Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Rich and full of warm heat, this slow cooker Texas chili will instantly become your favorite chili recipe. The big chunks of tender beef fall apart in your mouth!
How long it takes: 20 minutes to prep, 6 hours in the slow cooker
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet, slow cooker
Servings: 8
Today I am sharing my all-time favorite recipe for slow cooker chili. I’m a little nervous to call this Texas chili because I’m not from Texas. Trust me, I’m not trying to be an authority on chili. I’m just sharing an absolutely delicious chili recipe, and I’m 100% confident that this recipe falls perfectly under the characterization of “absolutely delicious.”
There are many recipes out there for Texas chili. What I found in common is that Texas chili is always thick and meaty, and should not, cannot, must not include beans. And you will not find any beans anywhere in this recipe! That’s my disclaimer. Now let’s talk about this chili.
Party-Perfect Beef Chili
We host an annual harvest party at our home and I’ve been making this chili for the past few years, along with a big batch of turkey and beef chili. My mom makes our white chili recipe, although lately she’s been threatening to make vegetarian chili instead. I think she’s going to have to make both because it’s hard to choose between the two.
I usually make a gigantic batch of this Texas chili. I’m talking in the ballpark of 15 pounds of meat. It goes in my big electric roaster, and it always disappears! This chili is gone way before the other two types (sorry, Mom!) and people absolutely rave about it.
Try it for yourself and see! I think you’re gonna love it!
“Just made this, it’s awesome! I had to stop myself from eating the whole pot! I wouldn’t change anything on this recipe!”
Slow Cooker Texas Chili
Seared beef. Browning the meat adds a ton of great flavor and gives the chili fantastic color. It make this type of chili slightly more labor-intensive than a chili made with ground meat and beans, but not much. Although this Texas chili cooks in a slow cooker, you don’t want to skip the step of browning the meat and sautéing the vegetables.
Toasted spices. Sauté the vegetables to soften them, and then add the spice mixture to the skillet and toast it for a little bit to really draw out the flavors. These small steps lead to maximum flavor in this chili.
Long slow cooking. Once everything is combined in the crock pot, the magic happens. The end result is meltingly tender meat, and super flavorful chili that everyone goes crazy for.
What to serve With Chili
Chili is always great served with healthy cornbread, or these fancy-pants corn muffins. Tortilla chips or Fritos are an easy side (why is chili soooo good with Fritos?!). Try seasoned oyster crackers, too! Texas toast garlic bread is perfect.
Don’t forget loads of fresh cilantro, guacamole, chopped onions or scallions, pickled red onions, and sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
I like to have a couple of dips and salsas on hand, too. My Mexicali dip is pretty irresistible, and everyone loves 7 layer dip. I love homemade chipotle salsa and my restaurant style salsa is the best (and it’s easy to make!). Make homemade pico de gallo if that’s more your thing. Be sure you have plenty of tortilla chips on hand if you’re hosting a chili party!
Easy Recipe Variations
Everyone seems to have their own recipe for chili. While we really love this chili and think it’s absolutely perfect the way it is, you may consider this recipe a starting point. Add or subtract any ingredient that really makes it chili for you. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Add beans if you like. Why not? There aren’t any judges looking over your shoulder. Pinto beans, kidney beans, or black beans would all work well.
- Tinker with the seasoning. Make it more spicy or less spicy. Add more garlic or use less.
- Try a different meat. If you’re a hunter, this chili would be great with venison. If you prefer, use ground beef or turkey. It’s your chili after all.
This recipe makes a big batch of chili, but it’s great leftover and it also freezes well for future meals.
Refrigerate/Freeze: Store leftover chili promptly in covered containers. It will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days and four to six months in the freezer.
Reheat: Before reheating frozen chili, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Put the thawed chili in a saucepan or skillet on the stove, and heat it gently until warmed through. You can microwave leftovers as well, either choosing the Reheat option on your microwave, or in 30-second intervals.
More Chili Recipes
Slow Cooker Texas Chili
Ingredients
For Chili Seasoning:
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika (use smoked paprika, if you like)
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Chili:
- 2 tablespoons oil (avocado, olive, or vegetable)
- 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 2 ½ cups diced yellow onions (about 3 medium onions)
- 2 cups diced celery (about 7 stalks)
- 2 jalapeño peppers, diced (remove seeds for less spicy chili)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dark or light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer (such as Negra Modelo)
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons masa harina, more if desired/needed (see notes)
To Serve:
- optional toppings: jalapeño, cilantro, sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. Set chili seasoning aside.3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add meat in a single layer (you’ll need to cook it in batches). Brown for 1 to 2 minutes, undisturbed, on each side. It won't be cooked through. As it browns, transfer it to the slow cooker. Continue this process, adding more oil to pan if needed, until all meat is browned and in slow cooker.2 tablespoons oil, 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into bite-sized cubes
- In the same skillet, add onions, celery, jalapeño, salt, and pepper. Sauté until celery is softened and onion is translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.2 ½ cups diced yellow onions, 2 cups diced celery, 2 jalapeño peppers, diced, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Add the chili seasoning, brown sugar, and oregano to the skillet, and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat vegetables with tomato paste. Keep stirring to prevent burning.2 teaspoons dark or light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon oregano, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add beer to the skillet, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Transfer vegetable mixture to the slow cooker, scraping the pan well.1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer
- Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir to combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until meat is tender.1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained, 1 bay leaf
- Remove bay leaf and stir in parsley and cilantro. To thicken chili, sprinkle masa on top and stir it in. If needed, add more, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thicken chili further. Keep in mind it will thicken slightly if it continues to cook, and also as it cools.½ cup minced fresh parsley, ½ cup minced fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons masa harina, more if desired/needed
- Serve with your desired toppings.
Notes
- Cooking tip: Masa harina is made from ground corn and is used to make tortillas. Cornmeal is a good substitute if you can’t find or don’t want to buy masa harina.
- Chili seasoning: To save time, stir up the chili seasoning in advance. It will keep in your pantry for up to 6 months. If you make chili often, consider making a double or triple batch of chili seasoning. To make this Texas chili, use 5 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon of chili seasoning.
- Storage: Leftover chili can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Recipe adapted from Emeril Legasse.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I realize this is a “no bean” chili, but if you were to add beans, would you just add a couple of drained cans of your favorite beans? I am always looking for the “one true chili recipe”, but for my husband chili must have beans.
That’s what I would do! :)
We love this chilli. As we say in the UK it was absolutely Banging!
Yay! I’m so glad! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
I just made this recipe exactly as written and it came out great! Not very spicy (I seeded the jalapeños) so I added some Crystal sauce and cayenne. Served with hot sauces, pickled jalapeños, onions, cilantro, fritos and sour cream as sides.
So glad you liked it! It’s one of our favorites too…and I love your topping choices! Especially the fritos! ;)
I found this recipe a few weeks ago and have made it twice with the 2nd batch being a double. Delicious recipe thank you.
I’m so glad to hear you love it as much as we do! Tanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Are there any substitutes for the beer if I want to leave it out? I love the idea of a bean-less chili. Cant wait to try it.
You can definitely leave it out! I’d substitute with beef broth. I hope you love it! I made a triple batch this weekend for a party and I’ve been eating it every day since. :)
Gonna make this tomorrow but I need to substitute turkey for the beef. Any suggestions? SHould I just use ground turkey instead of the cubes? Thanks…
That’s probably what I would do. :) It won’t be exactly the same but it will still be super yummy.
I actually found boneless turkey breast tenders that I found at Whole Foods. I diced them up into small pieces and then prepared them as per the recipe. Came out GREAT. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Dave
Great idea! I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
This was yummy. A note to those who don’t like spicy food…I only did 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes and left out the cayenne pepper, but it was still a little too spicy for me. But, I’m a wimp when it comes to spiciness. :) I LOVED the cilantro flavor in it. I left out the fresh parsley (just didn’t have it in the house) and added dried instead.
Helpful tip, thank you!
sounds delicious
Thanks Denise!
I was looking for a recipe for Chili with chunky beef versus ground beef so I found this one and tried it tonight. I have no idea how this recipe receive 5 stars.
I’m not sure if viewers rated based on the photo/title or if they’ve actually taken the time to make this chilli. If I could rate it 0 I would.
I made it and it was barely edible. I followed the recipe and did not deviate or adjust anything anywhere. The beef was cooked nicely but that’s the only good comment I can give .
The flavour of this chilli is terrible. There is way too much going on. Save your time and $$$ and find a different recipe as this is terrible.
I’ve served this to guests and it disappears every single time…people rave about it and ask for the recipe. I’m sorry you didn’t like it! It’s certainly a flavorful chili but in my opinion it all works together perfectly.
Yeah? Well, you know, that’s just like uh, your opinion, man…
sounds amazing
Thanks Denise! It’s my favorite chili!