Want a recipe guaranteed to win the office chili cook off?
Then look no further! This Beef, Beans, and Beer Chili is surprisingly delicious! The addition of dark beer adds a deep richness the pairs perfectly with the smokiness of the adobo chilis and all the spices. I caution you not to taste the Beef, Beans, and Beer Chili until it done though! You might think the beef taste funny initially, but it just needs time to mellow out with all the other flavors.
Can I make this with an instant pot or slow cooker?
Yep! You can make this Beef, Beans, and Beer Chili in the instant pot or slow cooker. If you don’t have either of these devices on the stove top is fine. I have included directions for all of those options.
Want the BEST Sides to serve this with:
- cornbread
- sour cream
- cheese
- buttery egg noodles
- tortilla chips
Let’s make this Beer, Beans, and Beer Chili!
Equipement
- pressure cooker optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb stew meat cut into 1 in chunks
- 1 tbsp bacon grease or olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 2 chicken Italian sausages optional
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 6-7 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can kidney beans undrained
- 1 can pinto beans undrained
- 28 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 peppers in adobo
- water to rinse out the cans
- 1 11-12 oz can of dark beer
Spices
- 1/2 tbsp beef bouillon powder or a packet beefy onion soup mix
- 1 tbsp low sodium beef bouillon paste
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp complete seasoning
- 6 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt free cajun seasoning optional can just use extra of the other spices
- 1/2 tbsp sugar adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp salt adjust to taste
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- In a heavy bottom pot on medium heat, add bacon grease (or olive oil) and butter. Add in the stew meat and brown for 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Add the ground beef and ground Italian chicken sausage. Cook until browned, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook with 4-5 minutes or until softened.
- Add all the spices and the adobo peppers, stir to combine.
- Once the spices smell fragrant, add in the rest of the chili ingredients. Use a small amount of water to get everything out of the bean and tomato sauce cans; add that water to the chili. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Put on the lid and simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once its finished cooking, adjust the seasoning if needed. I usually add a little more sugar and salt.
Instant Pot Method
- If you want to make this recipe in the instant pot or pressure cooker then follow the directions up until you add the spices and adobo peppers. Then transfer the mixture into the instant pot. I prefer to sauté my vegetables and brown the meat in a skillet instead of the instant pot on sauté mode because the bottom of the instant pot is small. I can brown the food faster in a skillet than in the bottom of the instant pot.
- Next add all the rest of the ingredients to the instant pot. Don’t use water to rinse out the cans, there will be plenty of liquid in the pot. The water will not evaporate, so you don’t want the chili to be too loose.
- Place on the lid and pressure cook with 18 minutes on high pressure. Natural pressure release for 1 hour, then quick release the rest of the way.
- Turn on saute mode and cook until the chili is to your desired thickness. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Slow Cooker Method
- This chili can also be made in the slow cooker. Follow the directions for the stovetop and cook on low for 4-5 hours or overnight. You can also cook on high for 3-4 hours. Make sure to add the water from rinsing the can to ensure you have enough liquid.
Beef, Beans, and Beer Chili
Equipment
- pressure cooker optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb stew meat cut into 1 in chunks
- 1 tbsp bacon grease or olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 2 chicken Italian sausages optional
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 6-7 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can kidney beans undrained
- 1 can pinto beans undrained
- 28 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 peppers in adobo
- water to rinse out the cans
- 1 11-12 oz can of dark beer
Spices
- 1/2 tbsp beef bouillon powder or a packet beefy onion soup mix
- 1 tbsp low sodium beef bouillon paste
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp complete seasoning
- 6 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt free cajun seasoning optional can just use extra of the other spices
- 1/2 tbsp sugar adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp salt adjust to taste
Instructions
Stovetop
- In a heavy bottom pot on medium heat, add bacon grease (or olive oil) and butter. Add in the stew meat and brown for 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Add the ground beef and ground Italian chicken sausage. Cook until browned, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook with 4-5 minutes or until softened.
- Add all the spices and the adobo peppers, stir to combine.
- Once the spices smell fragrant, add in the rest of the chili ingredients. Use a small amount of water to get everything out of the bean and tomato sauce cans; add that water to the chili. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Put on the lid and simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once its finished cooking, adjust the seasoning if needed. I usually add a little more sugar and salt.
Instant Pot
- If you want to make this recipe in the instant pot or pressure cooker then follow the directions up until you add the spices and adobo peppers. Then transfer the mixture into the instant pot. I prefer to sauté my vegetables and brown the meat in a skillet instead of the instant pot on sauté mode because the bottom of the instant pot is small. I can brown the food faster in a skillet than in the bottom of the instant pot.
- Next add all the rest of the ingredients to the instant pot. Don't use water to rinse out the cans, there will be plenty of liquid in the pot. The water will not evaporate, so you don't want the chili to be too loose.
- Place on the lid and pressure cook with 18 minutes on high pressure. Natural pressure release for 1 hour, then quick release the rest of the way.
- Turn on saute mode and cook until the chili is to your desired thickness. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Slow Cooker
- This chili can also be made in the slow cooker. Follow the directions for the stovetop and cook on low for 4-5 hours or overnight. You can also cook on high for 3-4 hours. Make sure to add the water from rinsing the can to ensure you have enough liquid.