If you’ve ever smoked a brisket, you know using up all of the leftovers can be a challenge. Well, get ready for a family favorite – this hearty chili turns those smoky morsels into something even better than the original. The rich, tender pieces of brisket add a depth that ground beef can only dream of, while that slow-smoked flavor takes the flavor to the next level.
Our recipe makes the most of every precious bite of leftover brisket, building layers of flavor that complement – not overwhelm – your perfect smoke ring. We’ve found that chopped brisket holds up beautifully in a slow-simmered chili, staying tender while infusing the entire pot with its smoky goodness.
This isn’t just a way to use up leftovers – it’s a chili so good you might find yourself smoking a brisket just to make it. But use caution when seasoning. If your brisket has thick bark and lots of seasonings built in, skip the coffee spice blend so you don’t overdo it on the flavors.
Ingredients
- Smoked brisket leftovers – Whenever we smoke brisket we default to this guide from champion pitmaster GirlsCanGrill.
- Neutral oil like avocado oil
- Onion, Red & green bell pepper. For a little more earthiness and depth of flavor in your leftover brisket chili, add a tablespoon of the adobo liquid from canned chipotles.
- Chili powder, Cumin, Garlic powder, Coffee Junkie (or your favorite Coffee spice blend), & Cayenne powder. Check the salt level on your brisket and the coffee spice blend. If needed season to taste as the chili comes together.
- Tomato paste
- Dark beer, Diced tomatoes, Beef broth
How to Make Smoked Brisket Chili
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and peppers, sautéing until softened.
- Develop Flavors: Stir in the spices and tomato paste, cooking until fragrant, then deglaze the pan with dark beer.
- Simmer: Add the chopped brisket, tomatoes, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for two hours to meld the flavors.
Girl Carnivore Tips for the Best Chili
- Cutting Brisket: Ensure the brisket is chopped into uniform pieces to allow even cooking and flavor distribution.
- Simmering: Allow the chili to simmer slowly, adding broth as needed to achieve the desired consistency without rushing the process. A rolling boil can cause the brisket to simply break apart – go for a slow rolling bubble at the surface for the best flavor.
- Beans: We leave the debate of beans or no beans up to you. We wouldn’t dare add beans and still call it a Texas chili. If using beans, we recommend dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
How to Serve
Serve this robust chili with a variety of toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, and fresh cilantro to let everyone customize their bowl.
For the best flavor, prepare this chili a day ahead, letting the spices and smoky notes fully develop overnight.
Leftovers and reheating
Once cooled, store in the refrigerator in portion-sized airtight containers (or not, but that makes reheating easier). It can also be divided into vacuum-sealed bags and frozen for up to 3 months to reheat later.
To Reheat: Warm it slowly in a pot over medium heat. If it seems too thick, stir in a little broth to thin it to your desired consistency.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Smoked Brisket Chili Recipe
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs smoked brisket chopped, fatty bits discarded
- 2 tbsp oil neutral oil like avocado oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper seeded, stemmed and diced
- 1 green bell pepper seeded, stemmed and diced
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tsp coffee junkie
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 oz dark beer
- 28 oz diced tomatoes with liquid
- 3 – 4 cups beef broth
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and saute for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add the diced peppers and cook 3 minutes longer.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, coffee junkie, and cayenne.
- Then mix in the tomato paste and cook one minute longer.
- Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring in the beer and using a wooden spoon to scrape up and browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Add the diced brisket to the pot, along with the diced tomatos and 2 cups of beef broth.
- Add one more cup if needed to to create thick liquid base for the chili.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low rolling simmer and allow the chili to cook and thicken for 2 hours, adding a little more broth if needed.
- When ready to serve, set up all of your favorite chili toppings like diced onions, sliced green onions, sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, diced avocado, and sliced jalapeños.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and top as desired.
Notes
- For deeper flavor: Add a tablespoon or two of adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers when you add the tomato paste.
- Beans: Feel free to add drained and rinsed dark kidney, black or pinto beans.
- Salt: Brisket is traditionally smoked with a heavy SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) blend. Let the chili come together before adding any additional salt to the pot to make sure you don’t overdo it.
Nutrition
Bookmark this recipe now!
More Leftover Recipes
Turkey
Turkey Salad Recipe
Beef Recipes
Birria Nachos
Poultry Recipes
