This slow cooked chili made with short ribs, is worth every minute that it simmers in a Dutch oven on your stove. The rich beefy flavor combined with beer and seasonings create a “stick to your ribs” chili that’s the perfect comfort food for cold wintery days. Cooking the ribs slowly brings out their flavor and it tastes amazing. No beans needed for this hearty chili recipe.
Make the Best Chili with Short Ribs
This is one of those chili recipes that needs to cook all day, but oh is it worth it. Instead of a traditional ground beef chili, this chili uses beef short ribs, and short ribs take time to get them to the point that they are falling off the bone delicious. Even though it takes some time to cook, the prep time is not bad.
We had our first snow day the first of December and now it’s going to be 69º tomorrow. However, they are calling for snow again on Saturday. Short Rib Chili is perfect for a snow day where you’re stuck inside all day. (In NC, if we get just the hint of snow, everything is shut down and we’re stuck inside.) Just get all the ingredients before you have to hibernate.
I love the deep flavors that come together in this chili. You can reduce the spice if you want it milder, but one jalapeños is just enough that you feel a little kick but it’s not overwhelming.
Add sour cream, green onions, cheese, cilantro or whatever you like to top your it off, pimento cheese is my favorite. Go all out Southern and serve it with some hot water cornbread.
This chili with short ribs makes about 10 cups of hearty chili and since it’s so thick and filling a cup is about all you need. I froze most of it to have on hand when the girls were home for Christmas, but Mike insisted we have it for dinner after he smelled it cooking all day.
While most chili calls for chicken or ground beef, there’s nothing quite like the flavor of short ribs. If you’re short on time, try my Cincinnati style chili with ground beef or stove top chicken chili you can make in a flash.
What makes this chili so good is that there are a couple of steps and each adds a layer of flavor. You’ll first brown the meat and then let it simmer for a couple of hours. Then you’ll remove the ribs and cook the veggies. You’ll add back the shredded beef and broth that it cooked in and let it all simmer together.
I would estimate prep time to be about 40 minutes all together and about 3 hours of cook time, which isn’t bad for a weekend.
What are Short Ribs
Short ribs come from the lower rib cage of a cow and are known for their meatiness. When cooked slow they produce a rich melt-in-your mouth flavor. The upper ribs are what you would use if you were making BBQ beef ribs. Short ribs have more meat and fat which produce a great flavorful meat when cooked low and slow.
What You’ll Need
- Beef short ribs – You will need 4 lbs, which may sound like a lot, but most of it is bone. Don’t worry about the fat, you’ll remove it at the end.
- Beer – A dark beer like Guiness is great for chili, but any type of beer will go well with the beef. If beer’s not your thing, you can add more broth.
- Broth – You can use chicken or beef, I use whatever I have on hand.
- Veggies – You’ll need a onions and garlic, a red pepper, a jalapeno, and canned tomatoes to add to the flavorful meat.
- Seasoning – rosemary, chili powder, cumin, dried basil, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. How can it be anything but great with those added to the mix.
How do you make Short Rib Chili
Step 1: Brown the short ribs
You’ll start by browning the ribs in a large dutch oven, this really seals in the flavor.
Step 2: Simmer the ribs
To the browned ribs you’ll add beer and water. Then simmer for a couple of hours on the stove making your house smell amazing. This broth is amazing. Remove the ribs but save that yummy broth to add back to the chili. Remove any extra fat and the bones and shred the beef.
A great way to remove the fat from the broth is with a fat separator, I love how easy it is to use.
Step 4: Cook the veggies
To the same dutch oven you’ll now cook the onions, red pepper and jalapeños and soften them a bit. Add the shredded beef, the seasonings.
Add some diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth and the reserved beef broth and let it all simmer together for an hour or so.
What to serve with Beef Chili
- If you are gluten free or watching your carbs, then try cheesy muffins with almond flour
- Skillet cornbread is fabulous with chili
- Since you’re in the kitchen try some easy yeast rolls
- There’s always my fall back, buttermilk biscuits
How to Store Leftover Chili
Chili is one of those recipes that gets even better as leftovers. Let it cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
You can freeze it in an airtight container and it will stay fresh for 2-3 months. I freeze it in individual serving sizes so I can just pull one out in the morning for lunch.
More Chili Recipes to Try
Adapted from Foster’s Market Favorites
If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.
Short Rib Chili Without Beans
Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef short ribs
- salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces Guiness beer or other dark beer
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary About 2 tablespoons chopped
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno chopped, optional
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 8 cups chicken or beef broth about 4 cups from reserved broth
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven on medium high and add short ribs. Sear on all sides until dark brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add beer and rosemary and about 2 cups of water or enough to cover about ⅔’s of the ribs.
- Cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook until fork tender, about 2 hours. When tender, remove to a cutting board and save the broth allowing the grease to separate. Once the ribs are cool enough to handle, shred ,removing any excess fat.
- In the now empty dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, when hot add onions, then reduce heat and let them cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add red pepper and jalapeño and cook until soft, about 5 more minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Add the shredded beaf, chili powder, cumin and basil and cook for about 4 minutes. Stir in 8 cups of broth total, about half of the reserved broth with fat removed and chicken or beef broth making up the rest.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves and red pepper flakes and then add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered until the liquid has reduced slightly, about 1 hour. Remove bay leaves before serving.
- Serve with sour cream, scallions, cilantro, cheese and corn chips.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- If you don’t want this spicy, leave out or cut down on the jalapeno.
- If you don’t have a fat separator, pour the broth into a large measuring bowl and let it sit on the counter until it separates, then remove the top layer of fat.
- You can leave out the beer and use beef broth instead.
Nutrition
Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage
on Instagram!
M.L. Stefanski says
You mention in your instructions under #2 to add red pepper and jalapenõs but are not listed as an ingredient. How many jalapenõs are to be used in the recipe????
Barbara Curry says
I’m sorry, I added 1 jalapeno pepper with the red pepper.