Smokey, savory chuck roast chili slow cooked with an array of spices, beans and flavor boosters like salsa and coconut aminos makes for a mouthwatering dinner. Tossing with macaroni noodles, cheese and scallions rounds out this dish and makes for a hearty, rustic dinner made with family in mind.

Chuck Roast?

Chuck roast is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat that can feed the whole family. The cut is from the shoulder area of the steer and is commonly used in pot roast or ground for burgers. Slow cooking chuck is highly recommended since the connective tissue running through it needs time to melt and flavor the meat. Chuck roast is typically 80-85% lean, making it a great choice if you are looking for a lean cut of red meat. Making chili with ground chuck is not common, but it should be! Its soaks up spice and flavor beautifully while becoming wonderfully tender self-basting in its delicious juices.

Chuck Roast Cooking Tips:

Buy grass-fed, pasture raised beef from a regenerative farm. This will impart flavor and health benefits.
Liberally salt the meat a day or two in advance. This will pull blood out and deeply flavor the meat.
Make sure to buy a chuck roast that can fit in your slow cooker. A 3lb chuck roast will feed a family of 4.

Let’s Cook.

Slow cook, that is. No matter how busy your life is, you need to eat. Slow cooking is heaven sent! This recipe couldn’t be simpler. Literally just gather the ingredients and dump it into a Crock Pot.

Key Ingredients.

Beans. Three types of canned beans used. Go for the unsalted beans so the saltiness of the dish can be better controlled. Hold onto one of the cans of beans to add later into cooking to create a mix of texture within the chili.

Salsa Verde. Salsa often made with green tomatoes or tomatillos, cilantro and jalapenos. If you don’t have homemade canned, Frontera brand makes a tasty store-bought option. In 2003, Frontera Farmers Foundation was born to support mid-size, organic minded farms in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Regenerative farm, Root & Sky Farm of Marengo, Illinois, received a grant from Frontera Farmer Foundation this past year which enabled them to install much needed fencing.

Spices. Along with chili powder, ancho chili and smoked paprika give the dish it’s necessary heat and smokiness. The heat is still mild, making it fine for kids. If you love heat, feel free to kick it up a notch. Earthy cumin, oregano and coriander are complimentary to the spice, while the pinch of coconut sugar balances it all out. Nutritional yeast isn’t typically thought of when it comes to chili, but it lends a cheesy flavor and saltiness.

Macaroni Noodles. Noodles are a must. It turns this into a hearty, indulgent-feeling dish. Plus, the addition of noodles makes it a toddler favorite.