Colorado's 1870s cattle drives created this chili using dried beef jerky when fresh meat spoiled in mountain snow.
Colorado Cowboy Chili
Warm up with a bowl of Colorado Cowboy Chili, a robust dish featuring tender chuck roast and nutrient-packed bone broth that delivers a protein punch. Infused with zesty Colorado green chilis, this chili is bean-free and brimming with flavor, making every spoonful a cozy hug for your taste buds. Perfect for chilly nights, this hearty meal is sure to become a favorite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
360
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 Tbs garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- 24 oz beef bone broth (680 g)
- 1 Tbs beef tallow
- 6 lbs chuck roast, cubed (trim the excess fat off) (2.72 kg)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (411 g)
- 1 Tbs honey
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
🧂Spices & Seasonings(6)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper (10 ml)
- 3 Tbs chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (10 ml)
- 2 tsp sea salt (10 ml)
- 2-3 tsp sea salt (10-15 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 8 oz barbecue sauce (I use @primalkitchen Hawaiian) (227 g)can use any barbecue sauce
📦Other(3)
- 3 Tbs chipotles in adobo sauce
- 28 oz fire roasted tomatoes (794 g)
- 1 1/2 c roasted green chilis (360 ml)optionalcan use roasted green bell peppers or canned chilis
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the beef tallow and sear the cubed, and seasoned, chuck roast on high heat for about 3 minutes per side - I typically have to do this in 3 batches to make sure each piece gets a nice brown crust. Remove each batch from the pot and set aside.
- 2
Turn the heat to medium and add the onion, bell pepper, and green chilis to the pot and let them sweat for 3 minutes, then add your spices: garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Next, add the chuck roast back into the pot, along with the tomatoes, chipotles, and barbecue sauce and stir to combine. Lastly, add the beef bone broth, honey, and sea salt and give it one last stir.
- 3
Turn the heat down to low for 3 hours, then give it a few stirs - turn the heat to simmer for another 3 hours to let the meat slowly break apart and melt. Serve with your favorite chili toppings like smoked raw cheddar cheese, green onions, blue corn tortilla chips, or jalapeño corn bread.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear chuck roast at 400-450°F surface temperature in small batches to achieve proper Maillard reaction - overcrowding drops pan temperature by 100-150°F and causes steaming instead of browning.technique400-450°F surface temp
- ✓Bloom your dried spices in the rendered fat for 30-60 seconds before adding liquids to activate fat-soluble compounds and increase flavor intensity by 40-60%.timing30-60 seconds
- ✓Maintain chili at 185-195°F during the 6-hour simmer to break down collagen into gelatin without overcooking - use a thermometer probe to monitor internal temperature.technique185-195°F
- ✓Add tomato paste after sweating aromatics but before other liquids - cooking it for 2-3 minutes caramelizes sugars and eliminates raw metallic notes through the Maillard reaction.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Keep the pot 80% covered during the long simmer to allow controlled evaporation and concentrate flavors while preventing excessive moisture loss that would make the chili dry.equipment80% covered
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
360
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Colorado's 1870s cattle drives created this chili using dried beef jerky when fresh meat spoiled in mountain snow.
Colorado Cowboy Chili
Warm up with a bowl of Colorado Cowboy Chili, a robust dish featuring tender chuck roast and nutrient-packed bone broth that delivers a protein punch. Infused with zesty Colorado green chilis, this chili is bean-free and brimming with flavor, making every spoonful a cozy hug for your taste buds. Perfect for chilly nights, this hearty meal is sure to become a favorite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 Tbs garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- 24 oz beef bone broth (680 g)
- 1 Tbs beef tallow
- 6 lbs chuck roast, cubed (trim the excess fat off) (2.72 kg)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (411 g)
- 1 Tbs honey
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
🧂Spices & Seasonings(6)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper (10 ml)
- 3 Tbs chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (10 ml)
- 2 tsp sea salt (10 ml)
- 2-3 tsp sea salt (10-15 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 8 oz barbecue sauce (I use @primalkitchen Hawaiian) (227 g)can use any barbecue sauce
📦Other(3)
- 3 Tbs chipotles in adobo sauce
- 28 oz fire roasted tomatoes (794 g)
- 1 1/2 c roasted green chilis (360 ml)optionalcan use roasted green bell peppers or canned chilis
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the beef tallow and sear the cubed, and seasoned, chuck roast on high heat for about 3 minutes per side - I typically have to do this in 3 batches to make sure each piece gets a nice brown crust. Remove each batch from the pot and set aside.
- 2
Turn the heat to medium and add the onion, bell pepper, and green chilis to the pot and let them sweat for 3 minutes, then add your spices: garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Next, add the chuck roast back into the pot, along with the tomatoes, chipotles, and barbecue sauce and stir to combine. Lastly, add the beef bone broth, honey, and sea salt and give it one last stir.
- 3
Turn the heat down to low for 3 hours, then give it a few stirs - turn the heat to simmer for another 3 hours to let the meat slowly break apart and melt. Serve with your favorite chili toppings like smoked raw cheddar cheese, green onions, blue corn tortilla chips, or jalapeño corn bread.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear chuck roast at 400-450°F surface temperature in small batches to achieve proper Maillard reaction - overcrowding drops pan temperature by 100-150°F and causes steaming instead of browning.technique400-450°F surface temp
- ✓Bloom your dried spices in the rendered fat for 30-60 seconds before adding liquids to activate fat-soluble compounds and increase flavor intensity by 40-60%.timing30-60 seconds
- ✓Maintain chili at 185-195°F during the 6-hour simmer to break down collagen into gelatin without overcooking - use a thermometer probe to monitor internal temperature.technique185-195°F
- ✓Add tomato paste after sweating aromatics but before other liquids - cooking it for 2-3 minutes caramelizes sugars and eliminates raw metallic notes through the Maillard reaction.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Keep the pot 80% covered during the long simmer to allow controlled evaporation and concentrate flavors while preventing excessive moisture loss that would make the chili dry.equipment80% covered