This chili recipe has been a huge hit since we first shared it. We've been blown away by all the positive feedback and love hearing about your chili cook-off wins!
Hi, this is Lisa's husband Eddie, guest blogging my award winning chili recipe based on popular demand (mostly from my wife).
I'll never forget the first chili cook-off I ever attended. It was an office event and it hadn't even occurred to me to submit my own entry. There were about a dozen chilis to choose from ranging from incredible to inedible (the latter being heat related - it was called "The Five Alarmer" and it passed its time at the cook-off largely undisturbed).
The ultimate winner, whose chili I had voted for, was a young woman just starting her career. I was an executive at the time, which I mention only to emphasize how awkward it was when I asked her if she would share her recipe with me and she just looked at me and shook her head.
I suddenly understood the competitiveness involved in these things - there would be another chili cook-off at some point and she wasn't giving away any secrets. Thus began my personal quest to win a chili contest!
Quest for the best chili
I tried a number of different approaches in the following years, including a purist Texas style chili that shunned beans and ground beef in favor of unadorned hunks of stew meat simmered in what I thought was an excellent balance of chiles and spices. “Delicious”, someone told me after I placed third, “but it’s not really chili”.
The award winning chili had beans in it. And I had to admit it was much better than mine, in part because it had three different kinds of meat in it, including sausage.
Determined to come up with an award winning chili recipe, I narrowed my sights to multiple-meat chilis and came upon Guy Fieri’s Dragon Breath chili, which is the recipe I’m adapting here.
Award Winning Chili Recipe
This chili contains chuck meat, Italian pork sausage and ground beef plus three different kinds of peppers (poblano, Anaheim and jalapeño) which results in excellent flavor, texture and heat.
And my version has a little something extra! Fieri‘s recipe calls for either bacon grease or canola oil to sauté the aromatics. Easy choice I thought, but it’s not as if you can buy bacon grease so I got a 12-oz package of bacon, cut it into small pieces and rendered the fat myself. It produced just about the right amount of fat, but also an interesting byproduct. As I looked at those cooked bits of bacon I thought “who am I kidding? Those are going into my chili!”
Also Lisa advised that I use three different kinds of chili powder to add a depth of flavor to match up against the three (now four actually) kinds of meat and three types of chili pepper. Finally, my taste in beer steered me toward an IPA rather than the lager suggested by the original recipe.
Aside from those differences and the fact that I brown the meat separately instead of in with the sautéed vegetables, the credit goes to Fieri for an amazing recipe, especially his use of spices which generates a level of heat that is just on the edge, which in my view is where a chili should be.
My chili won two cook-offs outright including one against Dean's award winning white chicken chili.
It also took best meat chili in a third competition (lost to a vegetarian in the all-around that year) and came in a very close second to Dean’s white chicken chili in another cook-off that was heartbreaking for me.
Against a field of roughly 20 chilis and with hundreds of votes tallied, Dean and I were counted up exactly even to tie for the win and the medal was awarded jointly to us.
In what has since become known as Chili-gate, I later that day discovered that unlike the previous competition, the cooks were not allowed to vote. I conceded that I had in fact voted and presented sole ownership of the blue ribbon to Dean. I kidded him that my vote was for his chili (it wasn’t).
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Here's how to make Eddie's Award Winning Chili:
This chili takes time to prepare and involves numerous ingredients, but it's totally worth it and the basics are straightforward.
Start by roasting, peeling, seeding and chopping the chiles. Keep a close eye on them while they are roasting - things can escalate quickly.
Peel off the skin. Use a small knife to scrape the seeds out. Then dice the flesh.
In the meantime, while the chilies are in the oven, cut up and fry down the bacon to provide the grease to use for sautéing (and the bacon itself!). You then sauté the chiles and vegetables in the bacon fat, remove them and brown the meat in the same pot.
Then add the spices, the tomato sauce and paste, chicken broth and beer and simmer for two hours.
Lisa asked me to advise you that if you want to be a little healthier you can skim the fat off the surface periodically which, in my opinion, for this dish is sort of like saying that if you want to be a little safer when you go cliff diving, wear knee pads. But anyway consider it mentioned.
No skimming was involved when I took first place in the cook-offs. And if you really want a healthy chili option, try this vegetarian chili or this Turkey Chili.
I also want to say that it is great to have a sous chef alongside when you prepare this chili, preferably Lisa.
One final note: for my taste the heat level is perfect, but if you want to tone it down, the best way is by reducing the amount of cayenne pepper.
Some of your questions answered
Over the years, we have gotten lots of questions from our readers, in the comments. Here are the answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions:
If the concern is alcohol, you can use a non-alcoholic beer. There are even non-alcoholic IPAs. If the concern is gluten, you can use a gluten-free beer. Whatever the reason is, if you don't want to use beer at all, you can substitute an equal amount of chicken stock.
We have had this issue and have doubled up on the poblano peppers, with great success!
Yes absolutely. Just make sure you turn the crockpot on high heat for a bit to be sure the chili gets up to temp. Then, once it's hot you can put it on the "warm" setting.
Cut the cayenne in half or eliminate it completely. Cayenne doesn't add much in the way of flavor but it does add a substantial amount of heat. Also, be sure to remove all the seeds and white pith from the jalapeños. For an even milder chili, stick to a mild chili powder, such as ancho or Mexican Guajillo Chili Powder.
Here's my award winning chili recipe. If you make this please come back to leave a comment and let me know what you think.
PrintRecipe
Eddie's Award Winning Chili
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 mins
- Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
Description
A fantastic award winning chili con carne with a robust meaty flavor, the perfect amount of heat, beef, pork, beans, fresh chile peppers, awesome spices, onions, garlic, tomatoes and beer.
Ingredients
- 3 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
- 3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
- 12 ounces of bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips and sautéed until almost crisp. Reserve 3 tablespoons of bacon fat.
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat (rendered from the bacon)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, grape seed or your favorite)
- 2 red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and diced
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced (10-12 garlic cloves, 6 tablespoons minced garlic)
- 1 pound boneless beef chuck, trimmed of fat and gristle, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (Try using 3 different chili powders for great depth of flavor - I use ancho, chipotle and Mexican)
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (Half this amount for less heat)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 2 teaspoons hot paprika (not smoked)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups tomato sauce (passata, not ketchup for those in the UK)
- 8 ounces tomato paste
- 12 ounces of your favorite beer (I use an IPA because I like the hoppy flavor)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, with juice
- 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, with juice
Optional Garnishes:
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced or 1 red onion, finely chopped
- Shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack
- Sour cream
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Instructions
- To Roast the Chilies, Preheat the oven to broil (500ºF) Set an oven rack at the top, directly under the broiler. Spread the chiles out on a low-sided oven tray and roast for 15-20 minutes, turning peppers with tongs every five minutes, until their skins are about 60-70% blackened on all sides. Put the hot peppers directly into a paper bag. Roll down the top of the bag so they're tightly contained. Let them sit and steam for 15-20 minutes until the skins are loosened and easy to peel off. Peel off skins, remove seeds and membranes, and chop.
- To Sauté Chilis and Aromatics, add the bacon grease and oil to a large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6-quart), over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chiles, red bell peppers, jalapeño peppers and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables just start to become translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer all the sautéed vegetables to a bowl and set aside. No need to wash the pot, you'll use it to brown the meat.
- To Brown the Meats, add the cubed beef chuck to the pot and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring to break up the sausage and ground beef, until the meat is no longer pink. Return the cooked vegetables to the pot along with the reserved bacon.
- Add Spices: chili powders, cayenne, coriander, cumin, granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the Rest of the Ingredients: Add the tomato sauce and paste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, to combine. Add beer, chicken stock, kidney beans with their liquid and pinto beans with their liquid. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 2 hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- To Serve, ladle chili into bowls. Top with garnishes or put garnishes into small bowls for self serve.
Notes
Should you drain and rinse the beans? In my experience draining and rinsing the beans is not required. If you're someone who feels otherwise, by all means drain and rinse - the outcome will still be terrific!
- Prep Time: 1 hour 45 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: simmer
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
This recipe post was first published on October 23, 2017. It has been updated with new photos to show the cooking steps, a video so you can watch how to make it, and an added FAQ section that answer some of the most frequently asked questions from our followers. We haven't touched the recipe because, by all accounts, it's great just the way it is!
Victoria
I've been using the same chilli recipe for years but decided to try and new one last night...why didn't I find this sooner??? So delicious, can't wait to get home this evening for some more 🙂 I left out the chuck and halved all the other ingredients and it worked perfectly. I was unsure of the bean juice too but did half and half as some other have and it was fine. I grow my own chillis but have never roasted them before and it added a lovely depth.
Eddie
Hi Victoria,
I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and that you enjoyed the result! I kind of like having the chuck in there for extra texture, but it's good to know that it also works without. Looks like you've been reading the other comments and have found the discussion threads on roasting your own chilies and bean juice - yea or nay!
Jacob
Amazing flavor. Wish there was warning about the spice. Sure it’s hot. I love hot but entering this into a competition tomorrow. I don’t see why it wouldn’t win but I’m gonna have to give a warning. No hot sauce needed. Lol
Eddie
Hi Jacob - I hope your chili was a winner. Many will like that you brought a little heat, and in my view it's not over the top. Some chili's I have tried I literally couldn't have a second bite.
Trish
So delicious. I only changed one thing; I used beef broth instead of chicken broth. Well worth all the effort. Thank you for sharing.
Eddie
Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and a star rating, Trish. So glad you enjoyed this chili and I totally agree it's worth the effort. Nuthin' for nuthin', as it's said.
john N
Won 1st place in the office chili cookoff with this recipe today. My crock was the only one that was completely empty after the tasting. I halved the cayenne as suggested, but did not drain or rinse the beans. This is the perfect recipe for a cook-off.
Eddie
Hey John - congratulations on your blue ribbon performance! And that's with an empty crock pot at the end, so not even all participants had the chance to vote for it. Be sure to bring more next year when you defend your title!
Angela
Wow ! Fantastic recipe. I followed the recipe exactly how it’s listed. My whole family loved it. Thank you.
James M & Son
I came across your recipe 8 days after you posted it and made it immediately and continue to do so. This cold morning my son said "Dad you are going to teach me how to make "THE CHILI" today." Super proud that he wants to expand his cooking capabilities, but I told him we have to thank you for sharing this recipe first. So Eddie we thank you for your recipe and allowing me to share the cooking experience with my family.
Oh yeah we make it verbatim and freaking love it!!
Eddie
James M & Son - I like the sound of that!
Thanks so much for your comment. Glad to see THE CHILI passed down to the next generation. Enjoy that special time with your son.
Tess
I made this over the weekend and was extremely impressed. I used a pack of maple bacon (for a subtle sweet heat) and I may play around with different meats the next time I make this. Also love the idea of cocoa powder - i'll have to consider that as well. As it stands I think the spices were spot on, I did add about 3 tbsp of Tony Chachere over the period of it simmering. If you're on the fence about roasting your peppers just take the extra time and do it. You just throw them under the broiler and turn them a few times and voila! This entire recipe takes a good amount of prep work and while thats mildly labor intensive I'm a big believer that you get what you pay for. Just roast the peppers and thank yourself later.
Isaac
I was apprehensive to not rinse the beans and to cook them for in the chili for two hours. I met halfway in the middle and drained two of the four cans of beans but didn’t rinse them. I also added the beans in the last hour to prevent overcooking.
The beans ruined this chili. Make sure you rely on your common sense and rinse them before putting them in, despite what this recipe says. It tastes like what you’d expect: tons of starch from the bean syrup and a gritty earth like texture from overcooked beans.
This chili is barely edible and if it wins competitions then it says more about the poor quality of the other entries than it does this chili.
Eddie
Well Isaac, what can I say? Sorry this chili recipe didn't work out for you. "Barely edible" - wow, harsh! Beans are a big point of contention in my experience, with some insisting that the mere existence of beans disqualifies a chili from being a chili. Others like you object to any amount of liquid from the cans. And countless others seem to love this chili as it is, beans, liquid and all. I will add a note to the recipe so people understand they can drain and rinse the beans if they have concerns.
Mandalesha Tolbert
Holy cow! This recipe is absolutely amazing! My son and I just made it and we can't get enough of it!
Eddie
Hi Mandalesha - so glad this recipe worked for you! Thanks for coming back to leave a star rating and a comment. It brought me great joy to think of you and your son making this together.
Bo
Won my office chili cookoff with this recipe. Made some slight modifications. Used way more chili powder (about 2-3x), added cocoa powder per another comment (not sure it mattered). I would use less beans next time. Is roasting the peppers necessary? It was a big time suck and would consider skipping that step next time.
Eddie
Hi Bo - wow, fantastic news, your winning the office chili cookoff! 2-3X the chili powder - that's a lot but hey, it worked so kudos. I happen to take a particular pleasure out of roasting my own chilies even though it does add some time to the process. Necessary? I can't say for sure but I wouldn't cut out that step personally. Beans are a matter of personal taste so sure if you think there are too many, by all means cut them back. Happy cooking!
Dwayne Ernst
Outstanding recipe Eddie! I've made it a few times now. Wouldn't change a thing. Thanks for bringing happiness to our home!
Jo Parr
After spending over a half of the day to make this, I found it to be one of my more less favorite recipes. No. 1: Too hot. Not sure where the heat came from except maybe the chili powders recommended; No 2: Didn't really taste like chili; No. 3: Had to add extra beans (which I really don't like beans in my chili) just to tone down the heat. Overall, just happy it was only my husband and I that had to eat, for the most part, a fairly expensive recipe.
Eddie
Hi Jo,
So sorry this recipe didn't work out for you. The heat comes in large part from the cayenne pepper which I advise to limit or eliminate if you want less kick. I am guessing this was the source of your other issues as well as it's hard to taste anything when your tongue is on fire and adding extra beans when you don't like beans, well, that's just sad. If you ever wanted to give it another chance, I would eliminate the cayenne and half the jalapenos fwiw.
Julie
Hands down the best chili everrrrr! It has just the right amount of heat, teetering towards hot but not quite. I didn’t add the beer but only because I didn’t have any. This is now my family’s go-to chili recipe from now on. Thanks, Eddie!
Eddie
Hi Julie - thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment. I am so glad you enjoyed this chili - it's an honor to be your go-to!
Deb Long
Eddie, your recipe is terrific. - especially the spices you use. I have only one suggestion from another chili cookout winner, me - consider adding about 1/3c of cocoa powder. It adds a depth of flavor, no chocolate flavor but a deep satisfying salute to your spices. Trust me. 🙂
Eddie
Hi Deb - thanks for the comment and the tip. I will have to give the cocoa powder a try!
Chili ????
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I also won a chili cook using this recipe as my basis! I added a few more spices, three types of beans (added some towards the end), and varied the meats. Fantastic recipe! I am hoping to win another contest and playing with smoky flavor depths.
Eddie
Hi Chili,
Congrats on the cook-off win. I am intrigued by your reference to smoky flavor depths in your upcoming entry. Best of luck!
Mary
Can I make this ahead and rewarm decently in a crockpot for a work function?
Lisa Goldfinger
Yes absolutely. Eddie often does make it ahead. Just make sure you turn the crockpot on high heat for a bit to be sure the chili gets up to temp. Then, once it's hot you can put it on the "warm" setting.
Not a chef
Would love to know the details of what beans and spices you used in your version!
Natalie
Made this for the 1st time today.
For a novice cook, I'd add an addtl 45mins-1hr to the total time bc it's a lot of prep work (it's not hard, just time consuming).
I usually make a recipe exactly as written the 1st time, but neglected to anticipate the expense; therefore, I used what I had/could find (but def didn't impact the overall flavor for the worst).
Having taste tested this along the way, it's good & I'd def make it again. The only minor mods I made (out of convenience/reduced expense) were: 2Tbsp reg chli powder & 1 Tbsp chipotle chili powder; used Lager beer bc that's what we had already (tho I'm sure the other would make it even better); regular Paprika instead of hot (but hot would be right up my alley, & I'm making it for wimps, LOL); had to sub Cubanelles for Anaheim bc couldn't find any.
Other than that, I only added a bit more chili & cumin powders bc I love them. I followed instructions, mostly, except added the tomato paste when the meat was browned bc I like to cook off the 'harshness' of it b4 proceeding. I also added the dry seasonings after that, to somewhat 'toast' them b4 adding the liquids &
beans.
This will def go in my Pinterest 'favs' and I'll def make w/my mods & a few tweaks to the process, based on my experience.
Tysm for sharing this awesome recipe, which any1 can customize to their liking! =)
Eddie
Hi Natalie,
Thanks so much for the feedback and the five star rating. So glad you were able to find modifications that suited your needs.
Eddie
Hi Israel,
The crockpot overnight sounds like a genius move to me. So glad you and your friends enjoyed this recipe!