Beer, bacon, and chili. Three powerful words that tend to grab people’s taste buds on their own. Put the beer and bacon INSIDE the chili, and you’ll have people knocking on your door for days!
This Beer Bacon Chili is chock-full of flavor. It is the ultimate chunky chili and can satisfy the brawniest of appetites. It is the perfect amount of food for a family. There’s not so much that you’ll have to eat chili for a week, which is nice. This is my go-to chili recipe. The bacon gives the chili a bolder, more meaty flavor. The beer shines through in the end. This recipe can be made your own by adding additional spices or beans. The flavors all marry each other incredibly well. I’ve never been in a Chili Cookoff, but I’m confident that this chili recipe is one that would stand out in a crowd. I hope you are as enthusiastic about it as I am 🙂
Earlier this week, it was sunny and 65 degrees. It was incredibly nice, so I did what every other Coloradoan did– took my car to the car wash. Then yesterday came. Yesterday was wet and snowy. Two days of a spotless, shiny car ruined by wet, sloppy slop. Mmhmm. Fortunately, this chili did a great job pulling me out of my despair. (I still might be a tiny bit bitter about it, might be.) But it really is a perfect cold weather, cheer-you-up kind of meal.
Yeah, baby.
Beer Bacon Chili
Ingredients:
- 3 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1-2 lbs. of ground beef or turkey, thawed (I used 1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika
- cayenne pepper (use up to 2 teaspoons if you want it spicy)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 14.5oz can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes, or crushed
- 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 bottle of your favorite beer (I used a seasonal Blue Moon from the fridge)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 14.5oz can of pinto beans, drained
- variety of toppings for garnish: jalapenos, green peppers, white queso, cheese, sour cream, bacon bits
What to do:
- In a 6-quart stock pot, cook bacon pieces on high heat until brown.
- Add chopped onion to pot, cover with lid, and cook until onions on low/medium heat until they are clear.
- Uncover pan, add garlic, stir and cook for a minute or two.
- Turn stove to medium/high heat and add ground beef; breaking up with wooden spoon and stirring about 5 minutes.
- Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt. Cook for another minute.
- Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer, and Worcestershire sauce to pot and bring mixture to boil.
- Once boiling, turn stove to medium/low and cover pot halfway. Set timer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, drain beans and add to chili. Cook 10 more minutes, uncovered.
- Serve chili warm and top with whatever you’d like!
Notes** This chili is REALLY good right away, but even better reheated and eaten the day after. Also, I apologize for not documenting step-by-step this time. Chili isn’t pretty until it’s done 🙂
Karlie and Oats 