Chili With Stew Meat

When you make chili with stew meat instead of ground beef, you can’t rush the process: The chunks of beef will need time to cook at a low temperature so they become nice and tender. But the good news is that you can make this recipe in a Crock-Pot, so most of the cooking happens on its own. Try it next time stew meat is on sale at the grocery store!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 3 lb beef chuck, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 2 small, yellow onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 12 oz dark beer
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 15-oz can diced tomatoes
• 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp cornmeal

Seasoning Mix

• 2 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Cut up your beef chuck into bite-sized pieces so that the pieces will all cook evenly.
• Mix together all of the ingredients for the seasoning mix in a small bowl.
• Grab a large skillet and put it on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the oil and give it a moment to heat up.
• Add your stew meat to the pan in a single layer. If it doesn’t all fit, cook the meat in batches. The goal here is to sear the chunks of meat on all sides: They should be browned, but you don’t need to worry about cooking them all the way through.
• Add the meat to your slow cooker.
• Once the meat is cooked, add the jalapeno peppers, celery, onions, salt, and pepper to the hot pan. Cook until the onions are translucent and the celery is tender, then add the garlic and give it another minute or two.
• Add in your seasoning mix, oregano, and brown sugar. Stir the ingredients together and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Next, stir in your tomato paste and beer. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring to keep the ingredients from burning. Then, add the mixture into the slow cooker with your stew meat.
• Add your diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaves to your slow cooker and stir to evenly combine all of the ingredients.
• Cover the slow cooker and set it on low. Let the chili cook for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
• Stir in the cornmeal and let it cook for a few minutes to thicken the chili.
• Remove the bay leaves and serve.