. Remove and set aside.

Cook aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Combine and simmer

Pour in the chili paste and beef broth. Return all the seared beef to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender.

Pro tip: You can also transfer to a 300°F oven for the braising step for more even heat.

Thicken

Mix masa harina with 2 tablespoons of water to form a slurry. Stir into the chili and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to thicken. Adjust salt and add more chile de arbol paste if you want more heat.