This all beef Texas Style Chili recipe is a hearty dish that’s rich and satisfying. Enjoy it with a side of hot buttered cornbread for dinner or tailgating.

Ingredients to Make Texas Style Chili Recipe

It’s no secret that the great state of Texas is cattle country. That’s just one of the many reasons, I love that state. I thoroughly enjoy classic ground beef chili with beans or buffalo chicken chili for game day and budget friendly dinners for my boys. That said, this all beef texas chili recipe has no beans. When I’m fortunate enough to catch chuck roasts on sale, it’s a sure thing, and I keep the guajillo peppers in my freezer to whip-up a batch of the sauce on a whim. Ingredients to make Texas Style Chili: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Beef: One 4 pound chuck roast trimmed and cut into bite-sized cubes.
Peppers: Three medium dried guajillo peppers soaked in hot water.
Green Peppers: One medium jalapeno or poblano pepper.
Onion: One large sweet onion, white onion or yellow onion.
Garlic Cloves: Minced garlic expands the flavor.
Oil: Vegetable or canola oil a neutral oil works best.
Seasonings: Sea salt, black pepper,dark chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cocoa powder, ancho chili powder and Mexican oregano.
Masa Harina: Masa harina or cornmeal thickens the sauce.
Beef Stock: One 32 ounce carton beef stock or beef broth.
Canned Tomatoes: One 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes forms the base for the rich sauce.
Chipotle Peppers: Adds a pop of spice.
Tomato Paste: Makes the sauce full bodied and flavorful.
Assorted Toppings: Sour cream, queso fresco, lime wedges, shredded cheese, cornbread, tortillas or fritos for serving.

How to Make the Best Texas Style Chili Recipe

What Makes Texas Beef Chili Different? Texas chili is typically made sans beans, as mentioned earlier. Classic Texas chili may also skip the tomato products such as the tomato paste or crushed tomatoes that I include in my recipe. My Texan friends sometimes refer to it as Cowboy chili or Texas red chili which uses a chili paste instead of tomatoes. Regardless, it makes an amazing meal any time of year.

Rehydrate the Peppers – Cover guajillo peppers with boiling water. Set aside to soften while you prepare the beef.
Heat Oil – In a 6 quart Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Beef– Add chunks of beef searing until browned on all sides. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove beef to a platter with a slotted spoon.
Cook Vegetables – Add onion and jalapeno peppers to the pot. Cook until softened and beginning to brown scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Add garlic.
Sauce and Spices – Using a stand blender blend together stock, crushed tomatoes, guajillo peppers, reserved 1 tsp salt, chipotle, chili, cumin, cocoa, ancho, oregano, paprika, masa harina and cilantro. Cover and blend until smooth.
Combine – Pour chili sauce into Dutch oven and add beef back to pot. Stir to combine.
Simmer the Beef Stew – Cook over medium-low covered for 2 hours or until the beef is pull apart tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Thicken the Sauce – To thicken, uncover and add tomato paste 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring thoroughly until melted. Repeat until desired thickness is reached. You can simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce further, if desired.
Serve – Serve with queso fresco or shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, cornbread, tortilla chips or any of your favorite chili toppings.

Tips for Making Texas Chili

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: A large pot or large Dutch oven, a sharp knife and chopping board, measuring cups and spoons a large spoon for stirring and serving.
Tomatoes and Tomato Paste Make a Rich Sauce: My recipe does include both tomatoes and tomato paste for the sauce. It’s our preference, and an important part of this particular recipe.
Where Do You Buy Guajillo Peppers? They’re are usually found in the Hispanic foods section of most grocery stores including places like Walmart. They can be offered in large packages. While you may not need them all for this recipe, save the extra in the freezer for another pot of chili later on.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare this chili one day in advance for a timesaver. Chill it covered in the Dutch oven and reheat it just before serving. You can also pour it into a slow cooker to keep warm.
Serving Options: I recommend serving this chili with a sprinkling of queso fresco, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, guacamole or pico de gallo and hot buttered honey cornbread on the side.

Recipe Variations

Add Beer: You can replace some of the beef stock with beer.
Green Chiles: You can add green chiles to the pepper blend.
Masa Harina: You can use yellow cornmeal in place of masa.
Beef Stock: You can use beef broth.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers: Store leftover Texas Chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat Texas cowboy chili over medium heat in a saucepan until heated through.
Freezer: This chili freezes extremely well. Cool, package and freeze for additional meals for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.

More Southern Style Chili Recipes to Make

Whether you serve chili in a bowl with a side of cornbread or as an ingredient in a fusion dish, the flavors always satisfy. More chili inspired recipes you may like to try:

Add pasta to the mix and enjoy a big bowl of Chili Spaghetti.
Instant Pot Beef and Bean Chili can be ready in no time flat.
White Chicken Chili is delicious topped with tortilla strips, shredded cheese and sour cream.
Chili Cheese Corn Dog Muffins are a game day favorite combining two yummy dishes into one.
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken with fresh Peach Salsa is light and refreshing.
Chipotle Turkey Chili is packed with flavor.
You may also enjoy this Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast from The Magical Slow Cooker.

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