This chili boasts a chef-prized cut of meat and natural seasonings that make it healthy, hearty, savory goodness.
If you’ve never experienced the rich, savory treat that is a chili made with a higher quality cut of roast or brisket, then you’re in for a special treat with this Brisket Chili Recipe.
I learn so much from chefs who have worked and worked on taking a tried and true dish, like chili and perfecting it until it becomes a masterpiece – until it literally vibrates with flavors that hit every taste bud and really fill that bowl with comfort.
When I asked the man who won the last chili cook-off I attended why he chose brisket instead of ground beef in his chili, he replied, “Ma’am, chili can’t taste supremely good without supremely good meat, and brisket is one supremely good cut of meat.”
Why Brisket Can Make Chili Go from So-So to Sublime
Chefs prize a brisket because it is a cut of meat that has a fat-to-muscle ratio that makes it get all fall-apart tender when roasted low and slow. That’s because it has just enough collagen and marbling to help it achieve that state of fork-tender deliciousness we all adore.
Why? Well, brisket is from the lower breast of the cow – a portion of the cow that doesn’t get major exercise like a leg does, for example. The brisket has a fat cap on it (and chefs love a fat cap) that melts when it’s roasted, melting down into the meat and tenderizes it as it cooks, making it acquire a fall-apart tenderness.
You can slice up this brisket and put it right in the chili pot and sauté it there using its brown bits for flavoring your chili base, or use leftover roasted brisket and just stir it in with the tomatoes. Either way, brisket is an extremely flavorful cut of meat that absorbs the flavors of whatever sauces or stews it’s used in, making it a favorite choice for making the best danged chili in the world.
BTW, step 5 is essential – when you add those tomatoes to your browned brisket, chili seasonings, and onions (see below), make sure to use those tomatoes and their acidic juices to deglaze the bottom of your pan a bit, using a metal or firm spatula, so you can scrape up the bits of “fond” that have accumulated in the bottom of your pot because that, my dears, is where the delicious, savory flavor of your entire chili will come from – that step right there.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Chili of all kinds is especially freezer-friendly, as long as you haven’t topped it with cheese or sour cream, that is. You can refrigerate this chili up to 5 days and it will just keep tasting better every day. It will also freeze well up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with this Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad and these Twice Baked Potatoes, that I top with a blue cheese crumble for two perfect flavor contrasts to this chili. And for dessert, you cannot get more delicious than my copycat recipe for Easy Cherry Chocolate Cake with Fudge Icing.
Brisket Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 pounds beef brisket trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for heat
- 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 can 15 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Shredded cheddar cheese for serving
- Sour cream for serving
- Chopped green onions for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- Season brisket cubes with salt and pepper, then add to the pot. Cook until browned on all sides.
- Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to allow the spices to bloom.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Add kidney beans and black beans. Stir to combine.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions.
It’s a good chili. I used brisket that we had smoked a few months ago and then froze. It have it a great flavor. It was not spicy, for us anyway, as written. It was a good soup for a rainy day.
Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!