This Smoked Texas Bean Chili is filled with all the delicious savory flavors that will make your mouth want to party. The hint of smokiness from cooking it on the smoker takes it over the top and you might even start dreaming about it.
Before we get started, lets address the elephant in the room. I know, I know, some of you are like what elephant…but if you noticed I called this Texas Chili. If you were to talk to any Texan and ask them if they had beans in their chili it would be a big whopping NO! But I like the added addition of beans. Also, I have a chili right HERE that is all meat, for all you bean haters!
Okay! Now that that has been addressed lets talk about smoking. I have a Traeger Pro575 and I absolutely LOVE it! I gave a sneak peek of this on Instagram, and people slid into my DM’s asking if I cooked the chili in this dutch oven. I like to think of the smoker like an oven. Anything you can put in your oven, you can put on your smoker! You can also control the amount of smokiness by length of time cooked, temperature, and pellets. Sweeter pellets, like apple and cherry, will give your food a completely different flavor that say mesquite or hickory pellets.
Don’t worry guys! I have the stove top version for all of you who don’t have a smoker, or who maybe just don’t want to start the ole’ grill up! Alright! Lets get to the recipe now!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef stew meat (chuck roast)
- 2 tbsp butter, ghee
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cans of 3 bean medley
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp chipotle chili powder
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp sea salt and ground pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs of fresh oregano
- OPTIONAL: sliced green onions, shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over high heat, melt the butter or ghee.
- Salt and pepper your stew meat and place into the pot to sear. About 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Add a little more butter or ghee to the pot and scrape off the bits at the bottom. Add in your onion and let saute for 3 minutes until onion starts to soften.
- Next add in the bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Toss in the chipotle powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and mix with the veggies.
- Open the cans of beans, place in a colander and rinse off. Pour into the pot and add in the seared meat.
- Mix in the tomato paste and beef broth, then place the bay leaves and fresh oregano on the top.
- Preheat smoker to 250 degrees
- Place the chili in the middle of the grill with the lid off for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, stir and put the lid on half way.
- Let smoke for another hour, stir and check the meat. The chuck roast should be tender and start to fall apart. If it is not ready, let it smoke for another 45 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove and garnish with fresh green onions and optional shredded cheese.
- Bring the pot of chili to a boil, then lower temperature to low and let it simmer for 1 hour covered.
- Stir and cover the pot halfway and let cook for another 1 hour.
- After that 2 hours, check your meat and see if it is tender. If not, let cook another 45 minutes
- When finished, garnish with green onions and shredded cheese
Notes
Remember you can add more chipotle for a bit more heat.
Play around with the seasonings! You are the one eating it, so if you like it oh so spicy, then add more chipotle, or another jalapeno!
