Stew meat chili swaps ground beef for bite-size cubes of stewing beef: the meat is tossed in flour and pepper, browned in batches with onion, then simmered low in canned tomatoes with kidney beans, mixed beans, tomato paste and chili spices until the beef is fork-tender. It makes a big pot that feeds 8.
How to make stew meat chili: toss 2 pounds of trimmed, cubed stewing beef with flour and pepper, brown it in two batches with the onion, return it all to the pot with the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste and spices, bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 1 1/2 hours, check the beef, and cook another 1/2 hour until tender.
Why You’ll Love It
- Chunks of tender beef instead of ground meat.
- 15 minutes of prep, then a long, hands-off simmer.
- Pantry spices: chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano and basil.
- Feeds 8 from one Dutch oven.
Can Stew Meat Be Used in Chili?
Yes. Stewing beef, or beef chuck cut into cubes, works well in chili. Low, slow heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat become tender, so the beef simmers low for about 2 hours here.
How to Make Stew Meat Tender in Chili
- Trim and cut. Trim the excess fat and cut the beef into bite-size pieces, about 1-inch cubes. A chuck roast cut into bite-size pieces works too.
- Pat it dry. Dry the cubes as much as you can before they go in the pot.
- Coat with flour. Toss the beef with flour and pepper in a zip-top bag or bowl.
- Brown in batches. Brown half the beef at a time so the pot isn’t crowded, about 2 to 3 minutes a side, and set the first batch aside.
- Simmer low. Bring the chili to a boil, then turn it to low.
- Check, then keep going. After 1 1/2 hours, test a piece. Cook another 1/2 hour, or longer, until the beef is fork-tender and breaks apart easily with a wooden spoon.
Longer simmers work too: 2 1/2 to 3 hours covered on the stove, or about 5 hours in a slow cooker.
Ingredient Notes
Beef. Two pounds of stewing beef, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces.
Tomatoes. Three large cans, 84 ounces in all, whole, diced or a mix, plus a 6-ounce can of tomato paste.
Beans. One can each of kidney beans and mixed beans (15.5 to 19 ounces), rinsed and drained.
Spices. A tablespoon each of garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika and dried oregano, a teaspoon of basil and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. A 1.25-ounce chili seasoning packet can stand in.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stewing beef, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, for coating the beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, sliced or diced
- 84 ounces canned tomatoes (3 large cans), whole or diced
- 1 can (15.5 to 19 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.5 to 19 ounces) mixed beans, rinsed and drained
- 6 ounces tomato paste (1 small can)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Stew Meat Chili
1. Coat the beef. Trim the meat and cut it into bite-size pieces. Toss it with the flour and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large zip-top bag or bowl until coated.
2. Brown the beef. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add half the beef and stir now and then until browned. Remove it and set aside. Add the onion and the other half of the beef and stir now and then until browned.
3. Add the tomatoes, beans and seasonings. Return all the beef to the pot. Add 1 can of tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom. Add the remaining tomatoes, the kidney beans, mixed beans, tomato paste, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, basil and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
4. Simmer until tender. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, then check the meat. Cook another 1/2 hour, or until the beef is as tender as you like.
5. Serve. Serve with shredded cheese, bread or toast and your favorite chili toppings.
Variations
- More vegetables: add peppers, jalapeños and garlic.
- Different beans: pinto, kidney or black beans.
- More liquid: add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of beef stock or beer for a looser chili.
- Chuck: use beef chuck cut into cubes.
- Dried chiles: blend ancho, guajillo or pasilla chiles into a puree.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers. They keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or 3 to 4 months frozen in portions. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. Reheat on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven until the chili comes to a rolling boil (165°F). Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker, though you can keep hot chili there at 140°F or above.
What to Serve With It
Top bowls with shredded cheese or pepper jack, avocado or guacamole, cilantro, sliced jalapeño or crushed tortilla chips, and serve with cornbread, bread or butter biscuits. For a ground beef chili, try Wendy’s chili. For more ways to use stew meat and beef, there’s Instant Pot beef stew, cowboy stew, slow cooker Mulligan stew and slow cooker poor man’s stew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can stew meat be used in chili?
Yes. Cut it into bite-size pieces, brown it, and simmer it low for about 2 hours until fork-tender.
How do you make stew meat tender for chili?
Trim it, cut it into 1-inch cubes, pat it dry, coat it in flour, brown it in batches, then simmer it low. Check after 1 1/2 hours and keep cooking until it breaks apart easily.
What can I make with stew meat other than stew?
This chili is one answer: the same cubed beef that goes into stew simmers in tomatoes and beans with chili spices.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Slow cooker stew meat chili cooks about 5 hours. Always thaw the beef before it goes into a slow cooker.
Final Notes
Flour, brown in batches, and give it time on low. Tell me in the comments which toppings you piled on.
Stew Meat Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds stewing beef trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper for coating the beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion sliced or diced
- 84 ounces canned tomatoes whole or diced, or a combination; 3 large cans
- 1 can kidney beans 15.5 to 19 ounces, rinsed and drained
- 1 can mixed beans 15.5 to 19 ounces, rinsed and drained
- 6 ounces tomato paste 1 small can
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Trim the meat and cut it into bite-size pieces. Toss it with the flour and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large zip-top bag or bowl until coated.
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add half the beef and stir now and then until browned. Remove it and set aside. Add the onion and the other half of the beef and stir now and then until browned.
- Return all the beef to the pot. Add 1 can of tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom. Add the remaining tomatoes, the kidney beans, mixed beans, tomato paste, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, basil and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, then check the meat. Cook another 1/2 hour, or until the beef is as tender as you like.
- Serve with shredded cheese, bread or toast and your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
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