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A bowl of shredded beef chili with sweet potatoes on a plate containing a spoon, two lime wedges, and cilantro leaves.
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4.86 / 7 votes

Shredded Beef Chili With Sweet Potatoes

This shredded beef chili with sweet potatoes, can be made in the oven or slow cooker. Loaded with tender braised beef, sweet potatoes, beans, peppers, and tomatoes, it's the answer to all your chili dreams.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 35 minutes
Total Time4 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 325

Equipment

  • Slow cooker (if following the slow cooker method)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne, to taste
  • 1 3/4 pounds chuck roast or blade steak
  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or grated
  • Three (14- to 15-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
  • 8 1/2 ounces water
  • 2 cups beer, preferably an ale or stout
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 3 small sweet potatoes, peeled
  • One (14- to 15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges
  • Soft tortillas, tortilla chips, rice, or quinoa
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F (160°C).
  • In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, cloves, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme, and cayenne. Rub all over the beef, reserving at least 1 tablespoon spice mixture to add to the chili later.
  • In a large ovenproof pan with a lid, like a Dutch oven, sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the tomatoes, water, beer, and vinegar.
  • Add the beef to the pan, cover with the lid, place in the oven, and cook for 2 hours.
  • Cut the peeled sweet potatoes into roughly 1-inch (2 1/2-centimeter) chunks. Uncover the pan and add the sweet potatoes, beans, peppers, and remaining spice mixture. Cover with the lid again and return to the oven until the beef is falling apart tender. Check for doneness after 1 to 1 1/2 hours and, if it doesn't shred easily with a fork, simply cover and keep braising, low and slow, until it does. If you're using a particularly tough cut, it could take as long as 3 1/2 hours. But there's no rush.
  • Transfer the chunk of beef to a cutting board and shred the meat using a couple forks. If a less soupy consistency is desired, purée about 1 cup of the vegetables and liquid in a blender or with an immersion blender and then stir it back into the chili. Stir the shredded beef into the chili and serve with sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges and rice, quinoa, or tortilla chips.

Notes

Slow Cooker Variation

To make this chili in the slow cooker, follow the instructions through step 3 and then transfer everything to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low until tender, 6 to 10 hours. Proceed as directed with shredding the beef.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 778mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g