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I’ve been making chili for decades and have several versions here on Simple Nourished Living, but this Slow Cooker Chuck Wagon Chili was the first chili I’d ever made without beans.
I wasn’t sure how we’d like it. As it turned out, there was no need to worry.
This is a hearty, flavorful no-bean beef chili made with chunks of chuck steak, onions, carrots and mushrooms slowly simmered in beer with tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano and a little honey.
I discovered the recipe in my Weight Watchers Momentum Slow Cook It: 165 All-New Slow-Cooker Recipes cookbook while looking for something to make with a small chuck steak I’d picked up on sale at the grocery store.
It filled the bill perfectly.
Why You’ll Love This Chuck Wagon Chili
- No beans – A nice change when you’re in the mood for a hearty, beefy chili.
- Chunks of beef instead of ground beef – Chuck becomes tender after hours of slow cooking.
- Lots of vegetables – Onion, carrots and mushrooms cook right along with the beef.
- Flavorful without being fiery – I cut back on the original amount of chili powder for a milder pot of chili.
- Made for the slow cooker – Once the beef is browned, the slow cooker does most of the work.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Boneless chuck steak – Cut into small ½-inch cubes and trim away excess fat. Chuck is ideal for slow cooking because it becomes tender during the long cooking time.
Light beer – Provides much of the cooking liquid and adds flavor to the chili. You’ll also use a little to deglaze the skillet after browning the beef.
Red onion – Two cups may sound like a lot, but the onion softens and mellows during the long cooking time. Yellow onion can be substituted.
Carrots – Add subtle sweetness and make the chili more substantial.
Mushrooms – Eight ounces of mushrooms add bulk and savory flavor. Roughly chop them so they blend into the chili.
Garlic – Thinly sliced garlic adds another layer of savory flavor.
Tomato paste – Provides concentrated tomato flavor without turning this into a soupy chili.
Honey – Three tablespoons may be a surprising chili ingredient, but the sweetness balances the beer, tomato and spices.
Chili powder – The original recipe called for 3 tablespoons. I use just 1 tablespoon because I prefer this chili flavorful rather than fiery. Adjust it to suit your taste.
Cumin and oregano – Round out the chili seasoning.
Cornmeal – Stirred in near the end of cooking to thicken the chili.
Light sour cream – An optional topping. I skipped it and didn’t miss it at all.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chuck Wagon Chili
Step 1: Brown the Beef
Coat a large nonstick skillet (affiliate link) with nonstick cooking spray and set it over medium heat.
Add half the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the browned beef to a 4-quart slow cooker (affiliate link).
Repeat with the remaining beef.
Step 2: Deglaze the Skillet
Pour ¼ cup of the beer into the hot skillet.
Bring it to a boil, scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour everything into the slow cooker.
Step 3: Add the Vegetables and Seasonings
Add the onion, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, remaining beer, tomato paste, honey, chili powder, cumin and oregano to the slow cooker.
Stir to combine.
Step 4: Slow Cook Until Tender
Cover and cook until the beef and vegetables are fork-tender:
- LOW: 8 to 10 hours
- HIGH: 4 to 5 hours
Step 5: Thicken with Cornmeal
About 20 minutes before serving, gradually stir in the cornmeal until well blended.
Cover and cook on HIGH until the chili is simmering and has thickened, about 15 minutes.
Step 6: Serve the Chili
Ladle into bowls and serve as is or topped with a little light sour cream.
Chopped red onion and cilantro also make nice toppings.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Notes
I made just a couple of small changes to the original Weight Watchers recipe.
The biggest was cutting the chili powder from 3 tablespoons to 1 tablespoon. We like some heat, but I didn’t want it to overpower the other flavors. If you prefer a hotter chili, feel free to increase it.
I also skipped the light sour cream when I served ours. We didn’t miss it.
Don’t skip browning the beef or deglazing the skillet with some of the beer. It takes a few extra minutes, but all those browned bits from the skillet add flavor to the finished chili.
The cornmeal is another interesting touch. Rather than adding flour or cornstarch, a small amount of cornmeal thickens the cooking liquid toward the end and seems especially fitting for a chuck wagon-style chili.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
According to my calculations, each hearty serving (with light sour cream) has 337 calories and 5 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
9 PointsPlus (Old plan)
If you skip the sour cream, deduct a point. Enjoy!
If you’ve made this Slow Cooker Beef Chili without Beans, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Chuck Wagon Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 pounds boneless chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 12 ounces light beer
- 2 cups chopped red onion
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teapoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 1/4 cup light sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Ideal slow cooker size: 4-Quart.
- Coat a large nonstick skillet (affiliate link) with non-stick spray. Set it over medium heat. Add half of the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef.
- Add 1/4 cup of the beer to the skillet. Bring to a boil and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Scrape this mixture into the slow cooker.
- Add to the slow cooker the onions, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, remaining beer, tomato paste, honey, chile powder, cumin and oregano. Stir up the mixture.
- Cover and cook on LOW until the beef and vegetables are fork tender, 8 to 10 hours on LOW or 4 to 5 hours on HIGH.
- About 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time is up, gradually stir in the cornmeal into the slow cooker until blended. Cover and cook on HIGH until the mixture simmers and thickens, about 15 minutes more.
- Serve with sour cream.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 9 PointsPlus (Old plan) I cut back on the chile powder, using only 1 tablespoon instead of the recommended 3. I wanted our pot of chili to be flavorful without being fiery. If you like extra heat, feel free to add more.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: Weight Watchers Momentum Slow Cook It: 165 All-New Slow-Cooker Recipes Cookbook (affiliate link)
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Can I substitute ground beef or ground turkey?
Hi Tina,
I’ve only made the recipe as written, but I think ground meat would work fine. Hope this helps. ~Martha