Go Back

Pork Butt Chili

The hardest part about this recipe is the name.  It just doesn’t have the glamour one wants in their house specialty.  But (no pun intended) this is one of my signature dishes and I have made it for years because it is a do-ahead make-a-lot dish.  You can freeze it in individual or family-sized containers which can be thawed on-demand on nights when you don’t have as much time to make something fabulous.  This is a fall, winter, and spring dish when the temperatures are chilly (no pun intended) and you need something warm and delicious.  Serve this over some rice, and top it off with fresh tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and cheddar cheese or add a heaping spoonful of this chili to a warm corn tortilla for a taco.   Endless possibilities!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

For roasting the pork

  • 1 Pork Butt boneless, bone-in or Pork Shoulder approximately 6-8 lbs.
  • 1 Tbs Chili powder
  • 1 Tbs Paprika
  • 1 Tbs Cumin
  • 1 Tbs Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tbs kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs crushed black pepper

For making the chili

  • 2 large yellow onions
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 Tbs Olive oil
  • 1 28 oz can of tomato puree
  • 1 28 oz can of crushed tomato
  • 1 15 oz can of diced tomato
  • 3 cups of water
  • 1 15 oz can red kidney beans
  • 1 15 oz can pinto beans
  • 1 15 oz can black beans
  • 1 Tbs Chili powder
  • 1 Tbs smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tbs Cumin
  • 1 Tsp chipotle or Cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

Roasting the pork

  • One day before making the chili – roast the pork.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • You can use a boneless pork butt, or bone-in pork butt, or a pork shoulder for this recipe. I tend to look for what is on sale and buy ahead and freeze so I have it when I want to make this fantastic chili.
  • Coat the pork with the seasoning. Place the pork into a Dutch oven, put the cover on, and put it into the oven for 3 ½ to 4 hours, depending on the weight of the meat – larger will cook longer.
  • Once out of the oven, lift the cover and place it back on the Dutch oven ajar – so some heat can escape. Allow the meat to cool completely, and then refrigerate.

Assembling the chili

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes, trimming any vascular tissue, membranes, and excess fat. Do a rough chop on the onion so there is some texture of the onion in your finished chili.
  • Mince the garlic.
  • Place the Dutch oven onto the stovetop, and heat over medium heat. Then add the chopped onion, minced garlic, olive oil, and salt.
  • Stir the onion mixture occasionally, over medium heat, until the onions are translucent and just begging to brown a bit.
  • Add the tomato, beans, and seasoning. Stir to mix.
  • Add the cubed pork. Stir the meat into the tomato and bean mixture gently, only to coat and distribute.
  • Place the chili into a 325-degree oven for two hours.

Notes

NOTE: For this recipe – you DO NOT want to stir it often because the pork will shred which I don’t like as much as having nice chunks of pork in the finished chili when served. That tip applies throughout the serving process – when reheating leftovers etc. Always avoid aggressively stirring the chili. Rather, fold it gently when reheating to heat through thoroughly.