Steak Chili
But, hey! Good to see y’all again! I missed ya. Looked like you were in good hands though with all of those amazing guest posts, right? I hope you all loved them as much as I did.
Anyway, I had planned on sharing my favorite dish from the cruise with you (the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake…divine!), but I haven’t gotten a chance to make it yet. Instead you get chili! Because my toes are frozen and my heart is back on the beach in the Bahamas.
This chili is kinda funky. In a good way, obviously. You see, it’s missing a key ingredient.
Tomatoes.
Fo’ real. There are no tomato chunks and no tomato sauce. Strange, but true, and also delicious. This is my new favorite chili.
I will say that this was too spicy for the kids and me, but we managed to eat it anyway. It was worth the burn. Next time I’ll reduce the chipotle peppers by, uh, a lot. In fact, I’ll probably do away with it all together and just add in a little chipotle powder. I’m a wuss. I can’t handle the heat.

Ingredients
- 2 pounds cubed chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 chipotle in adobo, minced (leave this out if you're a wuss)
- 1 teaspoon adobo from the can
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 3 teaspoons coriander
- 1/4 cup smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup chili powder
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 cup beer
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/3 cup masa harina
- 1/2 cup water
- Sour cream, for serving
- Diced green onion, for serving
- Shredded cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Season the cubed meat with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or stock pot. Add half of the beef and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef, reserving the fat in the pot.
- Add the onions to the pot and cook until soft, about five minutes. Add the garlic, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce and cook for one minute. Pour in all of the spices and toast in the onion mixture for about 3 minutes. Add the beef and stir to coat.
- Pour in the chicken stock, beef stock, beer, and sugar and bring to a boil. Once boiling put a lid on the pot, venting it for steam, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for three hours, stirring occasionally.
- Mix the masa and water together until it becomes the consistency of pancake batter. Add more water as needed. Whisk the masa into the chili and bring it back up to a boil. Cook until thickened.
- Serve with sour cream, cheese, and onions.
from Evil Shenanigans

















Mmm…looks so good!
So, so sorry it was too spicy for you! I do like it hot, more than most people. I am glad, however, that you would make it again, with less heat. Your pics are beautiful!
Whoa. It certainly LOOKS like it has tomatoes in it. That deep red color. Just beautiful.
THis looks amazing!! I love spice, but my husband and son are big fat cry babies about it
So I would have to leave it out.
Looks awesome, but I’d also have to cut back the heat A LOT. My son makes fun of me because I just can’t take it. I’m in awe of these pics. How do you manage to make a bowl of chili look like it’s popping off the page?
I love heat, so this would be right up our taste!!
sweetlife
Oh dear, you got sucked into the molten chocolate cake heaven on a cruise too! I seriously ate one at dinner every night on the cruise I was on- as well as choclate frozen yogurt after my lunch of Mongolian BBQ each day. Ohhh cruise food.
oh, just cry me a river, karly.
glad you’re safely back and bringing us some good ol’ comfort food!
My mouth is burning just reading this, Karly. I guess I am a wuss. But that’s OK, I’ll make it anyway!
Glad you’re back and had a great time!
It is cold here isn’t it? Soooo looking forward to spring!! In the meantime this chili would warm up anyone, with or without the chipotle. I do like my chili to be nice and spicy (and quite warming too..)
I’ve never had steak chili before! I hear you on the chipotle though. I always have to tone down how much I use because I just can’t handle the spice. This looks great!
Although I’m a vegetarian, I just NEED to tell you how beautiful your photographs are – the sharpness and colors are incredible!
This sounds like a great chili! I’d love for you to submit this to the M&T Spotlight at http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight
I made this last night and it was fantastic. I’m not sure where all this talk about hot is coming from; I put two chipotle peppers in and it was fine. I guess it is all a matter of taste.