Chuck Roast Chili with Bourbon

Why Use Chuck Roast For Chili?

Just like black shoes, one can never have too many chili recipes.

Instead of traditional ground beef, my recipe calls for chuck roast, cut into bite-sized pieces. Chuck roast is a great cut of beef for chili because it strikes the perfect balance of flavor, texture and affordability. Here’s why:

• Tender: Chuck comes from the shoulder of the cow, a fatty cut of beef, making it rich with beefy flavor. It’s ideal for braising and slow cooking methods to render the fat and break down the connective tissues. The slow cook process takes advantage of soaking up all of that rich flavor, infusing chili with deep savory flavor that ground beef can’t match.
• Texture: When chuck roast is braised low and slow, it breaks down into tender, juicy chunks of meat. The collagen melts into a gelatin, creating a rich texture in the chili sauce.
• Budget Friendly: Chuck roast is more affordable than premium cuts like short ribs or brisket and delivers a similar richness once cooked down. It’s widely available at your local grocery store, making it an easy upgrade from ground beef.
• Flavor: Chile soups benefit from long slow simmers for spices to marry and the sauce to thicken. Chuck roast becomes a perfect partner for this environment as it becomes more tender and flavorful, (whether cooked stove top or slow cooker), the longer it simmers.

In short, chuck roast makes chili heartier and more luxurious than versions made with ground beef.

Bourbon in Chili

To enhance the dish, a splash of Kentucky Bourbon adds subtle notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel. The chemistry works well with traditional chili flavors.

I’m actually not much of a fan of the flavor of bourbon, but once it blends with the ingredients, it does add a depth of flavor that I think you’ll love.

Red Kidney Beans In Chili

Believing that beans are essential for a satisfying chili, I've chosen canned red kidney beans. They not only complement the rustic theme of this recipe but also keep the color rich and dark.

Putting It All Together

This hearty chuck roast chili stands out with its unique flavors, showcasing the richness of Southwestern spices. We use a blend of classic chili powder, a blend of spices often found in Tex-Mex dishes, paired with a single blend New Mexico Red Chile powder. This combination creates a perfectly balanced, earthy, and slightly spicy depth of flavor.

After flouring and browning the meat, the recipe comes together effortlessly. A two-hour stovetop simmer is all it takes before you're ready to serve it up.

With just the right amount of spicy heat, this chili is bursting with bold flavor. Let's dive in!

Chuck Roast Chili Ingredients

Spices To Make Chuck Roast Chili

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it as spicy hot as you want. The recipe calls for one teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder and Hatch Chile Peppers. Choose mild , medium or hot for these.

• Pickapeppa Sauce: Search it out on the condiment aisle. It’s a Jamaican sauce that’s a cross between Worcestershire sauce and steak sauce. From their web site: “A unique blend of tomatoes, onions, sugar, cane vinegar, mangoes, raisins, peppers and spices”. I use it in all of my savory soup recipes.  
• Kosher salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
• Chili seasoning with an “i”. Use a good quality chili seasoning, which is a blend of spices used to make Texas style chili’s.
• Honey
• Red Chile Powder: A single blend chili powder, preferably from New Mexico.
• Hatch Chile Peppers: Choose mild, medium or hot. Depending on your heat level tolerance.

Ingredients For The Chili

• Canned Tomatoes: Petite diced tomatoes recommended. They’ll break down easier during the cooking process for a more pleasant texture.
• Red Kidney Beans: Or you can use canned Pinto Beans. I’m a fan of chili con carne, where beans are added to chili. If you’re on the side of Texas style chili with no beans, simply omit them.
• Onion: Sweet or yellow onion.
• Bourbon: Use a good Kentucky Bourbon please. I used Forester brand.
• Beef Broth or Beef Stock
• Beef Chuck Roast: Cut into bite sized pieces.

1. Step 1: Remove excess fat and connective tissue from the chuck roast. Cut the roast into large bite sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper and coat the meat with flour, tossing with your hands. Coating the meat with flour will not only serve to thicken the chili a bit, but the starch in the flour will caramelize quickly for a deeper color and flavor.
2. Step 2: Heat a large skillet or a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ½ of the oil. When oil is hot, add half of the flour-coated meat. Saute until browned. Remove to a place and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.

3. Step 3: When the 2nd batch of beef is almost done, add chopped onion and stir. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Step 4: Remove the chuck roast and onions to a plate. Add the bourbon to deglaze the pan, scraping with a sturdy spatula. Then simmer for 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol, stirring often.

5. Step 5: Add beef broth and remaining ingredients to a large Dutch oven. Turn heat to low and simmer for 2 – 3 hours, partially covered, or until the beef is fork tender. Taste chili periodically to adjust seasoning such as salt, pepper, and chile powder. 

Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating

• Make Ahead: Absolutely yes. As with any soup, stew or chili the flavors mature and are always better the next day. Make this chili in advance for meal prep or if entertaining.
• Storage: Store Chuck Roast Chili in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. It will also freeze well and keep for three months. I like to use zip-lock style freezer bags. Just stand them to to fill, squeeze the air out, and making sure they’re well sealed, lay flat to optimize freezer space.
• To Reheat: Thaw the chili overnight in the refrigerator. Re-heat in a sauce pan or in individual bowls in the microwave. The 50% power feature on your microwave is your best friend. Gently reheat individual servings in 30 second increments to gently reheat. A gentle reheat will also keep the beef from drying out.