Best Dutch Oven Chili
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The Best Dutch Oven Chili is made with beef chuck roast, hearty beans and smoky spices. It's loaded with flavor and easy to make in an enameled dutch oven or camp stove on family camping trips!
What is Dutch Oven Chili?
This flavorful chili is loaded with three types of beans, rich tomato sauce, chipotle peppers and seasoned chuck roast.
Whether you call it dutch oven beef chili or chili con carne, this easy recipe will please the chili lovers in your entire family.
It's so versatile! Bake this chuck roast chili recipe in the oven, simmer it on the stovetop, or cook it over a roaring campfire.
The smoky flavor from the chipotle peppers and rich tomato sauce will wake up your taste buds and say hello!
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Why You'll Love It
It's delicious! Who doesn't love a big pot of chili any day of the year? It's the perfect comfort food during football season and a great recipe for campfire cooking in the great outdoors.
The best part is the garnish you add to the top of the chili. Our favorite toppings include sour cream, cheddar cheese, jalapeño peppers and crushed tortilla chips.
This easy recipe is even better the next day when leftover chili turns into nachos, frito pie, chili mac, chili queso or loaded smoked potatoes!
Ingredients
- chuck roast
- chili seasoning
- diced tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- mini peppers
- cilantro
- sweet onion
- beef broth
- kidney beans
- white beans
- black beans
- salt & black pepper
If you prefer pinto beans or another type of white bean, it's perfectly fine to substitute. You can also leave the beans out completely if desired.
Let your dutch oven do the work so you can spend more time enjoying a delicious and hearty meal. See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chili in a Dutch Oven
This recipe breaks down the connective tissue of the meat by using the low and slow method in your oven. You basically add everything to one pot and let it work its magic!
1 - Place chuck roast in a 6 quart enameled dutch oven. On the stove, sear sides of beef over medium heat with a dash of olive oil.
2 - Add chili seasoning packet, diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro, garlic and chipotles. Stir in one cup of beef stock. Close lid and bake in oven for 2 hours at 350 degrees. Check liquid level halfway through to ensure meat isn't scorching.
3 - Open lid. With a knife and fork, slice roast into small pieces and stir everything together.
4 - Stir in the beans, the other cup of beef broth, and tomato sauce. Cover pot and continue to bake.
5 - Cook 1 more hour until beef and beans are tender. Stir well and serve piping hot in bowls garnished with toppings of your choice.
Dutch Oven vs. Crock Pot
- Dutch oven cooking provides more control than a slow cooker or crock pot. It allows better distribution of heat and retains temperature more efficiently than other cookware.
- Enameled cast iron (ad) is your choice for indoor cooking. It can handle both high temperatures and low heat levels and does not have to be seasoned. The lids are heavy and secure, which creates a good seal that holds in the heat.
- You can sear, simmer, roast, bake and serve in the same pot! I love to make all types of soups and stews since it won't scorch the bottom when simmering.
- Dutch ovens have large capacities, which means they can serve big crowds. It's possible to bake a Thanksgiving turkey, as well as an Easter ham and pork tenderloin in enameled cast iron.
- Cooking times vary, but they are usually much quicker than a crock pot or slow cooker.
Variations
- For spicy chili, add your favorite hot sauce, green chilies or red pepper flakes.
- Make your own seasoning by mixing together teaspoons of chili powder, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder and paprika.
- Use green bell pepper or red peppers instead of sweet.
- Substitute lean ground beef or ground turkey for chuck roast. Or use my recipe for Smoked Chuck Roast to add intense smoky flavor!
- Top with green onions, chopped avocado, banana peppers and more!
- Make it without beans, or add more veggies to the mix.
How to Cook Chili Over a Campfire
- If cooking this recipe over a campfire, be sure to use an outdoor camp dutch oven (ad) made for an open flame. Do not use an enameled pot over a campfire.
- The best camp stoves have legs that sit directly over a campfire instead of down into them.
- Purchase a pre-seasoned camp stove (ad) with no synthetic chemicals. The more you use it, the better it becomes.
- Prepare meat and veggies ahead of time by cutting into cubes. This avoids having to stand over a hot fire and chop it later.
- Get your coals ready by setting them up in a flat circle so your camp oven will fit on them without rocking. Once they are hot enough and have turned gray, set the camp stove on the hot coals.
- Need more info? Visit Fresh off the Grid for expert tips on how to cook with a camp stove.
Recipe FAQS
No, this is a very mild recipe. You can make it even milder by leaving out the chipotle peppers. Or, you can spice it up by adding jalapeños, sriracha sauce or red pepper flakes.
For best results, plan on 1 quart per person whether you're using enameled cast iron or a cast iron pot. So, for a family of 6, you would need a 6 quart vessel. The smaller 3 quart size is great for 1 to 2 people.
To make your own seasoning, mix together 1 teaspoon each of the following ingredients: chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of seasoning on meat as directed in recipe.
What to Serve with Dutch Oven Chili
Sides
- corn bread, corn muffins
- tortilla chips, biscuits
- creamy coleslaw, mixed green salad
- baked potatoes, tacos, tostadas, or a DIY taco bar with carnitas
Toppings
- cheddar cheese, shredded gouda, pepper jack
- sour cream, cilantro, sweet peppers, lime, Tajin
- jalapeños, salsa verde, guacamole, avocado
- tortilla chips, french fried onions, green onions
Freezing and Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftover chili for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat leftovers on the stove or in the microwave until temperature reaches 165ºF with a digital thermometer.
More One Pot Recipes
If you love this recipe, try these other one pot dishes that are sure to please...
- The Best Corned Beef and Cabbage - the best corned beef recipe made with Guinness beer!
- Campfire Chili - features smoky flavor with a rich tomato broth
- Mexican Shredded Beef - perfect for tacos, burritos, tostadas and nachos
- Pork Tenderloin - wildly popular recipe that's ready in less than an hour
- White Corn Chicken Chili - delicious white chicken chili recipe with white corn
- Beef Pot Roast - fork tender and flavorful with creamy gravy
- Irish Beef Stew - the perfect recipe for St. Patrick's Day
- Shepherd's Pie - an authentic Irish recipe
- Irish Soda Bread - make your own bread in minutes!
- Guinness Pot Roast - tender and juicy roast that melts in your mouth!
- Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes recipe - one skillet is all you need for a great sandwich
Recipe Card
Best Dutch Oven Chili
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
- dutch oven (4 to 6 quart enameled cast iron)
- camp stove (only use if going camping)
Ingredients
- 2 pound chuck roast
- 1 packet chili seasoning mix (or make your own)
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes (14.5 oz)
- 4 mini peppers (diced)
- ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
- 2 small onions (wedged)
- 1 clove garlic (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon chipotle peppers (optional)
- 1 can kidney beans (15.5 oz)
- 1 can northern beans (15.5 oz)
- 1 can black beans (15.5 oz)
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
- 2 cups beef stock (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place chuck roast in dutch oven. On the stove, sear sides over medium heat with a dash of oil. (If cooking over a campfire, cut beef into cubes ahead of time and sear as directed.)
- Add chili seasoning packet, diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro, garlic and chipotles (optional).
- Stir in one cup of beef stock.
- Close lid and bake in oven for 2 hours at 350 degrees (or cook for 2 hours over hot coals). Check liquid level halfway through to ensure meat isn't scorching.
- Lift dutch oven out of the oven. With a knife and fork, chop roast into small pieces and stir everything together. (Skip this step for campfire cooking.)
- Stir in the beans, the other cup of beef stock, and tomato sauce. Cover dutch oven and place back in oven (or continue to cook over campfire).
- Cook 1 more hour until beef and beans are tender. Stir well and serve piping hot with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- cheddar cheese, shredded gouda, pepper jack
- sour cream, cilantro, sweet peppers, lime, Tajin spice
- jalapeños, salsa verde, guacamole, avocado
- tortilla chips, french fried onions, green onions
- Follow the directions above, but instead of baking the chili in the oven, cook it over medium heat on the stovetop.
- If cooking this recipe over a campfire, be sure to use an outdoor camp dutch oven (ad) made for an open flame. Do not use an enameled pot over a campfire.
- View the Google Web Story for Dutch Oven Chili!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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I have always wanted to learn how to make chili in a dutch oven. I love your tips for cooking over a campfire too. Thanks for a great recipe!