Made with tender hunks of short ribs and enhanced with flavor-boosting ingredients, this is hands down the best short rib chili recipe if you’re looking for something that is rich and hearty!
Why this recipe works
Short rib chili is nothing short of an impressive upgrade to your everyday chili recipe. There’s a little more to it than simply swapping out the ground beef for tender hunks of short rib, though. Here, we’ve added chipotle peppers for a kick of heat along with coffee and red wine for a huge boost in flavor and complexity. The result? An incredibly flavorful short rib chili that everyone is going to want you to make again and again. I hope you’re prepared!
This is one of Chef Antoine’s favorite recipes to date. When he made this, I remember him commenting about how rich and hearty it was and that it would make a great dish to freeze portions of. A friend of his stopped by the afternoon he made it and raved about the flavor. Definitely top notch!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
TOMATOES – We love the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes, but regular canned diced tomatoes will work totally fine.
COFFEE – You won’t taste the coffee directly in this short rib chili. It’s simply used as a flavor enhancer. Coffee adds a subtle bitterness that balances out the other ingredients really well, even if you aren’t typically a fan. You can substitute with decaf if preferred.
WINE – Cabernet, Merlot, and Zinfandel are all great choices here. Using red dry wine in this short rib chili helps the flavors pop and adds richness. If you prefer not to use red wine, you can substitute with beef broth. Keep in mind that much of the alcohol from the wine will cook off during the cooking process.
BOUILLON – We use a concentrated bouillon base for most of our recipes instead of broth or stock. It’s convenient, takes up a lot less space, has a more intense flavor, and is easily reconstituted with water. You can certainly use broth or stock instead. Just replace the amount of water in the recipe with stock and omit the base.
A Quick Note for Chipotle Peppers
I like to use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, but they come in a can, and I never need as many as the can holds. Storing them in the refrigerator is fine, but only for a short while. Also, storing them in the can will leave a tinny taste that I can’t get past.
So, I prefer to freeze them instead! I pull out my plastic wrap and drop 2 chipotles on a piece of plastic wrap and top them with a spoonful of the adobo sauce. I simply fold that up to contain the pepper and sauce. Repeat for all the chipotles you aren’t going to use right away. Pop all the wrapped chipotles into a freezer bag for future use. This process actually makes it much easier to use the peppers. Remove a plastic bundle from the bag and unwrap it right away while the contents are still frozen. Chop while frozen and place in a small bowl to thaw.
How to Make Short Rib Chili
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Cut short ribs into bite-sized chunks and place into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in onion powder and garlic salt. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and using gloved hands, mix everything together until evenly coated.
- To a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add beef chunks and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and no pink remains.
- Remove meat from the pan and set aside. Drain any excess oil.
- Add garlic, red onion, and green bell pepper. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in chipotle peppers and stir well.
- Pour in red wine and coffee and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes to cook down the wine.
- Add beef base, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and oregano. Whisk everything together.
- Stir in diced tomatoes and water, and add the beef back to the pan. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 3 hours.
- Remove lid and add the kidney beans. Stir together and heat through.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, absolutely. You can prepare and cook the chili a day in advance, allow it to cool, then cover it tightly and refrigerate. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Store any cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
Yes! Allow the chili to fully cool, then skim off any excess fat on the surface (if any). Freeze in air-tight containers or in ziptop freezer bags. I prefer to store them in freezer bags that way I can lay them flat to save space. Be sure to leave a little space at the top of the container or freezer bag to allow room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop.
Sure, you can omit the beans if you aren’t a fan.
Serving Suggestions
Short rib chili is a rich dish and really benefits from a side of rice, egg noodles, pasta, or mashed potatoes! Or, you can pair it with a side of cornbread to help soak up the surrounding sauce.
Optionally top your chili with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and sliced jalapenos. It’s also great with pickled onions!
More Chili Recipes
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Short Rib Chili
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless beef short ribs
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 cup brewed coffee
- 3 teaspoons Better than Bouillon beef base
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 14 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes canned, undrained
- 3 cups water
- 15 ounce can of dark red kidney beans undrained
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- We love the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes, but regular canned diced tomatoes will work totally fine.
- You can omit the beans if you are not a fan.
- Cabernet, Merlot, and Zinfandel are all great choices here. Using red dry wine in this short rib chili helps the flavors pop and adds richness. If you prefer not to use red wine, you can substitute with beef broth. Keep in mind that much of the alcohol from the wine will cook off during the cooking process.
- We use a concentrated bouillon base for most of our recipes instead of broth or stock. It’s convenient, takes up a lot less space, has a more intense flavor, and is easily reconstituted with water. You can certainly use broth or stock instead. Just replace the amount of water in the recipe with stock and omit the base.
Instructions
- Cut short ribs into bite-sized chunks and place into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in onion powder and garlic salt. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and using gloved hands, mix everything together until evenly coated.1.5 pounds boneless beef short ribs, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- To a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add beef chunks and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and no pink remains.
- Remove meat from the pan and set aside. Drain any excess oil.
- Add garlic, red onion, and green bell pepper. Saute for 1-2 minutes.2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 cup chopped red onion, 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- Add in chipotle peppers and stir well.2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Pour in red wine and coffee and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes to cook down the wine.2 cups dry red wine, 1 cup brewed coffee
- Add beef base, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and oregano. Whisk everything together.3 teaspoons Better than Bouillon beef base, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons oregano
- Stir in diced tomatoes and water, and add the beef back to the pan. Bring to a boil.14 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes, 3 cups water
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 3 hours.
- Remove lid and add the kidney beans. Stir together and heat through.15 ounce can of dark red kidney beans
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store any cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- To Freeze – Allow the chili to fully cool, then skim off any excess fat on the surface (if any). Freeze in air-tight containers or in ziptop freezer bags. I prefer to store them in freezer bags that way I can lay them flat to save space. Be sure to leave a little space at the top of the container or freezer bag to allow room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
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Christine says
Very flavorful, but way too much liquid- it came out more like a soup. I would reduce the liquid, maybe reduce the water by about a cup (at least) and drain the beans before adding them. or replace some of the water with the bean liquid, as it is thicker than water and set the beans aside until it is time to add them. I ended up draining another can of beans and mashing them to try to thicken the chili.
Chef Antoine Davis says
Hi Christine and thank you for trying the chili! If you prefer that the chili be thicker there are a few things you can do including what you mentioned. I prefer the extra liquid so that the meat does not dry out as it sits, as it will continue cooking after the heat is off (if kept in the pot). If you do reduce the water, remember to also reduce the bouillon base. Draining the beans is also an option. You can also thicken the liquid with a cornstarch slurry. Thank you for your feedback!
Christine says
Thanks! I will definitely keep the recipe, and thanks for the tip with the bullion- I have leftovers, so i will reheat and try adding a little cornstarch.