Name: Smoked Wagyu beef chili
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 205 min
Yield: 6 bowls
Ingredients: 2 pounds Raw ground Wagyu beef, or regular 80/20 ground beef; To taste Fine salt and black pepper; 1 tablespoon Rendered beef fat or neutral oil, for the sauce; 2 medium (about 20 grams total) Dried ancho chiles; 1 cup, plus more as needed Low-sodium beef stock; 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) Whole peeled tomatoes, with all their juice; 1 small Yellow onion, finely diced; 3 cloves Garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon Tomato paste; 3/4 teaspoon Ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon Dried Mexican oregano; 1/4 teaspoon Ground coriander; 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon Porcini mushroom powder; 1 Bay leaf; 2 teaspoons, then to taste Red miso; 1 tablespoon Nutritional yeast; 1 tablespoon, plus another teaspoon if needed Masa harina; 3 tablespoons Low-sodium beef stock, for the masa slurry; 1 tablespoon to start, then more to taste Apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon to start, then to taste Honey; 1 to 2 teaspoons, then to taste, optional Fresh lime juice; To taste Fine salt and black pepper; As you like Sour cream, shredded cheddar, chopped cilantro or corn chips

Smoked Wagyu beef chili

A thick, beefy chili with ancho peppers, a deeply savory sauce and a cider-vinegar finish. Smoke the beef for the full version, or brown it in a skillet for an easier dinner.

Published Oct 24, 2026

Servings

6 bowls

Total time

About 3 hours 25 minutes

Allow roughly 2 1/2 to 4 hours total for the smoked version, depending on the smoker and thickness of the beef. The skillet version takes about 1 hour 30 minutes total. Prepare the sauce during the last part of the smoke. All times are approximate.

Big flavor, easy on the heat

Friday's smoked Wagyu beef chili was incredible. Pretty sure this one could take first place in a chili cook-off.

Chili is a good example of the challenge with cooking for kids. Something that tastes great to an adult doesn't always land the same way with a kid. This pot had very little heat and a ton of flavor. Smoking the beef first did a lot of the work. If you don't have a smoker, brown it in a skillet. It'll still be a great chili.

Ancho is one of the heroes here. It brings that deep, earthy pepper flavor without making a hot bowl of chili. Miso, Worcestershire, tomato paste, nutritional yeast and porcini powder fill out the savory side. It's an umami bomb.

Finish it with apple cider vinegar. Mine needed more than the kitchen card called for. Add a little, taste, then keep going until the richness tastes balanced. I also added a little honey. Fresh lime is great too if you've got it. Check the salt as you simmer, and taste again at the end.

Instructions

Cook the beef: smoker or skillet

For smoked beef, heat the smoker to 250°F. Shape the beef into two loose slabs about 1 1/2 inches thick. Season lightly with salt and pepper, place on a smoker-safe wire rack over a rimmed drip pan, and smoke until the thickest part reaches 160°F, roughly 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Go by the thermometer. Save 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat and break the beef into small crumbles.
For the skillet version, brown the raw beef in two batches over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles. Cook through to 160°F, about 10 to 15 minutes total. Drain excess fat, saving 1 tablespoon for the sauce. Choose this method instead of the smoking step, then continue below.

Build and finish the chili

Remove the stems, seeds and ribs from the anchos. Toast them in a dry skillet for about 10 to 15 seconds per side, just until fragrant. Don't scorch them. Cover with the hot cup of beef stock in a small bowl and soak for about 20 minutes, turning as needed. Blend the softened chiles with all their soaking stock until smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly first and vent the blender lid according to its instructions.
Blend the whole peeled tomatoes with all their juice until smooth, using an immersion blender directly in the can. Or pour the entire contents into a countertop blender and blend. Do not drain.
Heat the tablespoon of beef fat or oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the garlic for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, until it darkens to brick red.
Stir in the cumin, oregano and coriander for about 30 seconds. Add the ancho puree and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring. Add the blended tomatoes, Worcestershire, porcini powder and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring, until a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a brief trail. Lower the heat if the sauce starts catching.
Whisk the miso into a spoonful of sauce, then stir it back into the pot with the nutritional yeast. Add the cooked beef. If the sauce is too thick to fold through the meat, add a splash of beef stock. Simmer gently for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring from the bottom. Taste and adjust salt as it cooks.
Whisk the tablespoon of masa harina with 3 tablespoons of beef stock until smooth. Stir into the chili and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. If it still looks loose, mix the extra teaspoon of masa with a little liquid, stir it in and give it another 10 minutes. The sauce should cling to the beef. Loosen with a little beef stock if needed.
Remove the bay leaf and skim off any large pools of fat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey, then taste. Keep adding vinegar 1 teaspoon at a time until the chili tastes bright and balanced. The starting spoonful is not a limit. Add fresh lime if you have it. Adjust honey in small amounts to round out the sauce, keeping the sweetness in the background, then check the salt and pepper again.
Spoon into bowls and add whichever toppings you like. Corn chips are great alongside.

Smoked Wagyu beef chili

Big flavor, easy on the heat