Smoked Brisket Chili Recipe

Make spice blend

Combine chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, dried oregano, cayenne, brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

Roast poblanos: If not already roasted, char poblanos over a gas flame or under broiler until skin blackens and blisters all over, 8–10 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap 10 minutes, then peel, seed, and dice.

Dice the medium yellow onion and mince garlic. Shred or pull your smoked brisket and pulled pork into bite-sized pieces. Drain and rinse canned beans.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Angus ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.

Push beef to one side, add 1 tablespoon oil if pot is dry, then add diced yellow onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize. Add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices and beef stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add the prepared house chili spice blend (all of it or 2–3 tablespoons to taste) and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.

Add shredded smoked brisket, pulled pork, drained beans, and roasted diced poblanos to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 25–35 minutes to meld flavors and thicken. Stir occasionally. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or cayenne as needed.

In the last 5 minutes of simmering, stir in shredded quesadilla cheese and pimiento cheese to create a creamy, cheesy chili. Mix until melted and evenly incorporated. If chili becomes too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more beef stock or water.

Fold in most of the crumbled bacon, reserving about 2 tablespoons for topping.

Combine ripe avocado, cilantro, lime juice, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth, adding additional water a teaspoon at a time to reach a drizzling consistency. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, minced chipotle, dill, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust chipotle for heat. Refrigerate until serving.

Prepare the onion rings: remove inner rings from the large sweet onion and separate into 6 wide rings about 1/2–3/4" thick. Pat dry. Lightly brush with oil and season with a pinch of salt.

Warm a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Quickly sear each onion ring 1 minute per side until slightly softened and caramel color appears (they should still hold shape). Remove and keep warm.

Warm flour tortillas in a dry skillet 15–20 seconds per side or wrapped in foil at 300°F for 8–10 minutes.

Assemble: Spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cheesy smoked brisket chili onto the center of a warm tortilla. Add a dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of pimiento cheese if you want extra creaminess, sprinkle with shredded cheddar, and fold/roll into a burrito-style wrap. Place the wrapped tortilla inside a seared onion ring so the onion encircles the tortilla (this is the 'wrapped in onion' presentation).

If desired, crisp the assembled tortilla wrap in a lightly oiled skillet seam-side down for 1–2 minutes to seal and toast the exterior. Remove and slice in half on a diagonal.

Place each tortilla wrap on a plate. Drizzle avocado cilantro crema over the top and spoon chipotle ranch on the side for dipping. Sprinkle reserved crumbled bacon and chopped cilantro over the wrap, and serve with lime wedges.

Serve immediately while chili is hot and cheeses are melty. Leftover chili keeps refrigerated up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop, adding stock if needed.