Nothing soothes body and soul like a bowl of smoked brisket chili. This hearty chili is loaded with beans and generous chunks of tender brisket that were smoked for hours, delivering deep, smoky flavor. Chipotle and ancho chiles add warming heat, while a touch of espresso powder brings an earthy complexity that lifts the whole dish.
What makes this recipe so good?
- Large chunks of tender, smoked brisket that melt in your mouth
- A bright, earthy boost from espresso powder
- Smoky, layered heat from chipotle and ancho chiles
Every spoonful offers rich, balanced flavors: smoky meat, aromatic chiles, well-seasoned vegetables, and the subtle depth coffee provides. The espresso powder is a small addition with a big impact.
Ingredients that make this chili awesome
Beans in chili?
True Texas chili omits beans, but many regions, including the Northwest, welcome them. This recipe includes beans for texture and heartiness—note that this is a brisket chili, not a strict Texas-style chili.
Coffee in chili?
Adding instant coffee (or brewed coffee) enhances savory dishes by emphasizing chocolatey, roasted, and earthy notes. In this chili, coffee complements smoked brisket and spicy chiles, deepening the overall flavor without making it taste like coffee.
Spicy peppers
Chipotle peppers bring smoky, slightly fruity heat without overwhelming the palate. Ancho chile powder contributes a mild, smoky sweetness that pairs especially well with brisket.
Leftover brisket
A full packer brisket yields a lot of meat. Leftovers freeze well and transform easily into new meals—this chili is a perfect use for smoked brisket cubes. For this recipe, slice thawed brisket into roughly 1-inch cubes.
No leftovers? Use raw brisket
If you don’t have smoked brisket, you can use raw brisket diced into 1-inch cubes. After cooking the bacon, brown the raw brisket in the bacon fat, then proceed with the recipe. For raw brisket, increase simmering time to about 5 hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
How to make smoked brisket chili
Step 1
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook 6 slices of bacon until crispy. Remove, chop, and reserve the bacon. Keep the rendered bacon fat in the pot to build flavor.
Step 2
Sauté chopped onions and green bell pepper in the bacon fat until softened and the onions are translucent. Add chopped jalapeños and minced garlic; cook just until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
Step 3
Add the cubed smoked brisket, drained beans, canned tomatoes, beef stock, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, and seasonings. Stir to combine and allow the tomatoes to cook briefly to eliminate any tinny flavor from the can.
Step 4
Bring the pot to a low simmer and stir in the espresso or instant coffee. This small addition elevates the chili’s savory profile and rounds out the flavors.
Step 5
Simmer on low, covered, for 30 minutes up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the chili reaches your preferred thickness and the flavors meld.
Step 6
Serve with your favorite toppings—shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced onions, and crumbled reserved bacon are excellent choices. Garnish with cilantro if desired and enjoy.
Tell me what you think!
If you try the recipe, please leave a comment and share a photo. Tag @alicensetogrill when you post so I can see your version!
What else is cooking
If you enjoy smoked pork, try smoked stuffed pork tenderloin or bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin for a different take. For something sweet, air fryer apple fritters or air fryer chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are fun and simple desserts to pair with savory meals.
CONNECT WITH A LICENSE TO GRILL!
Follow us on social media to see more recipes and tips.
Did you make this recipe? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Smoked Brisket Chili
10 servings
10 minutes
2 hours
2 hours 10 minutes
This brisket chili is rich, smoky, and packed with flavor from veggies cooked in bacon fat and aromatic chipotle and ancho peppers. It’s satisfying, bold, and perfect for a cold evening.
Ingredients
- 2–3 pounds smoked brisket, cubed
- 6 slices thick bacon
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups white onion, chopped
- 3 small jalapeño peppers, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces beef stock
- 2 cans (about 29 ounces) canned tomatoes
- 4 ounces canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder (or paprika)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 packet instant coffee (or 8 ounces brewed coffee in place of 8 ounces beef stock)
Instructions
- Preheat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook bacon until crispy, remove, chop, and reserve. Leave bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté onions, bell pepper, and jalapeños in the bacon fat for 5–6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1–2 minutes.
- Add cubed brisket, beans, tomatoes, chipotle peppers and adobo, beef stock, and seasonings. Stir to combine and let the tomatoes cook briefly.
- Stir in instant coffee or espresso powder, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes to 2 hours until flavors meld.
- Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced onions, and crumbled bacon. Enjoy.
Notes
- Chipotle peppers come packed in adobo. Use about half of a typical 7-ounce can of peppers and roughly half the adobo sauce for balanced heat.
- If you don’t have instant coffee, replace 8 ounces of beef stock with brewed coffee for a similar depth.
- To use raw brisket: brown 3–4 pounds of 1-inch cubes in bacon grease, then follow the recipe and simmer for about 5 hours until very tender.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 651
Total Fat: 30g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 151mg
Sodium: 1132mg
Carbohydrates: 42g
Fiber: 14g
Protein: 55g
Nutrition information is an estimate and not guaranteed to be exact.