This Instant Pot chili blends tender chunks of beef with a smoky chili paste sauce — no beans. Using the pressure-cooker setting delivers Texas-style chili in a fraction of the time. Ideal for game day.
I recently added an Instant Pot to my kitchen and have been impressed. My older electric pressure cooker was unreliable, so I rarely used it beyond boiling potatoes. The Instant Pot’s multicooker functions are everywhere for a reason — it speeds up braises and makes dishes that normally take hours in a fraction of the time.
In the first few days I used it for rich, hands-off dinners: Osso Buco, saffron risotto without nonstop stirring, and even pots de crème. Those quick successes convinced me to experiment with a Texas-style chili in the Instant Pot — a hearty, no-bean chili made with cubed beef. The result was one of the best bowls of chili my friends have had.
What is Texas-style chili?
Chili sparks strong opinions: ingredients and styles vary by region and household. One of the biggest debates is whether chili should include beans. In the Texas-style tradition, the answer is usually no. Texas chili — often called Texas Red — is typically cubed beef browned in lard or bacon fat, then simmered in a deep, smoky chili sauce. Most classic recipes use beef chuck cubes and avoid tomatoes and beans.
Homemade chili paste contributes much of Texas-style chili’s color and depth of flavor. Some cooks use a mix of chili paste and powdered chili, depending on taste. I made a small adaptation: after browning the beef and sautéing onions I deglazed the pot with a little beer. Beer adds a pleasant beefy, malty note to the sauce and paired well with the chili flavors.
How to make Texas-style Instant Pot chili
When made in a Dutch oven, Texas-style chili is an all-day project. Pressure cooking follows the same basic steps — browning, deglazing, and simmering — but requires less liquid and much less time. Start by rendering bacon and heating a bit of oil in the Instant Pot on Sauté. Brown the seasoned beef in batches so it sears instead of steaming. Sauté onions and garlic in the rendered fat, then deglaze with beer and stir in chili paste and beef broth.
Return the beef and reserved bacon to the pot, lock the lid, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. The meat becomes exceptionally tender and soaked with chili paste flavor. Finish by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of masa harina to thicken the sauce to a glossy finish — use 2 tablespoons for a looser sauce or up to 3 for a thicker finish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If you prefer other Instant Pot beef recipes, corned beef is another great option for the electric pressure cooker.
Serving Instant Pot chili
This chili is delicious straight from the Instant Pot, but it improves if you refrigerate it overnight and reheat gently. Handle the chili carefully so the beef cubes stay intact — stirring too vigorously will break them up. Toppings are optional: diced onion, shredded sharp cheddar, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, sliced jalapeño, and a dollop of sour cream all work well. The chili is well-flavored enough to stand on its own, so toppings are a matter of preference.
Serve with warmed tortillas, cornbread, or beer bread and a cold beer for a classic pairing. No matter who you’re cheering for, this chili is a game-day winner.
More game day recipes
- Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Maple-Sriracha Devils on Horseback
- Crab Stuffed Mushrooms with Gouda
- Loaded Potato Chips with Bacon and Gorgonzola
- Mojo Beef Burgers with Tequila-Lime Aioli
- Muffuletta Sandwiches
Instant Pot Chili (Texas Style)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bacon , cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 3 pounds beef chuck , cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
- 1 large onion , diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
- 3 large garlic cloves , minced
- ½ cup beer (lager-style, not too bitter)
- ¾ cup homemade chili paste (1 recipe)
- 1-1/2 cups beef broth
- 2-3 tablespoons masa harina (depending on desired thickness)
- kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
Instructions
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Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on high. Add the bacon and canola oil. Cook until the bacon renders fat and just starts to crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the insert.
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Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Brown the beef in batches so pieces sear rather than steam. Transfer browned pieces to a plate as you go.
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Add the diced onion to the insert with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and some pepper. Sauté until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Deglaze the pot with the beer, scraping up browned bits, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chili paste and beef broth until combined.
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Return the beef and reserved bacon to the pot and stir to coat with the sauce. Lock the lid and set the vent to Sealing.
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Set the Instant Pot to High pressure for 30 minutes. When the cook time ends, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
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Switch back to Sauté. Whisk the masa harina into the chili until smooth and simmer until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve hot with optional toppings: lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheddar, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeño, and diced onion.
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Our recipes use U.S. customary measurements and are not tested for high-altitude cooking.