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toppins and beef brisket chili in a bowl

Texas Beef Brisket Chili Recipe

Posted by Dee
This Texas inspired Beef Brisket Chili recipe is hearty and full of flavor. A robust stew of fall-apart tender chunks of brisket that’s cooked low and slow in a Dutch Oven on the stovetop.
5 from 29 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Difficulty Medium

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 slices of bacon
  • 2.5-3 pounds brisket cut into 1/2" or 1" cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tbsp homemade chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tbsp beef bouillon base
  • 4 cups beef broth or water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 14 oz-can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup of tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2-3 chipolte peppers in adobo
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 shots of esspresso or 1/2 cup of strong coffee
  • lime juice
  • toppings of your choice, shredded cheese, diced onions, corn chips, green onions, sour cream, etc.

Instructions
 

See recipe notes for making chili using leftover brisket.

  • Cut bacon into 1/2” - 1” pieces. Add to a cold Dutch oven or large pot and turn heat to medium.
  • Fry the bacon until crispy, then remove from the pan and set aside. Leave bacon grease in the pan.
  • Trim up the brisket removing extra fat and sliver skin if necessary. I bought mine from Butcher Box so no trimming was necessary.
  • Cut brisket into 1/2” - 1” cubes then season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder
  • In the same Dutch oven, brown the chopped brisket in batches until nicely seared, then remove from the pan.
  • Add the onions to the pot and cook until translucent for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne and bloom for about 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Stir in the beef base then add a little bit of the broth and deglaze the pan scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the rest of the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Once boiling cover and reduce heat to low.
  • Simmer for 2.5 hours with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
  • After 2.5 hours, add the coffee and sugar. Continue cooking uncovered until the brisket is fork-tender and the chili has started to thicken, about 1-1.5 more hours. Stir every 15-20 minutes to prevent burning, adding more stock or water if necessary.
  • Add the lime juice and season to taste. Mash the meat with a potato masher to thicken the chili leaving a few pieces of the brisket chunky.
  • Ladle into a bowl, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

How Make Brisket Chili Using Leftover Smoked Brisket

  1. Cut the bacon into 1/2” - 1” pieces. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the bacon to the preheated Dutch oven and cook until crispy. Once done, remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside, leaving the bacon grease in the pot.
  3. Cut the leftover smoked brisket into bite-sized cubes or chunks, ensuring they're roughly uniform in size.
  4. In the same Dutch oven with the bacon grease, add the diced onions. Sauté until translucent, around 3-4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  5. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne into the pot, allowing the spices to bloom for about 30 seconds to a minute.
  6. Mix in the beef base, then pour in a small amount of broth or water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom.
  7. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  8. Once simmering, add the cubed smoked brisket to the pot. Stir gently to combine the flavors.
  9. Cover the Dutch oven and cook on a low simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  10. Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning as needed. You might not need to add additional salt, depending on the saltiness of the smoked brisket.
  11. Shortly before serving, add the coffee and sugar (if desired) to enhance the flavors.
  12. Finish the chili by adding lime juice. Stir well.
  13. Serve the smoked brisket chili in bowls, garnished with your favorite toppings, and enjoy its rich, smoky flavors!
Keyword brisket chili
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