Crockpot Chili con Carne with Beef Chuck Roast

Slow cooker chili con carne has a carne con chile rojo base with kidney beans, Rotel, and tomato sauce. The beef is seared first, the chile sauce is blended smooth, and the Crockpot cooks the whole thing until the chuck roast is falling-apart tender.

More dishes you might enjoy are my Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa, my Spicy Slow Cooker Chili with Pork Sausage, or this Instant Pot Taco Soup Recipe.

Why This Slow Cooker Chili con Carne Works

• Easy slow cooker meal: After the beef is seared and the sauce is blended, the Crockpot handles all the cooking.
• Rich, deep flavors: Dried chiles simmer in broth with onion and garlic before blending into the cooking sauce. There are various kinds of chili peppers, herbs, and spices, and slow cooking brings out plenty of flavor.
• Chunky beef texture: Chuck roast gives the chili larger pieces of beef, so it’s more textured than regular ground beef chili.
• Filling dish: Kidney beans and tomato sauce thicken the chili and make it filling. It’s also a great choice if you’re feeding a crowd.

Carne con Chile Rojo Recipe Ingredients

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

• Beef chuck roast: Chuck roast is a great cut for slow cooking because it becomes tender during a long cook. I’ve also tried brisket in this recipe, but I prefer the texture of chuck roast in my chili.
• Vegetable oil: To sear the beef before it goes into the Crockpot.
• Dried chiles: Guajillo, ancho and arbol chiles make the red sauce. Make sure you remove the stems and seeds first.
• Onion: Quartered onion simmers with the chiles and blends into the sauce.
• Garlic: Minced garlic goes into the chili broth before blending.
• Beef broth: This softens the dried chiles and becomes the liquid for the sauce.
• Serrano peppers: Serranos add fresh chile heat. Jalapenos are milder.
• Tomato sauce: Tomato sauce adds body and smooth tomato flavor.
• Kidney beans: Light red and dark red kidney beans add texture and make the chili more filling.
• Rotel: Diced tomatoes and green chilies add tomato pieces and extra chile flavor.
• Dried seasonings: Mexican oregano, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper season the beef and sauce.
• Bay leaves: These cook in the chili for background flavor and are removed before serving.
• Cilantro: An optional fresh topping.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use ground beef: Brown it and drain it before adding it to the Crockpot.
• Try another beef cut: Brisket, top sirloin, or stew meat can be cubed for this recipe.
• Lower the heat: Use fewer arbol chiles and swap the serranos for jalapenos.
• Use chipotles in adobo: Add 2 or 3 chipotles with a few spoonfuls of sauce if you can’t find dried chiles. The flavor will be smokier.
• Regular canned tomatoes: You can use these in place of the Rotel.
• Add bacon: Stir in cooked, crumbled bacon for a smokier meat flavor.
• Texas-style chili: Skip the beans and add a small splash of beer or prepared black coffee. Check the thickness before adding more liquid, as you don’t want to make it too thin.
• Use a mix: If you’re in a hurry, you could use a Chili Seasoning Mix instead of rehydrating chilies, blending them, and so on.
• Thicken the chili: Stir in a little masa harina or cornstarch slurry near the end of cooking. I found that masa harina adds a subtle corn flavor as well as thickening the mixture, which I liked.

How to Make Crockpot Chili con Carne (Step-by-Step Directions)

STEP 1: Rinse the dried chiles. Add them to a saucepan with beef broth, onion, and garlic.

STEP 2: Simmer until softened. Let the mixture cool slightly.

STEP 3: Sear the beef in batches. Transfer the browned beef to the Crockpot.

STEP 4: Blend the chile mixture until smooth.

STEP 5: Pour the red chile sauce over the beef. Add the serranos, tomato sauce, kidney beans, Rotel, spices, and bay leaves.

STEP 6: Cover and cook until the beef is tender. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Tips for Making Carne con Chile Rojo

• Brown in batches: Crowding the skillet makes the beef steam.
• Vent the blender lid: Hot chile broth expands, so leave the center cap loose and cover the lid with a towel.
• Blend the sauce smooth: Whole chile skin pieces can be tough in the finished chili.
• Go easy with arbol chiles first: I used less than I thought I needed when I first made this, and the chili still came out spicy, so I recommend going easy with them.
• Taste before salting again: Broth, canned beans, and Rotel already contain salt.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Crockpot Chili con Carne

• Skipping the sear: The beef goes into the slow cooker pale and misses the browned edges.
• Using a sealed blender lid: Steam can force the lid up and send hot chile sauce out of the blender.
• Leaving bay leaves in the chili: Bay leaves are tough and should be discarded before serving.
• Cutting huge beef pieces: Oversized chunks take longer to become tender.

How to Store

• Refrigerator: Keep cooled chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
• Freezing: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheating: Warm it on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring until hot. You can add a splash of broth if it has thickened too much.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this crockpot chili con carne with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, lime wedges, cilantro, avocado or crackers. It also pairs well with Cilantro Lime Rice, Pico de Gallo, or Cheddar Biscuits with Chilies.

Frequently Asked Questions