Smoked chili uses ground beef or turkey cooked in a smoker before it joins tomatoes, beans, onion, and bell pepper on the stovetop. The meat supplies the smoky flavor, while a short final simmer brings the pot together.
This method smokes the meat separately rather than suspending it over the chili. Allow enough time for the thickest part to reach its safe temperature; smoker heat, meat shape, and weather all affect the schedule.
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Why This Recipe Works
Smoking a shallow, formed portion of meat exposes its surface to smoke while keeping it manageable to transfer. The stovetop vegetables soften in their own measured oil, and the cooked meat is crumbled into the tomato mixture afterward. A small amount of beans makes this a meat-forward bowl rather than a bean-heavy chili.
Ingredients
Use two pounds of ground beef or ground turkey and form an even patty about an inch thick. Choose a rimmed, smoker-safe pan that fits your equipment. The two cans of diced tomatoes are 15 ounces each and go in with their juices. Measure one cup of cooked, drained beans; already cooked smoked beans or ordinary kidney or pinto beans work. A chopped bell pepper and a tablespoon of neutral oil belong to the vegetable stage. Use American chili powder, a spice blend, for the measured seasoning.
Main ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 15 ounces each, undrained
- 2 tablespoons chili powder, American spice blend
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup cooked beans, smoked or regular, drained
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, for the vegetables
Optional toppings
- Shredded cheese, optional, for serving
- Sour cream, optional, for serving
- Green onions, chopped, optional, for serving
As Needed
- water, as needed during simmering
How to Make Smoked Chili
1. Set up a controlled smoke. Preheat the smoker to 225°F according to its manufacturer’s instructions and choose a wood flavor you like with beef or turkey. Spread the meat into an evenly thick patty in the rimmed pan so juices stay contained. A thick mound cooks much more slowly than a shallow patty. Keep the lid closed between checks and use a thermometer rather than judging doneness from the browned or smoke-darkened surface.
2. Cook the meat to temperature. Allow approximately one to two hours at 225°F, checking the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer. Ground beef must reach 160°F; ground turkey must reach 165°F. Those endpoints determine when to remove the pan, even if the clock differs. Once fully cooked, transfer the meat to a plate and crumble it with forks into small pieces, leaving excessive pooled grease behind.
3. Start the vegetables near the end. During the final fifteen minutes of smoking, warm the measured oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Soften onion and bell pepper for about five to seven minutes, then add garlic for thirty seconds. Stir in chili powder and cumin, followed promptly by the undrained tomatoes and cooked beans. The vegetable pot uses fresh oil because the smoker pan’s drippings are kept separate.
4. Finish with a gentle simmer. Add all the crumbled, cooked meat and bring the mixture to a gentle bubble. Reduce to low and simmer about thirty minutes, stirring from the bottom. Keep the lid partly on if liquid is evaporating quickly, and add a small splash of water if needed. The finished chili should be thick, with visible meat and beans in a moist tomato base. Taste for salt and pepper before dividing into six portions.
How to Serve
Top each bowl with optional shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onion. Cornbread or a baked potato makes a useful partner for this meat-heavy chili. Offer hot sauce separately; the smoke, cumin, and chili powder already provide a strong flavor without requiring every bowl to be very hot.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate in shallow containers within two hours of cooking, keeping the refrigerator at 40°F or below. Use within three to four days, or freeze portions for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat over medium-low heat with a splash of water if needed. Stir and check that the center reaches 165°F before serving leftovers. See federal cold-storage guidance for refrigerated foods.
Tips and Variations
- Keep the ground-meat patty evenly thick for more predictable smoking.
- Use the meat temperature rather than a fixed one-hour stop.
- Begin the vegetables near the end of smoking to overlap the tasks.
- A partly covered final simmer limits excess evaporation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes, it is one of the listed options. Its center must reach 165°F in the smoker.
What if smoking takes longer than two hours?
Continue until the meat reaches its required temperature. Check that the smoker is maintaining 225°F and that the patty is not unusually thick.
Can I make it without a smoker?
Brown the meat in a skillet to its safe temperature, then continue with the pot. This produces a stovetop variation without the same smoked flavor.
Do I need smoked beans?
No, regular cooked beans work. The smoked meat supplies the main smoke flavor.
Can I use a stronger wood?
Yes, but stronger woods can dominate a long cook. Follow your smoker’s guidance and begin with a moderate amount.
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- Easy Chili Mac Recipe
- Homemade Cornbread
Smoked Chili Recipe
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes 15 ounces each, undrained
- 2 tablespoons chili powder American spice blend
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cooked beans smoked or regular, drained
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil for the vegetables
Optional toppings
- Shredded cheese optional, for serving
- Sour cream optional, for serving
- Green onions chopped, optional, for serving
As Needed
- water as needed during simmering
Instructions
Smoke Meat
- Heat smoker to 225°F. Form the ground meat into an even patty about 1 inch thick in a rimmed, smoker-safe pan.
- Smoke at 225°F for approximately 1–2 hours until the thickest part reaches 160°F for beef or 165°F for turkey. Remove and crumble the cooked meat, leaving excessive grease behind.
Finish Chili
- During the final 15 minutes of smoking, heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook onion and bell pepper 5–7 minutes until soft, then add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Stir in chili powder and cumin, then add undrained tomatoes and cooked, drained beans. Add all crumbled smoked meat and bring to a gentle bubble.
- Reduce to low and simmer, partly covered, for 30 minutes until thick, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed. Season with salt and pepper, divide into 6 portions, and add optional toppings.
Notes
- Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days.
- Freeze portions for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheat leftovers to 165°F at the center.
