Smoky Texas Chili with Cheddar Jalapeño Dumplings Recipe
This Smoky Texas Chili recipe is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring slow-smoked beef chuck roast combined with rich spices, smoky roasted poblanos, and a robust tomato-beef stock base. Accompanied by fluffy cheddar and jalapeño dumplings cooked right in the chili, this comforting meal is perfect for chili lovers seeking a smoky, spicy twist with a satisfying texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (excluding smoking time and resting)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (40 min chili simmer + 20 min dumpling simmer + sautéing and spice blooming time)
- Total Time: 9 hours 25 minutes (including 8 hours smoking + 1 hour resting + prep and cooking)
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Smoking and Stovetop
- Cuisine: Texan, American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chili
- 4 lbs. Beef Chuck Roast, smoked, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup dark chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 Tbsp. fine black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 roasted poblanos, coarsely chopped
- 1 qt. beef stock
- 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp. beef base
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Optional: Kosher Salt to taste
For the Dumplings
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup honey or ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ – ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 small jalapeño, finely diced
Instructions
- Smoke the Beef Chuck Roast: Preheat your smoker to 250°F following manufacturer instructions. Season trimmed chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Place the roast on the smoker rack to begin slow smoking.
- Smoke It Slow: Smoke the chuck roast for 8 hours total. After 4 hours or when internal temp hits 180°F, wrap the roast in unwaxed butcher paper and return it to the smoker for another 4 hours until internal temperature reaches 208-210°F.
- Let It Rest: Allow the smoked roast to rest in butcher paper for at least one hour before slicing into 1-inch cubes to be added to the chili.
- Sauté Your Veggies: In a Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion with optional pinch of salt and sauté until translucent for about 5 minutes. Add red bell pepper and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Bloom Your Spices: Stir in dark chili powder, smoked paprika, paprika, cumin, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for about 1 minute to release the aromatic flavors without burning.
- Combine Ingredients: Add cubed smoked chuck roast and roasted poblanos to the pot. Stir to coat with spices, then deglaze by adding beef stock and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Flavor Boosters: Incorporate the Mexican oregano, beef base, and Worcestershire sauce into the chili. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring It All Together: Bring the chili mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Dumpling Batter: While the chili simmers, combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Gently fold in eggs until just mixed, then stir in buttermilk until smooth.
- Add Cheese & Jalapeños: Carefully fold in shredded sharp cheddar and finely diced jalapeño, being careful not to overmix to maintain fluffy dumplings.
- Drop In Dumplings: Spoon dollops (approximately 1-2 ounces each) of dumpling batter onto the surface of simmering chili. Cover and simmer for an additional 20 minutes until dumplings are cooked through, firm, and fluffy.
- Serve & Enjoy: Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with extra shredded cheese, sliced scallions, cilantro leaves, and optionally a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy the comforting smoky flavors with every bite!
Notes
- For a lighter protein option, substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef chuck roast.
- Add extra vegetables like diced zucchini or carrots to boost nutrition and texture.
- To make this chili vegetarian, replace beef with black beans or lentils and use vegetable stock instead of beef stock.
- Increase jalapeños or add cayenne pepper for a spicier kick.
- Resting the smoked beef before cubing helps retain juices and enhances tenderness.
- Using unwaxed butcher paper instead of foil during smoking prevents the meat from steaming and preserves bark.
- Be careful not to overmix dumpling batter to keep the dumplings light and fluffy.
Keywords: Smoky Texas Chili, smoked beef chili, chili with dumplings, slow smoked chili, beef chili recipe, texan chili, smoky chili, chili with cornmeal dumplings
