I recently returned from a visit to Iowa to see my daughter Allie and her sweet family. Watching the grandbabies’ faces is one of my favorite things. While there I sampled lots of local favorites—yes, plenty of beef and pork in farm country—and had a memorable bowl of chili at Jethro’s BBQ ‘n’ Bacon Bacon that inspired this Instant Pot beef chili recipe. Their version is rich, spicy, and bright with fresh jalapeño. I set out to recreate that flavor at home and ended up with a chili my family loved.
Instant Pot Beef Chili with Bacon and Jalapeño
This Instant Pot beef chili yields a medium-spicy pot with smoky bacon, tender beef, and plenty of fresh vegetables. My family prefers a Texas-style chili without beans, but the recipe includes an option to add beans if you like them.
Pressure-cooking the beef in the Instant Pot produces wonderfully tender meat. I often start with lean beef stew meat and briefly pulse it in a food processor to get the right texture; you can also use cubed chuck roast or plain ground beef if you prefer. Grinding your own meat isn’t difficult—freeze the beef for 25–30 minutes to firm it up, then work in small batches so your food processor can produce coarse, 1/4-inch chunks.
Instant Pot Beef Chili with Bacon and Jalapeño
While the beef chills in the freezer, prep the remaining ingredients: dice bell peppers, onion, and jalapeños, and press the garlic. I usually remove the jalapeño seeds for milder heat, but leave some if you want more kick. If you prefer a stew-like chili rather than a soup, grind about 2 cups of tortilla chips to yield roughly 2/3 cup of fine crumbs—these are stirred in at the end to thicken the chili.
For the spice blend, I like New Mexico chile powder when I can find it; it’s a single-ingredient chile powder with earthy, slightly fruity notes. If you don’t have it, ancho chile powder or a store chili powder will work. Mix the chile powder with ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano, garlic powder, and just a pinch of cinnamon to add warmth and depth.
A little bacon goes a long way in this chili, adding smoky flavor without dominating the pot. Cut four slices into 1/2-inch pieces and cook them in a large skillet over medium-high heat until nearly crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and leave the rendered fat in the skillet to sauté the vegetables.
If you prefer, you can use the Instant Pot’s sauté function for everything, but I like to brown all the meat and veggies at once in a large skillet so they develop a good sear. Once the bacon fat is hot, sauté the onion, bell peppers, jalapeños, and garlic until they begin to soften. Add the spice mix and cook a few more minutes to “bloom” the dried spices.
Instant Pot Beef Chili with Bacon and Jalapeño
Next add the coarsely ground beef to the skillet, season with kosher salt, and brown the meat over high heat until partially seared. Return the bacon pieces to the skillet and cook another minute or two, then transfer the mixture to the Instant Pot. Stir in a 14-oz. can of crushed tomatoes and one cup of beef broth.
Instant Pot Beef Chili with Bacon and Jalapeño
Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. After the cook time, allow a natural pressure release for 15–20 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure and open the lid. If you like beans in your chili, stir in a drained and rinsed 14-oz. can of kidney, pinto, or black beans now.
To thicken the chili, stir in the finely crushed tortilla chips and let the pot rest for about 10 minutes. If you’d rather not use chips, you can use the Instant Pot’s sauté setting with the lid off to reduce the liquid until the chili reaches your desired consistency. Finish with 1–2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice to brighten the flavors.
Toppings make the bowl: serve with tortilla chips or Fritos, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced white onion or pico de gallo, avocado, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro. This chili is a keeper—rich, tender, and full of fresh jalapeño and smoky bacon notes that my family can’t get enough of.
Instant Pot Beef Chili with Bacon and Jalapeño
Marsha Maxwell
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (coarsely ground)
- 2–3 tablespoons New Mexico chile powder (2 for mild, 3 for medium)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 large (or 3 small) jalapeños, seeded and diced fine
- 1 large yellow onion, diced fine
- 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced fine
- 1 green bell pepper, diced fine
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 14-oz. can beans (kidney, pinto, or black), drained and rinsed (optional)
- 2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (optional, to thicken)
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Toppings: Fritos or tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced white onion or pico de gallo, avocado, lime wedges, cilantro
Instructions
- Place the beef stew meat in the freezer about 25 minutes to firm. Divide into 2–4 batches and pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground, about 1/4-inch chunks.
- Mix the chile powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and cinnamon in a small bowl. If using, crush tortilla chips in a blender or food processor to make about 2/3 cup crumbs.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until beginning to crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and leave fat in the skillet.
- Add onion, bell peppers, jalapeños, and garlic to the bacon fat. Sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the spice mix and cook 2–3 minutes more.
- Add the coarsely ground beef and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Cook over high heat until the meat is browned and partially seared. Stir in the bacon pieces for 1–2 minutes.
- Transfer the meat and vegetables to the Instant Pot. Add crushed tomatoes and beef broth, stir to combine, secure the lid, and set to cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.
- After cooking, allow natural pressure release for 15–20 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure and open the lid. Stir in beans if using.
- To thicken, add crushed tortilla chips and let rest about 10 minutes. Alternatively, use the sauté function with the lid off to reduce the liquid.
- Finish by stirring in fresh lime juice and serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Photos by Marsha Maxwell and Kiian Oksana/Shutterstock.com.
Disclosures: The author received no compensation for this post. The article may contain affiliate links; purchases made through those links help support publishing these recipes.