Imen This bold, meaty Alton Brown Chili Recipe combines beef and lamb stew meat with smoky chipotle chiles, fire-roasted tomatoes, and rich spices for a deeply flavorful dish. Enhanced with lager beer and thickened with tortilla chips, this pressure-cooked chili is hearty, satisfying, and perfect for cool-weather comfort food cravings. It takes just 1 hour from start to finish and yields a robust batch ideal for 6 to 8 servings. Serve it topped with sour cream, fresh herbs, or a side of cornbread for a complete meal.
Alton Brown Chili Recipe Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 1 pound lamb stew meat
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons good-quality chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 28 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 3 ounces tortilla chips
- 3 whole canned chipotle chiles, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the can
- 1 tablespoon dried chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1–2 dashes liquid smoke (e.g., Lazy Kettle)
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle lager beer
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
How To Make Alton Brown Chili Recipe
- Season the meat: Toss beef and lamb with salt, chili powder, and cumin in a large bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Prep the chili base: In a pressure cooker, combine tomatoes, tortilla chips, chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, onion flakes, sage, oregano, liquid smoke, and half of the beer. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Brown the meat: Heat a cast-iron skillet over high for 5 minutes. Coat meat with peanut oil and brown in two batches, about 7 minutes each, transferring seared meat to the pressure cooker.
- Deglaze the skillet: Pour the remaining beer into the skillet and scrape up browned bits. Add this to the pressure cooker and stir everything together.
- Pressure cook: Seal the cooker and bring to high pressure. Once pressurized, lower heat to maintain pressure and cook for 40 minutes.
- Release and finish: Let the pressure release naturally, about 5 minutes. Open the cooker and stir or mash with a potato masher to your preferred consistency.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe Tips
- Use high-quality chili powder: The flavor depth of the chili depends heavily on a rich, smoky chili powder—not the bland grocery store kind.
- Brown the meat well: Don’t rush the searing step—it builds the flavor base for the entire dish.
- Tortilla chips thicken naturally: They break down during cooking, creating a hearty, stew-like consistency.
- Control the heat: Use one chipotle for mild heat or all three for extra kick.
- No pressure cooker? Simmer in a Dutch oven for 2 to 2.5 hours until tender.
What To Serve With Chili
This chili is fantastic with classic sides like cornbread, tortilla chips, or garlic bread. It also pairs well with a crisp green salad or a baked potato. For toppings, try shredded cheese, diced onions, fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices, or avocado.
How To Store Chili
Refrigerate: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Chili Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 480
- Total Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 38g
- Sodium: 710mg
FAQs
Can I make this without lamb?
Absolutely. You can use all beef or substitute with pork shoulder if preferred.
Is it spicy?
It has a medium heat. Adjust the number of chipotles or amount of adobo to taste.
Do I need a pressure cooker?
It’s ideal for speed and tenderness, but a Dutch oven over low heat will work too—just cook longer.
Can I add beans?
Traditional Texas-style chili like this is bean-free, but you can stir in a drained can of beans after cooking if you like.
What kind of beer should I use?
A mild lager works best. Avoid overly bitter or hoppy beers which can overwhelm the flavor.
Try More Recipes:
Alton Brown Chili Recipe
Description
This hearty, smoky chili features beef and lamb, chipotle chiles, and fire-roasted tomatoes, pressure-cooked for maximum flavor in just one hour.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Toss beef and lamb with salt, chili powder, and cumin. Rest 30 minutes.
- In a pressure cooker, combine tomatoes, chips, chipotles, adobo, garlic, onion flakes, sage, oregano, liquid smoke, and half the beer. Simmer.
- Heat skillet and brown meat in oil, in batches. Transfer to cooker.
- Deglaze skillet with remaining beer and add to cooker. Stir.
- Seal cooker, bring to pressure, then cook 40 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally. Mash or stir to desired texture.
- Serve with fresh herbs and sour cream.
