Thick and chunky steak chili features fall-apart tender steak cubes, lots of hearty beans, and the perfect amount of zippy heat from jalapenos.

Sometimes only the meatiest chili will do! Enter, steak chili and while we’re at it let’s kick all the spicy flavors up to a 20.

The end result? One game day-worthy chili that gets the job done.

With MINIMAL effort, mind you! You can build the entirety of this chili hours in advance and just let it do its thing on the stove for awhile.

There’s no shortage of flavor in this hearty chili and the best part is you can dial the heat up or down depending on your preference! Keep reading for my heat adjusting suggestions.

This Chili features…

Fall-apart tender steak cubes
A thick and flavorful stew base
A spicy flavor from fresh jalapenos
Made in one pot and easy to prep ahead of time

Making the Chili

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

Beef stew meat
Vegetable oil
Yellow onion
Jalapeno peppers
Garlic
Spices
Tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
Brown sugar
Kidney beans
Diced tomatoes
Beef broth

Slow Cooker Instructions

If you would like to convert this recipe to a slow cooker version, follow instructions 1-3 then transfer everything to a 4-qt slow cooker. Cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-3 hours until beef is fall-apart tender.

Tips for Perfect Steak Chili

Cut stew meat in uniform cubes – aim for 1/2-inch cubes so the beef cooks evenly.
Sear beef cubes – this gets a nice crust on the beef and sets a flavorful base for the chili.
Cover chili for simmering – this will prevent the liquid from evaporating quickly.
Simmer chili 1-1/2 to 2 hours – this simmer time is crucial for getting fall-apart tender beef.
Add brown sugar to chili – a little sweetness from brown sugar helps balance the savory chili flavors.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this chili.

Adjust heat level – use 1/2-1 jalapeno for a mild flavor or 1-2 for a spicier flavor. You can also use a spicier pepper such as serrano or habanero for a more intense level of heat.
Add vegetables – try adding a diced carrot, sweet potato, or sweet pepper. Feel free to add more broth to thin chili if necessary from any extra additions.
Try more toppings – go as crazy in the toppings department as you want! We like additional jalapenos, sour cream, red onion, and cilantro but feel free to try additional toppings like crushed tortilla chips, cheddar, hot sauce, salsa, or green onions.

Storing and Freezing Chili

This chili stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days. Reheat leftovers in individual servings in microwave 2-3 minutes or over medium heat on stovetop for larger portions.

To freeze chili, allow to cool completely then store in a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of open air on top, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating or reheat from frozen over low heat on stovetop.

Every bite of this chili is like a flavor bomb! Packed to capacity with flavors from that long simmer time and ALL the melt-in-your-mouth tender beef cubes.

Your football season is BEGGING for a huge pot of this touchdown-worthy chili!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Try these other killer chili recipes next!

Save To Recipe Box

Print Pin

No ratings yet