It was 10 degrees this morning when I left the house—Fahrenheit. In other words: really, frickin’ cold. Days like this make me crave a hearty bowl of smoked chili, and this recipe fits the bill perfectly.
I love the deep, smoky flavors in this smoked chili and how straightforward it is to prepare.
How to Make Smoked Chili
There are several cuts of meat you can use for smoked chili, but chuck roast is one of the easiest and most affordable options. It smokes well and becomes tender and flavorful, making it ideal for Texas-style chili.
Texas Style Chili
This version is Texas-style, which traditionally means no beans—the focus is on the meat and the peppers. The combination of smoked chuck roast, a few varieties of peppers, and tomatoes creates a rich, satisfying chili.
I’m using a two-and-a-half-pound chuck roast for this batch, but a slightly larger or smaller roast is fine—the cook times will be similar.
Prepping the Chuck Roast
Start by rubbing the chuck roast with a bit of olive oil. Then apply equal parts of a prime rib-style beef rub and a beef rub to the meat. These rubs complement each other and build a savory crust that carries into the chili.
Place the seasoned chuck roast in a large cast iron skillet and put it in the smoker set to 225°F.
After about three hours, add diced vegetables to the skillet: 3 onions, 2 Anaheim peppers (or jalapeños if you prefer more heat), 2 bell peppers, 3 cloves of garlic, and a few shallots. These veggies will absorb rendered fat and soak up smoke, adding depth to the final chili.
Continue smoking until the roast reaches an internal temperature around 180°F. When it hits that point, remove the skillet and increase the smoker temperature to 300°F.
Prepping the Chili
Cube the chuck roast, then combine the meat and the smoked vegetables in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Add two 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes (30 ounces total), one 6-ounce can of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and ½ cup of your favorite beer (an IPA works well). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the Dutch oven uncovered in the smoker set to 300°F and let it simmer for one to two hours so the tomatoes and spices begin to meld and the flavors mellow. After that initial simmer, cover the Dutch oven and continue cooking in the smoker for another three hours or so, stirring every 45 minutes to an hour.
The long, gentle cook allows the smoked flavors to penetrate the sauce and tenderize the meat further. Stirring periodically keeps things from sticking and helps everything integrate evenly.
This smoked chili is great for tailgates, cold-weather dinners, or any time you want a substantial, smoky meal.
Can I Make This Chili in a Crock-Pot?
Yes. You will lose some of the pronounced smoky character if you finish the chili in a crock-pot, but you can still smoke the chuck roast, peppers, and onions first, then transfer everything to the crock-pot with the other ingredients to finish the cook. This is a convenient option if you need hands-off cooking time.
Serve the smoked chili with sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro or parsley. We like it on Fritos for a classic chili-chip combination.
Thanks for checking out the recipe. If you make it, let me know how it turned out in the comments—I’d love to hear your variations and family tips.
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Smoked Texas Style Chili
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs Chuck Roast
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 30 ounces diced tomatoes 2 15 ounce cans
- 2 Bell Peppers Diced
- 1 tbsp Traeger Prime Rib Rub
- 1 tbsp Traeger Beef Rub
- 3 Onions Diced
- 1 Anaheim Pepper Diced and seeds removed
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
- 6 ounces tomato paste 1 6 ounce can
- ½ cup Beer IPA preferred
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- shallots diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
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Rub the chuck roast with olive oil and then apply both rubs evenly.
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Place the chuck roast in a large cast iron skillet and smoke at 225°F for about 3–4 hours.
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In the last hour add peppers, onions, garlic, and shallots to the skillet so they can absorb smoke and rendered fat.
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Remove the skillet from the smoker and cube the chuck roast.
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Add all cooked and raw ingredients to a 6-quart Dutch oven, including diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, chili powder, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
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Place the Dutch oven uncovered in the smoker at 300°F and let it simmer for 1–2 hours.
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After the initial simmer, put the lid on and continue cooking for about three more hours, stirring every 45–60 minutes. The chili is done after roughly 5 hours total in the Dutch oven.
Video
Notes
- Dutch Oven
- Cast Iron Skillet