Slow Cooker Brisket Chili

Spice up your tailgating menu with this flavorful Slow Cooker Brisket Chili recipe! Recipe prep is done in under 10 minutes and it’s the perfect way to fuel-up for the big game. This Brisket chili uses leftover Brisket to keep it simple and has all the deep, complex flavors of award-winning chili.  

*This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.

Chili is the ultimate fall comfort food. The best chili has a little bit of spice, deep complex flavors, and the perfect meat to bean ratio. This recipe delivers, is easy to assemble, and cooks away in the slow cooker while you go about your day making it the perfect easy recipe for tailgating. Winning. 

Once you make this easy Brisket chili recipe, you’re going to want it on repeat. This chili recipe isn’t overly spicy, but if you don’t like any heat, I share tips for a mild variation. If you’ve made our favorite Smoked Beef Brisket recipe, it’s the perfect way to repurpose the leftovers. Now that our son is away at college, we rarely finish a whole Brisket! I don’t know about you, but I love getting more than one meal out of a recipe! Batch cooking is the way to go to save time in the kitchen.

Why You’ll Love Making Leftover Brisket Chili

• It’s loaded with flavor! Using smoked Beef Brisket adds so much flavor to chili and requires less overall cooking time using already smoked meat. 
• Brisket chili freezes well and is perfect for meal prep.
• You can make restaurant-quality chili with the convenience of a slow cooker with little prep time.
• It’s perfect for football tailgating, family dinners, and entertaining a crowd.

• Leftover Beef Brisket – it’s important to use already cooked Brisket for this recipe. It is a great way to use up a smoked Brisket, or you can grab cooked Brisket from your favorite local barbecue joint for convenience. 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – for sautéing the vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker.
• Onion -you can use a yellow or sweet onion, but I prefer the sweet onion for a nice contrast to the slight heat in this recipe.

• Green Pepper – adds nutrients and is a good mild pepper choice for enhancing chili.
• Canned Beans– canned beans are easy and convenient. I use a blend of kidney beans and black beans for this recipe.
• Garlic– freshly minced garlic is a necessary flavor enhancer in a good pot of chili.
• Diced tomatoes and green chilis– this recipe calls for three 10 ounce cans of diced tomatoes and green chilis, undrained. For extra spice get the hot ones, but my family’s palate can only handle the mild version.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo– chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo bring the perfect amount of moderate heat to this chili recipe. 
• Beef stock – using Beef stock adds flavor and volume to the chili. I’ve also included some great substitutions to try in the variations below.
• Pickled jalapeño peppers – add a bit of spice and flavor to the chili without being overly hot. Most store-bought pickled jalapeños are pretty mild.
• Cold Brew Coffee – the earthy rich flavor of strong coffee is a great complement to chili spices. You can also use dark roast brewed coffee, or a shot of espresso. I keep cold brew in my fridge at all times, so it’s a simple option for using in recipes. 
• Tomato Paste– infuses the chili with bright, zesty flavor. 
• Spices -chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper make this recipe sing.

How To Make Chili With Leftover Brisket

Step 1 – Prepare the slow cooker and sauté the vegetables:

Spray a slow cooker with olive oil cooking spray. In a medium-size skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped green peppers and onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Sautéing the green peppers, onions, and garlic before slow cooking brings out the maximum flavor.

Step 2 – Add ingredients to the slow cooker:

Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir to combine, and cook for 3 ½- 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.

Step 3 – Give it a good stir and serve:

Give the chili a good stir and serve with your favorite toppings.

Recipe Tips & Variations

• Using smoked Brisket takes chili to the next level, but you can also substitute it with smoked Chuck Roast or cooked Ground Beef as an option. 

• The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a bit of heat and a nice smokey flavor.  If heat is not your thing, use only one chopped chipotle pepper, or 1-2 tbsps. of just the adobo sauce from the can so you get the flavor without the heat of the chipotles.
• If you are preparing this chili for game day, cook it the day before. That way all you have to do is warm it up and go for easy tailgate prep. Besides, chili is always the best the second day!
• For a flavor twist, use beer instead of Beef stock. Porter, lager, or stout beer are good options.

Serving Suggestions

Jazz up your chili with flavorful toppings! These are great options to pair with leftover Brisket chili.

• Sliced fresh avocado or prepared guacamole
• Pickled jalapeños
• Shredded cheese (cheddar and Monterey jack are personal favorites)
• Chopped green onions or chives
• Sour cream
• Hot sauce
• Fresh limes

More ideas on ways to serve chili.

• On top of rice
• On a baked potato
• With flour tortillas
• With crackers
• With cornbread or rolls

Storing & Freezing

Storing: Store cooled chili in an airtight container, or portion out in individual meal prep containers, in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Freezing: Chili freezes beautifully for meal prep! Store in freezer-safe containers in the freezer for 4-6 months.

Recipe FAQ

More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

Slow Cooker Mexican Picadillo

Slow Cooker Grassfed Beef Roast

Slow Cooker Mango Salsa Beef

Don’t forget to visit Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner for more tailgating recipe inspiration!

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