Short Rib Chili
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This short rib chili has chunks of fall-apart tender beef, two kinds of beans, and a deep, smoky sauce flavored with veggies, spices, and toasted ancho and guajillo chili peppers blended into rich chili paste. You make the whole chili in one Dutch oven plus a quick pulse in a small food processor.
The idea started with Kenji López-Alt’s short rib chili from The Food Lab, one of my favorite cookbooks because I love food science and knowing how each ingredient works to make a dish taste its best. We also love short ribs at my house (you can probably tell from my braised short ribs, Mexican style braised short ribs and many others).
So I made his chili a couple of times and noticed how much effort it takes. I’m always happy to put that kind of time into cooking, but I know most of my readers don’t have it. So I played around with the method to make it easier and swapped some ingredients you can easily find at grocery stores or likely already have on hand.
Table of Contents
What I Love About My Short Rib Chili
I did a lot of tinkering in my kitchen to get this chili right, and here is what makes it worth every minute of the braise:
- Deep flavor from one pot. Toasting the dried chili peppers, searing the short ribs, and blooming the spices all happen in the same Dutch oven, so every browned bit on the bottom ends up in the chili.
- Homemade chili paste. I blend rehydrated ancho and guajillo chili peppers into a quick paste, so I know exactly what goes into the seasoning, and the flavor tastes rich, balanced, and full.
- Big, tender bites of beef. Chopping the short rib meat before it braises means you get spoon-tender chunks of beef in every bite.
- The bones go in too. I braise the bones right along with the meat for extra body and beefy flavor, then pull them out before serving.
- Everyday ingredients. Everything on the list comes from a regular grocery store, including the dried chili peppers.
- Even better the next day. Just like with all my chili recipes, I love making this one a day ahead so the flavors have time to come together overnight.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Short ribs: For bone-in, pick English cut short ribs, the thick pieces with one bone each and the meat sitting on top. Choose the meatiest ribs you can find, with about 1.5 to 2 inches of meat above the bone, bright red color, and thin streaks of fat running through the meat. For boneless, look for thick, well-marbled pieces about 1.5 to 2 inches thick.
- Dried ancho and guajillo chili peppers: I use ancho for a smoky, earthy depth with hints of cocoa and guajillo for a fruity, tangy flavor and that gorgeous deep red color. Look for them in the international aisle of most supermarkets, at Latin grocery stores, or online. Both have about a medium heat, so for a spicier chili, use dried chipotle, árbol, or puya chili peppers.
- Jalapeños: Expect a fresh, moderate heat. Keep the seeds and membrane for a spicier chili, or remove them for a milder one. Jalapeños with light brown veins running along the skin tend to be spicier, so keep that in mind when you pick them out at the store.
- Cornmeal: I use a few tablespoons of cornmeal to thicken the chili, since cornmeal absorbs some of the liquid during the long braise.
- Fire roasted crushed tomatoes: I like fire roasted for a little smokiness and crushed for a thick, saucy texture.
- Beans: I use low sodium red kidney beans and pinto beans to keep more control over saltiness. You can use any beans you like will though black beans, navy, or cannellini. You can even add an extra can of beans if you wish.
- Beef stock: Use homemade beef stock or a good quality low sodium store-bought stock.
Short Ribs vs Chuck Roast for Chili
- Short ribs: richer, beefier flavor, plus you get extra body from braising the bones. They usually cost more and can be harder to find.
- Chuck roast: easier to find, usually costs less, and has no bones, so prep is quicker. Cut it into chunks and follow the recipe the same way.
How to Make Short Rib Chili: Step by Step
Prep everything first. Pull the short ribs out of the fridge and let them rest while you dice the onion and jalapeños, smash and dice the garlic, and measure the rest of the ingredients.
- Toast the dried chili peppers. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chili peppers. Preheat the Dutch oven over medium heat with a little oil and toast the chili peppers for about a minute, then flip and toast the other side.
- Rehydrate and blend. Pour in 1/2 cup hot water and cover with the lid right away. Lower the heat to medium-low and let the chili peppers soften for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer them, along with the water in the pot, to a small food processor or blender and blend into a smooth paste. Add a splash of beef stock or water if needed to get it blending.
- Sear the short ribs. Pat the short ribs dry and season them with salt and pepper on all sides. Add a little more oil to the same Dutch oven and sear them in batches for about a minute per side, until browned. Give them room in the pot and set them aside when done. If you see a lot of rendered fat left in the pot, drain some of it off.
- Sauté the veggies and bloom the spices. Add the onion and jalapeños to the pot and sauté until softened and starting to brown. Make a little well in the center, add the garlic, oregano, paprika, and cumin, and stir and toast for 30 to 45 seconds, until fragrant.
- Toast the chili paste. Stir in the tomato paste, cornmeal, brown sugar, and chili paste and keep stirring for about a minute.
- Deglaze. Pour in the beef stock as you scrape up the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaves and salt, stir, and taste for seasoning. Lower the heat to low while you prepare the meat.
- Chop the short ribs. Cut the meat off the bones. I like to trim off the fat caps and excess fat, but that part is optional. Chop the meat into chunks as big or small as you like, then add the meat and the bones to the pot.
- Braise. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid, leaving a small opening, and cook in the oven at 300°F for 2 hours. Check the liquid about halfway through and add a little more beef stock if it’s cooking out too much.
- Add the tomatoes and beans. Take the pot out of the oven and remove the bones. Any meat left on them can go back into the pot, but what’s left is mostly tendon wrapped around the bone, so you can discard it. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, and lime juice and taste again.
- Finish in the oven. Raise the oven to 325°F, cover the pot again with a small opening, and cook for another 1 to 1.5 hours. Serve with your favorite toppings.
What to Serve with Short Rib Chili
- Toppings: Shredded sharp cheddar, crumbled queso fresco, sour cream, diced avocado, sliced green onions, fresh jalapeño slices, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
- Sides: A side of buttermilk cornbread or cheddar jalapeño cornbread is a classic match. For something different, serve it with jalapeño cheddar buttermilk biscuits or spoon it over Spanish rice.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Short Rib Chili
- Make ahead: cook the chili a day ahead for the best flavor. Refrigerating it overnight also makes it easy to lift off any solidified fat from the top before reheating.
- Store: in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: cool the chili as quickly as possible, portion it into freezer bags or freezer-safe containers, and label and date them. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw and reheat: thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring from time to time. Add a splash of beef stock if it’s too thick.
- Reheat individual portions: you can easily reheat it in the microwave in 45-60 second intervals.
Short Rib Chili Recipe FAQs
Can I use boneless short ribs?
Yes. Use about 3 lbs boneless short ribs in place of 4 lbs bone-in. Sear them the same way, chop them into chunks, and skip the step of adding and removing the bones.
Can I use a different cut of beef?
Yes, my recommendation is beef chuck roast. Cut it into chunks, sear it, and follow the rest of the recipe the same way.
Can I use different beans?
Absolutely, any beans work in this chili. Black beans, cannellini, or a mix of your favorites are all great options. Just drain them before adding.
Why do you add cornmeal to chili?
I use cornmeal to thicken the chili. Cornmeal absorbs some of the liquid as the chili braises, so you end up with a thick, hearty chili instead of a thin, soupy one.
Where do I find dried ancho and guajillo chili peppers?
Check the international aisle of most larger supermarkets or any Latin grocery store. You can also order dried chili peppers online.
How spicy is this short rib chili?
Ancho and guajillo chili peppers have about a medium heat, and you get a little more from the jalapeños. For a milder chili, remove the jalapeño seeds and membrane. For more heat, leave them in, swap in a serrano, or swap one or two of the dried chili peppers for chipotle, árbol, or puya chili peppers.
Should this beef short rib chili cook covered or uncovered?
I cover the pot but leave a small opening, so some of the steam can escape and the chili thickens as it braises without drying out.
More Recipes From Me
- The Best Beef Chili Recipe
- Turkey Chili Recipe
- Pumpkin Chili Recipe
- Instant Pot Short Ribs Recipe
- Boneless Short Ribs Recipe with Red Wine Sauce
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Short Rib Chili Recipe
This short rib chili has chunks of fall-apart tender beef, two kinds of beans, and a deep, smoky sauce flavored with veggies, spices, and toasted ancho and guajillo chili peppers blended into rich chili paste. You make the whole chili in one Dutch oven plus a quick pulse in a small food processor.
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Servings: 10
Calories: 406kcal
Ingredients
- 4 lbs bone in short ribs or 3 lbs boneless
- coarse salt
- black pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or another neutral cooking oil
- 3 dried ancho chili peppers
- 3 dried guajillo chili peppers
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 yellow onion
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp cornmeal
- 2-2.5 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp coarse salt more or less to taste
- 28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp lime juice juice from1 lime
- 15 oz can low sodium red kidney beans drained
- 15 oz can low sodium pinto beans drained
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: pull the short ribs from the fridge and let them rest to warm up. Dice onion and jalapenos (remember you can leave the seeds and membrane in for spicier chili or discard seeds and membrane for milder chili.) Smash and dice the garlic. Measure remaining ingredients.
Chili pepper paste:
- Take the stems and seeds out of the dried chili peppers and discard.
- Preheat the Dutch oven (I use 5.5 quart) over medium heat. Add some oil and add the dried chili peppers. Let them toast for about a minute and flip to toast the other side.
- Add hot water and quickly close the lid. Lower the heat to medium-low and let them rehydrate for about 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer the softened chili peppers into a blender or a little food processor, with the water that is in the pot. Blend the chili peppers into paste. (Add a little beef stock or water if needed to blend well.) Set aside
Sear the short ribs:
- Pat the short ribs dry and season them with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Add a little more oil to the same Dutch oven and sear the short ribs for about a minute or so on each side, until browns. You will need to work in batches of a few short ribs at a time, don't overcrowd the pot. Take them out and set aside. Tip: if there is a lot of rendered fat leftover in the pot after searing the short ribs, drain some of it off if you wish.
Build the chili:
- Add the diced onion and jalapenos to the Dutch oven. Sauté until softened and starts to brown.
- Make a little well in the center and add the minced garlic, oregano, paprika, and cumin. Stir with the veggies and continue to stir and toast the seasoning for about 30-45 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste, cornmeal, brown sugar, and chili paste with the veggies and let it toast as you stir for about a minute as well.
- Pour in the beef stock as you scrape the bottom of the pot. Add in bay leaves and salt. Stir a few seconds and taste to check the seasoning. Lower the heat to low while you chop the meat.
- Cut the short rib meat off the bones and I personally like to take off the fat caps and excess fat off the meat as well. That is optional. Chop the meat into chunks, as big or small as you wish.
- Add the chopped meat into the pot and add the bones as well.
- Cover the Dutch oven with the lid but leave a small opening. Transfer the pot into the oven and let it cook for 2 hours. (Check the liquid levels about half way through to make sure it's not cooking out too much. Add a little more beef stock if needed.)
- Take the pot out of the oven and take out the bones. If there is meat left on the bones, you can take it off and add back to the pot, but there will mostly be a tendon left that's wrapped around the bone. So you can just discard it.
- Stir in tomatoes, beans, and lime juice into the chili. Taste again.
- Raise the heat to 325℉ and cover the pot again leaving a small opening. Put it back into the oven and cook for another 1-1.5 hours.
- Take it out of the oven, discard bay leaves, and serve with your toppings of choice.
Notes
- Spice level: For a milder chili, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeños. For more heat, leave them in. Jalapeños with light brown veins on the skin tend to be spicier.
- Beans: Any type of beans work here, so use your favorites. Drain them before adding.
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 787mg | Potassium: 1145mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 636IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 6mg
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Categories:
Beef Recipes, Chili Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Fall Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes, Mexican Dinner Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
The deep rich red color is so beautiful! What a delicious, special recipe!