Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 2h 30m
Serves: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chuck roast, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Pat the cubed chuck roast dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Brown the Chuck Roast: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the chuck roast cubes on all sides (about 3-4 minutes per batch). Transfer browned meat to a plate.
- Cook the Ground Beef: In the same pot, add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon (about 5-6 minutes). Transfer to the plate with chuck roast.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Add diced onions and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Toast the Spices: Add all spices to the pot. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. This blooms the spices and releases their oils.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, and bay leaves. Return all the browned meat to the pot and stir to combine.
- Long Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2-2.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the chuck roast is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Final Seasoning: Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional spices as needed. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve: Ladle into warmed bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, and fresh cilantro.
Chef’s Notes
- Make Ahead: Chili tastes even better the next day! Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Competition Tip: For official ICS competitions, omit beans. For homestyle cook-offs, add 2 cans of drained kidney beans in the last 30 minutes.
- Spice Level: This recipe has medium heat. Reduce cayenne to ½ teaspoon for mild, or add diced jalapeños for extra kick.