Need help - Chili from SMOKED Stew Meat

I did just that with 4 pounds of ground chuck.
225 for 1 hour with about 2 oz mesquite (wanted a strong flavor). Made an excellent chili.

Good luck!

I figured it would make a great chili. I feel better with a confirmation, thanks. I just took the 4lbs of cubed chuck and put it into 2 foil pans with some holes poked in the bottom. Sprinkled some chili powder on the meat and let it rest until the smoker hits 250. Then I am gonna put in the smoker with the smoke box with some Jack Daniels chips (quick smoke so I am not gonna worry that its not chunks) and see where it gets me (1 hour maybe). This is my first time using the JD chips, I got them from Cabelas and I opened the bag and it smelled like I had opened a bottle, yum...

I'd be interested in your comments after you try the chili. Please let us know.

Will do!

I've never used stew meat but I have used chuck roast. I smoked like I was making chuckies. Took it to the first stage. Cut the roast into cubes mixed it into an iron pot with everything else. Put the pot back in the smoker until the meat was tender. Killer chili. I would say your on track with the foil pan. Just keep I eye on it. Under cooked would be better then over cook I would think.

My whole family said this was delicious! I don't know if this is against the "rules", to some perhaps, but we added shredded cheddar on top.

4 lbs any stew meat I had already cut up frozen in pkgs. I sprinkled the meat with chili powder before smoking (smoked for 75min at 250 over jack daniels chips)
3 cups (dried measuring) navy beans (or beans of your choice) - I then prepared mine in my pressure cooker
3 sm/med onions chopped to the size you like
1 head garlic chopped
1/2 small can chipoltes in adobo sauce (less or more to your heat liking)
2 (apx. 15 oz) cans of diced tomatoes with zesty jalapenos
1/2 can of tomato paste
4 cups of beef stock (I use a store bought paste to make my stock and usually make it stronger than instructed)
1 T chili powder in addition to what you sprinkled on the meat
1 T mustard powder
1 T cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 T salt
1 shot of tequila

While the meat chunks were smoking (single layer in two foil pans which I put holes in the bottom of) I browned the onion and garlic in olive oil in a cast iron enameled pot.

After the meat came out of the smoker, it was cooked thru and was kinda dry inside. I had to chop it up into little bits and then put it into the pot with the cooked onions/garlic. I added the broth and cans of tomatoes with juice and all the seasonings except for the tequila and beans and brought to a boil, turned the heat to simmer with lid on.

After two hours the meat was now tender and starting to fall apart (just like I wanted it). I added the cooked beans and cooked for another hour on low with lid on, I threw the tequila in half way thru the hour.

While I waited for my corn bread to bake I let the chili continue to cook on very low and cracked the lid to simmer down some more liquid until it was the consistency I wanted.

This recipe is a combo from things I read here on the forum and some of my own ideas from past experience. I usually cook by taste, so enjoy and use these measurements as just a suggestion.

Next time I make this I think I will try using a whole chuck roast, so I can get more smoke flavor into the meat and perhaps some crust. I am sure that will add a whole ‘nother level of flavor to the dish.

Sounds good. No "rules", just what you like. I was wondering what you were going to do with the shot of Tequila. Since you were saving it, I thought it was for the chef.

That's all I had left, so decided to sacrifice it to the chili gods

Sounds good EXCEPT for the beans. I don't do beans in my chili, can you tell? Throw some Jack in there instead of the tequila.

Sounds good Vicki. Did the smoke taste show up in the flavor of the chili?

Vicki: have you ever smoked the whole batch of chili? Try it-quite good. Do it the same way you would do a batch of "baked"beans.

Andy - got the idea for the tequila from a recipe posted on one of the discussion on this forum. Now out of tequila, can use the JD for sure in the next batch.
Padrefan - Smoke was light, it did make a difference (next time I am gonna smoke a whole chuck directly on the rack for more flavor. I think with such a short smoke the pieces in the foil pans didn't have enough exposure to the smoke for our taste.
Dirty Herman - never smoked a whole batch or baked beans yet. I am assuming you cook both to completion, then smoke. How long and how hot?

I always use the JD in my BBQ Beans.. Try this recipe...you'll love it. I followed MaxQ's suggestion on the molasses. Delicious.

Last week, I also smoked the whole chuck to an internal of 145-150* when doing my Irish Stew with Stout Beer recipe . Then cut into chunks and added to the stew ingredients in a large crock pot for several hours. Smoke flavor comes through very well, and the balance of the stew picks up some smoke from the chuck.

PAGS, they sound wonderful, did u really use 159oz of beans? Didn't the precooked can bean become very soft after smoking that long? That is usually why I like to start with dried beans and under cook them slightly in my pressure cooker. Have u ever started with fresh beans? I am curious to know what other ingriedients u think should be added if you start with fresh beans??

Vickie B,, I tried Pags' recipe for baked beans and it's fabulous. Actually served them up at a pot luck at work and everyone was well pleased with the results. I tried a recipe using fresh beans- tried to get them just a nit undercooked by boiling, figuring they would cook more during smoking- I think they actually got a little more chewy in the process.
Wasn't happy with the texture of the fresh beans- threw the entire batch away and went with the 3 cans of Van De Camps- excellent results. Just my 2cw- I'm all for trying anything at least once- usually more.

They're not crisp, but they're great. I've never used the fresh cause that's what Smokin's BBQ Baked Beans called for. Over several bakes/smokes I made adjustments, but it's his style.

They were so good, I never wanted to change his technique. I've gotten so many raves and requests for them, why change?

PS. Sorry about the thread jack.

Beans and chili go together, no jacking here!

Vicki B: I realize the no-bean mob is outside yelling "get a rope"; however, if there is chili, there must be beans around somewhere. As to your question about smoking chili or beans: for chili, I do not smoke the meat separately, but prepare the recipe as normal to the point where it would cook for x hours, and do the x hours in the smoker at whatever temp the smoker is running for whatever else is being smoked. For me this is usually 250 deg. You need to keep an eye on it, just as you would if it were on the stove. Time? 3-5 hours. For beans I add pulled pork to the other ingredients, and then smoke the whole mix, same as above. I use disposable alum pans. Actually they can be washed, and resued several times. I almost always have 3-4 pounds of pulled pork frozen in 1 pound pkgs with smokin's finishing sauce for sandwiches and baked beans. Hope I have ans your q.

Most definitely DirtyH, thank you. I need to start cooking those pork butts soon to store in freezer. I am always inspired when I read these discussions

Vicki B:
Along the lines of chili and beans, check out a recipe on the CookShack site for "Smokey Joes" . They are really delicious. I gave an 025 to my daughter and although I don't hear much from her on her 'smokes', she did mention trying the SJ's and had them for dinner, then lunch, and then said she might try them intravenously....

LOL, gonna check it out, thanks so much! I hope your daughter is using it frequently, if not it's like a crime against smoking

What you brought up is often a fallback for learning to smoke many meats.

Many of us have cooked so many practice packers that you can't find folks to give them to.We recommend that if wallyworld has a closeout price on cases ,buy them to practice on.

Then ,Ribdog and my co-cook joke about the 101+ ways to use briskets.
Chilis,stews,soups,pot roasts,sloppy joes,burritos,SW Ranch Beef and Beans,tacos,enchiladas,Cuban style shredded beef,KY Burgoo,oriental stir fry,kabobs,SC mush/hash ,and many others.Restaurants use leftovers to make hash for a weekend special.

Ribdog jokes my co-cook has Chinese on speed dial on brisket practice weekends.

Just a couple if thoughts.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:
...
Ribdog jokes my co-cook has Chinese on speed dial on brisket practice weekends.
...

Maybe that was true in the past but someone I don't see a Brisket Expert such as yourself having a bad brisket. Your bad briskets are better than most people's good brisket. Ribdog is just giving you a hard time because he's jealous... LOL

Thanks for the kind thought.Also,you've judged enough of the fourth category of the day to learn to dread it.

LOL...yeah can be used for anything..ie, cat was out of canned food and I was doing a practice brisket, so I took the trimmed dry outside edge off,chopped, and microwaved it for the cat. My cat now doesn't want to eat cat food anymore, I've created a brisket eating tiger...oh well, seems to be a lot of brisket getting cooked around here anyway.

We never mention this around here ,but cal brought up a good point.Packers and the small end of ribs may not be great-when the rest is.

Cal judges and gets the best SIX slices from a cook's entry,which may be picked from one of four 16 lb packers.

The rest might go to the trash barrel.

After awhile,experienced cooks can look at a packer and pretty well guess where the good slices will come from.They may just cut out the good few bites and cook them.Toss out the rest ,raw.

So,don't panic when a part of your packer isn't as hoped.

It happens.

Just a couple thoughts from a cook that has had many not perfect.

What happened to the chilli discussion guys?

Not saying so,but possibly some cooks feel it falls into the category of "not everything needs to be smoked".

Some may feel that sometimes the more you add to a pot of chili the less you have.Often this is true in comp cooking.

There may be some folks that feel their well prepared/smoked bbq is as good as it gets.

We've already seen how bean "purists" may come down and I've heard worse said about tomato products.

Just a couple guesses.

I would guess Tom's bad briskets are probably better than my good ones. My last one was fairly decent.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:
We've already seen how bean "purists" may come down and I've heard worse said about tomato products.

Don't get some of those Texas boys started about tomatoes, you'll get an earful. My chili recipe actually does have one can of crushed tomatoes in it, but you can barely taste that they're there.

And please don't mention that spaghetti abomination from Cincinnati that they have the nerve to call chili.

Ya know,funny thing about that chili from Cincy.As you know that is basically the Greek seasonings they were using.When some of them went on to San Antonio area they developed Gebharts Eagle Brand-still one of the best blends out there.

Good businessmen adapt.

I have smoked stew meat for things like soup, Chili Colorado, and Chili Verde. I have a "Non-stick" pan that I bought at Home Depot for grilling veggies and fish. The holes in the pan are fairly good sized, but not so big that things fall through.

I use the Jack Daniels Oak Chips on a regular basis. I like the flavor (smell) of this smoke. I usually mix it with chunks of fruit wood, or Hickory.

When I know that I am going to smoke something like a brisket, or ham, and it is going to be served with beans, (even canned beans), I place the meat I am smoking on the upper rack, and put the beans in a baking dish below the meat. The drippings from the meat fall into the bean dish, and add extra flavor.

That idea of putting the beans underneath sounds greqt. i noticed that u made your meatloaf on that pan with the holes, it looked great by the way. I have to get one or two of those.