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Slow Cooker Steakhouse chili is a unique recipe! It has tender steak and a few secret ingredients. Rich and deep in flavor and wonderful topped with Fritos. You know when you are at a steakhouse you are going to have a mean bowl of chili!
This recipe was given to me by a dear friend, I adapted it for the slow cooker so I don’t have to watch a pot on the stovetop.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
The slow cooker is the perfect vehicle for making chili with steak. Slow cooking all day makes for a tender and flavorful chili that you can beat.
This is one of those recipes that makes life easier. No matter what you have going on during your busy day, you can make this chili. The only prep work involved is to open the cans and dice the onion. The slow cooker does the rest and you have an incredible dinner waiting for you at dinner time. There is nothing better on a chilly night or when you are craving comfort food.
How to make Steakhouse Chili
Ingredients
- Steak or Stew Meat – No ground beef in this recipe! Steak provides an even more hearty flavor than ground beef.
- Taco Seasoning – Taco seasoning is used in this chili recipe instead of chili powder and you won’t believe the difference in flavor! Taco seasoning has more of a cumin flavor than an overpowering chili powder flavor.
- Beef broth– Use beef broth instead of water to make this chili extra beefy.
- Tomato paste – This thickens the recipe.
- Pinto beans – 2 cans, drained and rinsed.
- Fresh Salsa – Note that there aren’t cans of diced tomatoes in this recipe, that’s because we add FRESH (refrigerated style) salsa at the end of the cooking time. Doing this is just like adding fresh tomatoes, onion and cilantro to the chili.
Step By Step Directions
Step 1: Add the ingredients, except the salsa, to the slow cooker. Mix it together well.
Step 2: Cook the chili for 8 hours if cooking on low or 4 hours if cooking on high.
Step 3: When the chili is done cooking, add the salsa and stir well. Let the chili continue to cook for another 20 minutes or until it is warm again.
Step 4: Add Fritos to the top of the chili and serve.
What is the best steak for slow cooker chili
This recipe uses steak instead of ground beef to make the chili. Steak gives it the most amazing flavor and creates a thick filling chili. There are different types of steak you can use.
You can use stew meat, which is usually diced up and ready to go. This is a favorite when it comes to conveniences. You can also use tri-tip, sirloin, rib eye, round steak, or chuck roast – just cut into cubes. Whichever of these meats you have or you can find on sale work great for this recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Leftover prime rib makes the best chili and in fact, many restaurants do just that!
You can make this chili on the stovetop but it takes more work and you need to watch it more. Cook it on low for about 2 hours or until the meat starts to fall apart. Be sure to stir it often while it is cooking so it does not burn to the pan. Do not add the salsa until the end of the cooking time. You may need to add additional broth or water if it evaporates too much.
You can not go wrong with serving cornbread with this chili. You can also serve biscuits or garlic bread. You can also serve chili with a salad or even a salad. We love just serving this chili with Frito chips on top.
This chili will last in the refrigerator for about three days. If you will not finish it before then, you will want to move it to the freezer.
Many people choose to freeze chili. It’s a great way to save for another day or have it on hand when you are too busy to cook one night. This recipe freezes well so it makes the perfect thing to stock your freezer with. It is very easy to freeze this chili. Take two cups of the chili, put it into an airtight container, label it with the date, and freeze. Freeze for up to three months. You can thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or reheat it straight from the freezer.
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More Slow Cooker Chili Recipes:
- Slow Cooker V8 Chili
- Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chili
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- Slow Cooker Turkey and Butternut Squash Chili
- Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Chili
- Slow Cooker Venison Chili
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Copycat Wendy’s Chili
Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, and YouTube.
Slow Cooker Steak House Chili
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. cubed sirloin, or cheap stew meat
- 30 oz. pinto beans, drained and rinsed (two 15-oz cans)
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 1.25 oz. taco seasoning packet
- 1 white onion, diced
- 30 oz. beef broth, (two 15-oz. cans)
- 16 oz. container fresh salsa, (found in the refrigerated section of the store, not too chunky)
Serving suggestions:
- Fritos, (regular kind, not scoops)
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
Instructions
- Add the beef, drained pinto beans, tomato paste, onion, and taco seasoning to the slow cooker. Pour over the beef broth. Stir. (DO NOT ADD THE SALSA YET).
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Stir in the fresh salsa.
- Cook for 20 minutes longer if desired, just enough to warm it up again. Often my chili is so hot that this doesn't need to be done.
- Serve with fritos on top if desired.
Stove-top Instructions:
- You can make this chili on the stovetop but it takes more work and you need to watch it more. Cook it on low for about 2 hours or until the meat starts to fall apart. Be sure to stir it often while it is cooking so it does not burn to the pan. Do not add the salsa until the end of the cooking time. You may need to add more broth or water if it evaporates too much.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I do like many of the recipes from this site. But, not this one. I followed the recipe exactly. The meat was tender but tasteless. The taco seasoning came across as a “raw” taste, not blended in. And it was more soupy than chili consistency.