Brisket Belongs In Your Next Pot Of Chili

Whether preparing a solo meal or a giant pot to share with party guests, chili is always a top-notch choice. It doesn't matter if you prefer beans and tomatoes or how spicy you take it, there's a chili recipe to satisfy everyone with plenty of options to customize and elevate the taste. For example, if you're looking for a protein-rich pot of goodness filled with extra-smoky notes of flavor, look no further than a smoky brisket chili recipe to bring both the heat and the meat. Brisket makes an excellent protein base or addition to your chili for its heartiness and taste. You can either make a chili-specific brisket or repurpose leftovers to prevent food waste. Either way, it's going to be delicious.

Among the wide range of uses for leftover smoked brisket, it makes an ideal chili accompaniment because of its complex flavor. Any standard smoked brisket recipe will yield a slab of meat that makes a perfect complement to the general flavor profile of chili. While a chili seasoning blend will typically include cumin, chili, powder, paprika, and garlic, the seasonings in a standard brisket rub often overlap with the inclusion of smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and onion powder. These are all flavors that play well together and are similar — if not exactly the same — in some cases. The addition of brisket to your next pot of chili keeps up this delicious seasoning cycle with amplified flavors and an overall great taste.

It's actually surprisingly easy to punch up your chili with a bit of smoked brisket. With so many delicious chili recipes to choose from, you can either start with your favorite go-to recipe and experiment by adding chunks of leftover brisket to your pot, or by creating a whole new recipe around your own homemade smoked brisket from scratch. Point cut is usually recommended for a brisket that you're planning to add to chili, but you can also experiment with the textures of a smoked flat cut as well. Remember to season everything heartily and to taste as you go.

For other seasonings and additions to your pot of chili, it's really all a matter of taste and on which side of the line of demarcation you fall when it comes to the debate of beans versus no beans. For example, you can give your brisket chili a deep, smoky flavor with ancho chiles or try something a little more subtle like canned chipotles. The level of heat can vary based on which peppers you choose, and how much paprika and chili powder is included. Another good rule of thumb is to keep shredded cheese or sour cream on hand for those who can't take the heat. Any way you make your brisket chili, it's bound to be a winner.