Brisket Chili
On November 04, 2020 (Updated April 16, 2022)
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This recipe for thick and hearty Brisket Chili is the perfect way to use up a bunch of leftover smoked beef brisket. It’s full of yummy goodness, so you can continue to enjoy your tasty brisket for days to come!
Brisket Chili
This brisket chili is meaty, warm, comforting and just a little bit spicy. It’s all the things that chili should be. I did include beans in my chili, because that’s how my family likes it (we’re from Utah and are beholden to no rules when it comes to proper chili), but you are absolutely welcome to leave them out. Serve with a side of Skillet Cornbread and you’ve got a meal that will stick to your ribs.
If you’re trying to cut out sugar you can sub the brown sugar in the recipe for a half tablespoon of honey or molasses or a combo of both depending on your tastes. Feel free to substitute as needed and play around with this chili. It’s pretty forgivable and easy to adjust to make it your own.
Leftover Brisket Chili
Hopefully you’ve read up on my step-by-step posts on cooking the perfect brisket (Brisket 101, How to Trim a Brisket, How to Smoke a Brisket, and How to Slice a Brisket), and you are now a seasoned pit master with beautiful briskets coming out of your smoker on the regular.
Cooking a 12-15 pound whole packer brisket makes for a whole lotta food. I try to feed as many people as I can with the freshly sliced stuff, but sometimes you’ve got leftovers! This brisket chili is the perfect way to use up any remaining smoky brisket. No more wasting that amazing brisket! By adding that slow smoked goodness to chili, you have a hearty and filling chili that everyone in the family will love.
How to Make Brisket Chili
This brisket chili is beyond easy to make. Simply dump everything into a pot, heat, and enjoy. For a full recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the printable recipe. Let’s break this process down just a bit more, shall we?
- Sauté. Sauté the onions and peppers in olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add in the garlic and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Cook. Add all remaining ingredients to the brisket chili and cook for at least 30 minutes to allow everything to heat through. You can allow this chili to simmer for up to 2 hours to really get those flavors going. Add additional salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste. As I mentioned earlier, beans are optional in this recipe, but we like how they add some thickness and extra flavor to the chili. Feel free to add other ingredients as you see fit.
- Serve. Once the chili is nice and hot, serve immediately with your favorite toppings. I recommend topping this brisket chili with a hefty amount of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a few slices of my Candied Jalapenos.
That’s it! Consider it your handy “dump and go” recipe, where everything is added to the pot and you let the heat do its work. This brisket chili is perfect for those busy weekdays after your weekend brisket smoke. With the brisket ready to go, all you have to do is throw the rest of the ingredients together a few hours before dinner, and you’re all set.
More Brisket Recipes
Need some brisket for this recipe? Try out these tasty brisket recipes from Hey Grill Hey to cook up the best brisket prior to adding it to this chili.
Brisket Chili Recipe
Brisket Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds smoked brisket cut into small cubes
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 46 fl oz can tomato sauce
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can pinto or kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the onions and peppers. Place a large dutch oven or cast iron pot on your stove and pre-heat to medium heat. Drizzle the olive oil in the pan and add the diced onions and bell peppers. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the onions are semi-translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
- Add remaining ingredients to the brisket chili. Add the chopped brisket to the pot and stir gently until the mixture is well combined. Add in the beans, tomatoes, and seasonings. Taste and add in any additional salt, pepper or other seasonings as needed. Stir until well combined.
- Cook the brisket chili. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Allow the chili to cook for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Serve immediately. Serve the brisket chili with shredded cheese, diced onions, sour cream, or any other toppings that you like!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published in October 2015. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
For the last year this is my go to base for chili! Leftover brisket, tri tip, prime rib, you name it we’ve done it. Turns out perfect everytime! When we first got our smoker two years ago my husband found Hey Grill Hey and we have been using the recipes as a guide since. I now say let’s make your girlfriend’s chili recipe because I am jealous it’s just the perfect ratios of flavors.
Very simple recipe that tastes fantastic. Since leftover Brisket is a rarity in our house, I added some Andouille Sausage, ChiChi Beans,
This is one of our go to chili recipes now. We use brisket, leftover pulled pork and even canned venison for the meat. I bumped the heat up a bit with some jalapeno and some homemade smoked chili powder. It’s excellent.