Mexican-Style Chilli Beef
This Mexican-Style Chilli Beef is an easy, warming stew that's full of spice! A great choice if you're counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories340
- Carbs32g
- Protein35g
- Fat5.4g
- Saturates1.9g
- Sugars17g
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For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
When it comes to filling family meals with minimum fuss, it’s hard to beat a classic stew. Especially when you can pop all of your ingredients into the slow cooker or pressure cooker and forget about them until dinner time!
This Mexican-Style Chilli Beeff recipe is really versatile and thrifty – perfect if you’re feeding a large number or people, or wanting to batch cook. Packed full of nutritious veggies, we used carrots, celery, onions and peppers but you could add in courgette, butternut squash or whatever leftovers you have on hand. It also works with most types of beans, so it’s a great budget friendly meal without compromising on flavour!
We LOVE to use ox cheeks in Mexican-Style Chilli Beef as they are so tasty, yet so cheap and incredibly low in fat. They’re almost as lean as a fillet steak if you have time to cook them low and slow for a long time.
What diets is this Mexican-Style Chilli Beef suitable for?
This recipe is suitable if you’re gluten free as long as you swap out the following ingredients for gluten free versions;
- Stock cubes
- Worcestershire sauce
You could also enjoy this Mexican-Style Chilli Beef if you’re dairy free.
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Mexican-Style Chilli Beef?
Ox cheeks are such an underrated, under used cut of meat that we love, especially for stews and casseroles that cook for a long time. They are cheaper than other types of steak, and Morrisons and Waitrose often have them in stock.
Of course if you don’t like or can’t get ox cheeks, you can use any type of stewing or braising steak.
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You can cook this recipe in a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker. You can generally pick up slow cookers in the supermarket, or you can purchase either item on Amazon.
The Instant Pot is basically a super slow cooker with a whole heap of other functions. It’s the safest pressure cooker out there – and you can have pulled pork cooked in just an hour! Yes, an hour! They’re available on Amazon, and if you follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter we’ll let you know whenever it’s on offer.
How many calories are in this Mexican-Style Chilli Beef?
There are 340 calories in each portion of our slimming friendly Mexican-Style Chilli Beef. This means it falls into our Everyday Light recipe category.
This recipe is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Slow cooker method
Step 1
Season the ox cheeks well, then spray a frying pan with some low calorie cooking spray.
Step 2
Heat up the pan and quickly brown the cheeks on both sides.
Step 3
Remove the meat from the pan, add the white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze.
Step 4
Scrape and stir the browned bits from the pan over a medium heat. When most of the liquid has evaporated spray the pan with some low calorie cooking spray.
Step 5
Add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery and carrots. Cook for a few minutes, until they start to brown.
Step 6
Place the sautéed veg in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 7
Add the ground coriander, paprika, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, tomato puree, beef stock cube and tinned tomatoes.
Step 8
Stir well, then place the sealed ox cheeks on top.
Step 9
Cook for 6 hours on high.
Step 10
Shred the meat using 2 forks (if it doesn’t shred easily you can leave it to cook for another hour).
Step 11
When the meat is cooked and shredded, stir in the peppers and kidney beans and continue to cook without the lid for 30 minutes – This will allow the contents to reduce and thicken.
Step 12
Taste, and add some more seasoning if required. Serve sprinkled with some chopped coriander.
Instant Pot / Digital pressure cooker method
Step 1
Season the ox cheeks well, then spray a frying pan with some low calorie cooking spray.
Step 2
Heat up the pan and quickly brown the cheeks on both sides.
Step 3
Remove the meat from the pan, add the white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze.
Step 4
Scrape and stir the browned bits from the pan over a medium heat. When most of the liquid has evaporated spray the pan with some low calorie cooking spray.
Step 5
Add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery and carrots. Cook for a few minutes, until they start to brown.
Step 6
Place the sautéed veg in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Step 7
Add the ground coriander, paprika, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, tomato puree, beef stock cube and tinned tomatoes.
Step 8
Stir well, then place the sealed ox cheeks on top.
Step 9
Set the Instant Pot to Manual for 60 mins Natural Pressure Release.
Step 10
Shred the meat using 2 forks (if it doesn’t shred easily you can leave it to cook for another 5 minutes NPR).
Step 11
When the meat is cooked and shredded, stir in the peppers and kidney beans and set to sauté. Cook without the lid for 20-30 minutes – This will allow the contents to reduce and thicken.
Step 12
Taste, and add some more seasoning if required. Serve sprinkled with some chopped coriander.
What should you should serve with Mexican-Style Chilli Beef?
Any of the following go really well with Mexican-Style Chilli Beef. It’s one of those dishes that goes with pretty much anything. It’s so hearty it can of course be eaten on its own!
Whatever accompaniment you choose, don’t forget to account for the extra calories and/or other nutritional values.
Can you cook Mexican-Style Chilli Beef another way?
Yes! You can cook it in the pressure cooker, slow cooker or in the oven.
Pressure cooker: 60 minutes or so – see further instructions in the recipe card below.
Slow cooker: 6 hours or so – see further instructions in the recipe card below.
Oven: You could cook this in the oven in a casserole dish with a tight fitting lid, or in an oven tray with some foil tightly wrapped around the top. Cook for 2-3 hours at 170-180°C, checking every 30 minutes or so.
How do you know when Mexican-Style Chilli Beef is cooked?
You should cook this Mexican-Style Chilli Beef until the beef literally falls apart when pulled apart with a pair of forks.
This should take approx 1 hour in the pressure cooker, 6 hours in the slow cooker (high) or 2 hours in the oven (170°C).
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Mexican-Style Chilli Beef in the fridge?
Once you’ve served it, ideally you should eat this dish within 4 hours.
If you allow any left overs to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Mexican-Style Chilli Beef in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Mexican-Style Chilli Beef?
Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat Mexican-Style Chilli Beef?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Mexican-Style Chilli Beef
This Mexican-Style Chilli Beef is an easy, warming stew that's full of spice! A great choice if you're counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers.
-
Prep Time
10 MINS
-
Cook Time
7 HR
- KCals 340
- Carbs 32G
Instructions
Slow cooker method
- Season the ox cheeks well, then spray a frying pan with some low calorie cooking spray
- Heat up the pan and quickly brown the cheeks on both sides
- Remove the meat from the pan, add the white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze
- Scrape and stir the browned bits from the pan over a medium heat. When most of the liquid has evaporated spray the pan with some low calorie cooking spray
- Add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery and carrots. Cook for a few minutes, until they start to brown
- Place the sautéed veg in the bottom of the slow cooker
- Add the ground coriander, paprika, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, tomato puree, beef stock cube and tinned tomatoes
- Stir well, then place the sealed ox cheeks on top
- Cook for 6 hours on high
- Shred the meat using 2 forks (if it doesn't shred easily you can leave it to cook for another hour)
- When the meat is cooked and shredded, stir in the peppers and kidney beans and continue to cook without the lid for 30 minutes - This will allow the contents to reduce and thicken
- Taste, and add some more seasoning if required. Serve sprinkled with some chopped coriander
Instant Pot/digital pressure cooker method
- Season the ox cheeks well, then spray a frying pan with some low calorie cooking spray
- Heat up the pan and quickly brown the cheeks on both sides
- Remove the meat from the pan, add the white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze
- Scrape and stir the browned bits from the pan over a medium heat. When most of the liquid has evaporated spray the pan with some low calorie cooking spray
- Add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery and carrots. Cook for a few minutes, until they start to brown
- Place the sautéed veg in the bottom of the Instant Pot
- Add the ground coriander, paprika, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, tomato puree, beef stock cube and tinned tomatoes
- Stir well, then place the sealed ox cheeks on top
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual for 60 mins Natural Pressure Release
- Shred the meat using 2 forks (if it doesn't shred easily you can leave it to cook for another 5 minutes NPR)
- When the meat is cooked and shredded, stir in the peppers and kidney beans and set to sauté. Cook without the lid for 20-30 minutes - This will allow the contents to reduce and thicken
- Taste, and add some more seasoning if required. Serve sprinkled with some chopped coriander
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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44 comments
See what others have to say
Kelly OldsSunday 21st February 2021
Hi this is 7 points on ww green, and that is using kidney beans in water drained, not sauce.
Delicious though!
HollyMonday 1st March 2021
Hey Kelly, I’ve just double checked this recipe and the points have changed slightly have a look HERE at our guide for how we work out points and nutritional information for all of our recipes, hope that helps!
VeenasSaturday 24th October 2020
Your Blog is Nice and Perfect. Its Really a Delicious Recipe. Thank You.
HollyMonday 26th October 2020
Hi Veenas, so glad you enjoyed the Mexican Chilli Beef!
MaryTuesday 20th October 2020
Made this in the slow cooker,. Wouldn’t have known it was chilli apart from the red kidney beans. Much more spice needed next time.
HollyTuesday 20th October 2020
Hi Mary, all of our recipes can be altered to suit your personal taste so if you’d like to increase the heat you can do!
JaymiWednesday 10th June 2020
Oh no! Just realised I’ve bought beef rump steak by mistake! Can I use this?xx
LisaWednesday 10th June 2020
Hi Jaymi. You might not get great results as rump steak is better suited to quick cooking. Cooking it long and slow can result in dry, tough meat. We have this recipe for Crispy Chilli Beef, which is more suitable for rump. Hope this helps.
https://pinchofnom.com/recipes/crispy-chilli-beef/
SuzySaturday 14th December 2019
Should you make the beef stock cube up with water or just add the stock cube?
Holly LevellFriday 15th May 2020
Hi Suzy, no need to add water just crumble in the stock cube as it is!
Emma WellsMonday 25th November 2019
Delicious!
JulesThursday 25th July 2019
Hi , when cooking in the instant pot it states 60 minutes on manual, when I did this it went straight onto low pressure is that correct?
Also it says 40 minutes or so in instant pot ? I’ve cooked lots of things from your book and always turn out fantastic, I have know introduced my family and friends.
Julie x
Emma TWednesday 25th September 2019
Hi Julie,
You should be able to change the pressure level to high. I’ve amended the typo in the timings – it should be 60 minutes ????
Hope that helps!
SarahSunday 24th March 2019
I love a good chilli and was excited to try this, I’ve done it with the ox cheeks….amazing I love how simple and easy it is and the meat is so tender, my whole family love this….regular meal for my lot #yummy
LisaMonday 8th April 2019
Hi Sarah!
Ox cheeks are an amazing cut of meat, for slow cooking. Glad you all enjoyed it!
Laura HillFriday 8th March 2019
It’s now most definitely one of mine also, it was absolutely delicious ????
Laura
Laura HillMonday 4th March 2019
Hi
Once I’ve added the peppers & kidney beans how long should I continue to cook for in the slow cooker
Laura
Honor DickieTuesday 5th February 2019
Just had this ……..mmmmm is all I can say, I had it with rice, stuffed now. Used some fat free natural icelandic yoghurt in case I made it too spicy ……it was lovely without but the addition of the yoghurt took it to another level……
Thank you, diet……what diet?
HannahSaturday 24th November 2018
Would substituting chicken fillets mean different cooking instructions with a slow cooker? 🙂
MeganTuesday 13th November 2018
Hi how long will this take to cook if i have had my slow cooker set to medium? Thanks
ElisabethSunday 28th October 2018
Hi I am a bit confused ‘re the vinegar and worsteshire sauce, you remove meat from pan then adding vinegar and wors sauce to meat or to the empty pan? Sorry my cooking skills are quite limited!!????
John GriffWednesday 2nd May 2018
Hi Jane, I’m using the instant pot slow cooker, how long do you cook the beans and peppers for after the initial 6 hours, the method instructions don’t say.
JohnThursday 3rd May 2018
Thanks very much for that Jane.
MichelleSaturday 28th April 2018
This is one of my favourites. I would never have cooked with Ox cheek before but so glad I tried it, its delicious. Cooking a massive pot of it in the oven tonight for friends coming round.
LauraSunday 8th April 2018
Loved this recipe, really easy to make and so tasty! I used casserole steak instead of ox cheeks.
DominiqueSaturday 17th March 2018
Hi, do you have to fry ingredients and seal meat before hand? In the past when recipes have told me to do this I haven’t and it still tasted gorgeous. Do you think I could get away with chucking it all in the slow cooker straight away (I’m a lazy cook and a lazy pot wash haha). Thank you.
claireWednesday 14th March 2018
I made this with a joint of brisket and it was amazing, so tasty. I got 7 portions out of it so lots in the freezer for another day.
Kirsty howsonFriday 9th March 2018
hi will i be able to change the meat to diced beef or mince ?
LizMonday 12th February 2018
If I wanted to put it on over night in tge slowcooker I need more sleep than 6 hours. Would 8 hours on low do? Ty
LizSunday 11th February 2018
Think I might make this today and tub it up for the week for work 😉 thanks x
Michelle StirzakerSunday 11th February 2018
Hi is it possible to make this without adding the vinegar or can I substitute it for something else. My husband can’t even tolerate the smell, let alone eat something with it in.
Thankyou
RosSaturday 10th February 2018
This was lovely and I don’t like chilli usually. I found it cooked down quite a lot but added more tinned tomatoes to loosen it.
Marcella ChuteFriday 9th February 2018
Made this tonight for dinner but used extra lean beef pieces insread. Lucky I cam home early as 6 hours on high would have been too long in the slow cooker. It was cooked after 4 1/2 hours and I had to add water to it. Added the peppers and kidney beans and cooked on low then for a half an hour. It was delicious!!!!
FrancesSaturday 20th January 2018
Do you add stock or just the stock cube .
HelenMonday 15th January 2018
Hi, can stewing or braising steak be used in place of Ox cheek?
SueSunday 14th January 2018
Made this today, it was absolutely gorgeous. Definitely a family favourite. Will be making chilli this way every time. Thank you.
HollySunday 3rd December 2017
Love the recipe. What cooking time is required for cooking it on the hob or oven??. Must be the only person without slow cooker!!
Viv CrodenSunday 3rd December 2017
Hi,
Please can you give some recipes using ordinary pans and frypan., not gadgets ?
Rhank you
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