A rich, smoky, cast iron chilli made with tender beef fillet and slow-cooked over charcoal. This isn’t just any chilli – it’s the kind you talk about for days afterwards.
👋 The Story Behind the Dish
Well… this one is something special.
I made this on a whim one evening while staring into the fridge, figuring out what I could throw together. The day before, I’d picked up a whole fillet of beef from our local butcher. I'd already carved off a few steaks and used a section for a Christmas beef Wellington — but I still had a pile of offcuts sitting in the fridge.
What started as leftovers quickly turned into the most outrageous cowboy chilli I’ve ever had. Rich, smoky, luxurious — and cooked entirely on the Kamado using a cast iron Dutch oven. If you don’t happen to have beef fillet offcuts lying around, this recipe will still work with any diced beef cuts. But let’s be honest — it won’t be quite as ridiculous.
🕒 Prep Time: 20 mins
🔥 Cook Time: 2–3 hours (low & slow)
🍽️ Serves: 6–8
🍲 Equipment: Dutch oven / cast iron pot (Kamado-compatible)
🔥 Grill Setup: Kamado BBQ with indirect heat at 150–160°C (300–330°F), lid closed for smoking
🌶️ Spice Level: Adjustable
🛒 Ingredients
🥩 For the Chilli
- 800g–1kg beef fillet, diced into bite-sized chunks (or substitute with brisket, chuck, or stewing steak but, you will regret it)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or beef tallow
- Salt & pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 red chillies, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cinnamon (optional but adds depth)
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained
- 250ml beef stock
- 1 lager- bottle of Bud or a light American beer is great
- 1 tsp sugar (balances acidity)
- Splash of Worcestershire sauce
- Splash of red wine
- Wood chunk for smoking (e.g. hickory, oak, or mesquite)
- Plate of seasoned flour
🧅 Optional Toppings / To Serve
- Grated mature cheddar
- Sour cream or Greek yoghurt
- Sliced jalapeños
- Rice, crusty bread or try our garlic bread recipe
- Fresh coriander
- Lime wedges
🔧 Equipment Needed
- Dutch oven or cast iron pot (BBQ-safe)
- Wooden spoon and ladle
- Oak wood chunks for smoky taste
👨🍳 Method
🔥 1. Set Up Your Kamado
- Get your Kamado going and set for direct cooking.
- Bring the temperature to a steady 160–180°C (320–355°F).
- Place your Dutch oven directly on the grill grates or in the pot attachment if you have it
- Add a couple of wood chunks for that rich smoke flavour — hickory or oak work brilliantly.
🥩 2. Sear the Beef
- Add oil or beef tallow to the Dutch oven and let it heat up.
- Toss the beef chunks in seasoned flour
- Sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides — don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Remove and set aside.
🧄 3. Build the Flavour Base
- In the same Dutch oven (with those lovely beefy bits left behind), sauté the onion, garlic, and peppers until softened — around 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped chillies, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, and tomato purée. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- “clean” the pan with a good few splashes of lager, when evaporated add the glass of wine and reduce
🍅 4. Build the Chilli
- Return the beef to the pot.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, beans, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, cocoa powder, and sugar. Stir well.
🛑 5. Let It Simmer & Smoke
- Close the lid of your Kamado and let the chilli simmer gently for roughly 2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes. (lid off the pot) Make sure you check it and if its done early or later that’s fine… every cook is different
- If it gets too thick, add another splash or beer…
- Once the beef is fall-apart tender and the sauce is rich and smoky, remove from heat and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
🪵 Serving Suggestions
- Serve directly from the Dutch oven on the table with a big ladle.
- Pile high into bowls or on top of crispy potatoes or fluffy rice.
- Add toppings: grated cheese, red onion, jalapeños, sour cream, and fresh herbs.
- Pair with a cold beer, a chunk of crusty bread, and a group of hungry friends.
💡 Pro Tips
- Fillet cooks faster than tougher cuts — don’t overdo it. Once tender, it’s done.
- Add more chillies for heat, or a spoon of chipotle paste for smokiness.
- Use leftover chilli the next day for burritos, loaded nachos, or breakfast eggs.
- Add a spoonful of maple syrup or molasses for a cowboy-style sweetness.
📸 Show Off Your Chilli!
Cooked this cowboy classic on your Kamado? Share it with us @eggandember or tag #brokebackmountainchilli— we love seeing what’s bubbling in your Dutch ovens.