Chili is a great dish to have especially in the fall and winter months when the temperature outside is cooler. There is just something about having a hot bowl of chili to help warm you up on a cold day. It can even be elevated to the next level if you smoke that bowl of chili.
Pit Boss Lightning Onyx Pellet Smoker
I am going to be using my pellet smoker for the entire cook while cooking the chili in a cast iron skillet. Starting with onions, then ground beef and slowly incorporating all the other ingredients, this becomes an amazing pot of chili.
While you can use any smoker, you will need one that can cook your ground beef hot in the beginning, and then able to lower your temperature so that it can smoke the ingredients over about 30 minutes to allow the smoked flavor to be added to the chili.
If you have a smoker that is not able to cook the initial ground beef at around 350 to 400 degrees at the start, I recommend you go ahead and cook the sauteed onions and ground beef on your stove top indoors, then use your smoker for the cooking stages of the actual chili.
Cast Iron Skillet Chili On The Pellet Smoker
One of the most amazing pots of chili you can make and it is super quick. Cooking it on a smoker adds a great smoky flavor to the final dish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 white onion
- 1 pound 93% ground beef
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional for some added heat)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 can of kidney beans (drained/rinsed)
Instructions
- Preheat the stove or pellet grill to 400 degrees.
- Chop 1/2 of an onion or a small full-onion into small diced pieces.
- Add olive oil to the cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
- Add the onions and saute them for a few minutes until they are translucent and a little bit soft.
- Once the onions are done, add the ground beef and mix into the onions.
- Cook until all the pink is gone from the ground beef, stirring occasionally.
- Once the beef is done, add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, and black pepper and mix well into the meat.
- If desired add the cayenne pepper (optional).
- Pour in the beef broth (or vegetable broth).
- Add the remaining ingredients (diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, paste, and beans and stir well.
- While stirring frequently, bring to a rolling boil.
- Reduce the smoker's temperature to 200 degrees. While the smoker is dropping in temperature close the lid to the smoker, but keep the chili uncovered in the skillet.
- Allow the chili to cook at 200 degrees for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 1 hour. It should begin to thicken up. Smoking too long could result in too much of a smoky flavor.
- Remove from the smoker and serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
I sometimes like to sautee some garlic with the onions before adding the beef. If you like garlic, you can add some for even more additional flavor.
Top with cheese, sour cream, cilantro or any of your favorite toppings. Hot sauce goes great with it as well as some saltine crackers.
Make It Your Own
All recipes are made to be changed and this one is no different. Give it your personal touch and add the things you and your family like. Here are a few ideas and things you can add to this chili to upgrade it even more.
- Add some pork chops – I have done this in the past and it is really good. Simply cook your pork chops up at the same time you are making your ground beef. Next, cut them into small bite-size pieces and add them to the chili.
- Little Smokies – Grab you a bag of little smokies and cut them into four pieces each. That will make them the perfect size to add to your chili as soon as you get to the simmer stage of the cook. They’ll curl up nicely and add some great flavor to your dish.
- Garlic – This cook didn’t call for garlic, but it would be a great additional seasoning (garlic powder) or would be a great item to sautee at the beginning of this cook with the onions to give it some amazing flavor.
- Brown Sugar – We added sugar to this cook, but you can substitute it with brown sugar – or add both. It’ll sweeten up this pot even more.
- Pinto Beans / Black Beans – Don’t have any kidney beans? You can add any other bean you have on hand or none at all. Trust me when I say it’ll be good no matter what you decide to do when it comes to beans.
- Green Bell Pepper – This would be another great addition to this chili if you had some on hand to add while cooking up the onions.
While you probably don’t want to overdo this recipe and turn it completely upside down, doing some of these small additions or adjustments will not only make it a more improved pot of chili but will also make it something you are proud of – something you created and when it comes to cooking that is what is important.
Turn a good recipe into a great family tradition with your spin on it and your family will love your version better than anyone else’s.
Simmer The Chili
The key to making this smoked chili is the same as when making chili over the stovetop. You want to allow all the flavors to mend together while simmering. The difference however when smoking your chili, is that while it is simmering it allows more smoke to form around the cooker adding the smoky flavor during this time.
It also allows the tomato paste and tomato sauce to come together, bring more great flavor, and thicken itself up into an amazing savory dish. I’ll bet once this gets done, you won’t be able to eat just one bowl, it is very addictive!
Cooking chili over medium heat for a lengthy period just makes it better and allows all the items in the skillet to come together. This brings a depth of flavor to the entire dish.
Toppings
Once you have scooped you some chili in a bowl you have 2 options. The first is to dig right in and start eating without anything added. This is also a great way to do it as you don’t need anything extra to be added to this chili once it is done.
However, some may want some added toppings to the chili and a few great toppings are:
- Cheddar Cheese – Springle some grated cheese all over the top of the chili while it is still hot and it will start to melt over the top adding a great flavor.
- Onions – While onions are cooked into this chili, it is even better added to the top. Some raw onions eaten with this dish or diced on top is an amazing addition.
- Sour Cream – We love to add a dollop of sour cream right on top of our chili bowl. It adds a cool, yet great taste to it.
- Yogurt – Some people don’t like adding sour cream, so you can try placing some yogurt on top and allowing your taste buds to enjoy it.
There are so many other toppings such as cilantro, parsley, green onions, or just some added salt and pepper to make this chili just how you like it. In the end, add what you want and enjoy!
Your Taste Buds Will Love Leftover Chili
You can place any leftovers in an airtight container and put them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you and your family get hungry, scoop a few spoonfuls out into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute.
Stir well and if needed microwave for an additional 30 to 60 seconds until it reaches your desired temperature. Add some cheese, sour cream, and other toppings and stir into your bowl.
You will find that after the chili has been marinating with all those ingredients for several hours, the flavor is even better! Don’t worry about having this for a leftover meal or snack, it will taste just as good and might even be better.
If you are unable to eat it within 3 days, I recommend you place it in a vacuum-sealed bag or air-tight container and you can freeze it and then reheat it at a later date for an easy-to-fix meal.