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!
Jonathan Walker
Not made this just yet hoping to do so for our fall festival this weekend. If I can’t find the Anaheim peppers what could I substitute for it?
Eddie
Hi Jonathan - there seems to be a run on Anaheim peppers somehow this year as a number of people are bringing this up. I would go with either cubanelles or more poblanos. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
Eddie
Lauren - you are hilarious! Well I suppose that is the best tribute to your chili - too good to enter! No doubt you would have won, but then you would have had less chili to eat. Enjoy!
Lauren
I made this to enter in my University’s chili competition. It is so delicious that I decided we’ll keep it all for ourselves! I made the recipe exact other than omitting the cayenne pepper. It’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Dave
Followed recipe closely, 1st in beans, 1st overall! My Masonic Lodge holds an annual chili challenge as a charity fundraiser. Heretofore my entries merely made the the others look good. Did not use jalapenos, used trio of mild powders. Used crock pot for 3 hours. Let it sit overnight prior to contest.roast 1 more poblano an bell pepper.
Jonathan
From your use of heretofore sounds like you listen to AFR?
bryan oliverius
Just got done making this and all I can say is wow. Just had a few tastes while heating it up and I am drooling. I use this as my base recipe modified it for me swapping out the sausage for venison adding some brown sugar and cutting back on some of the spices. And yeah I already want a bowl myself. I'll post back my results as I'm using it for a chili cook-off. Thanks again for sharing
Jen
I won! I won! I won! Thank you! I followed your recipe exactly except I replaced the beer with beef broth. Took me about 2 hours of work. Your directions were easy to follow and while it was time consuming nothing was very difficult. So yummy--Thanks! It's been a long time since I've taken a trophy home! The only problem with winning is you don't come home with any leftovers!
Eddie
Jen - congratulations and thanks for taking the time to drop us a comment to tell us the great news! Let the others take home their loser leftovers - you have your trophy and bragging rights to boot!
Oliver
I'm looking forward to making this recipe but I do all of my grocery shopping online since I'm in California and have easy access to great local farms through a market service that delivers at no cost. It's actually cheaper than going to markets and it saves me a lot of time! The only problem is that limits availability of certain items.
Can I substitute the chuck for a different cut of meat?
I'm not seeing any shoulder meats available (at least not beef) -- just sirloin, filets, ribeyes, briskets, shortribs & tri-tip roasts, skirts, flanks, flaps and NY cuts. There's also bison cuts but I assume that'd be too lean.
I've already got the ground beef (a 70/30 mix of brisket, short ribs & tri-tip) but not sure how to sub the chuck...
Also having trouble sourcing Anaheim peppers... I've got access to dried cayenne, fresh jalapenos, habanero, padron, shishito, serrano, espelette (too smokey), sweet peppers (corno di torro, gypsy, Italian, jimmy nardello, etc) and every standard organic bell peppers in every colour of the rainbow. I'm thinking that maybe padron peppers in lesser quantity might be an acceptable sub; what do you think?
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and I'd genuinely appreciate any advice you can offer on the above adjustments!
Have a great weekend,
Oliver
Eddie
Hi Oliver,
Excited that you are going to try this chili out. You are on the right track in avoiding a lean meat. Try either short ribs, fatty brisket or bottom sirloin flap. As for the Anaheims, I would probably just go with more poblanos. You want something mild and those have such great flavor. You can also go with bell peppers. I love padron peppers, but they tend to be on the smaller side and their heat is less consistent. I would avoid jalapenos, habaneros or anything else with real heat as there is plenty of heat already built into the recipe. Enjoy!
Ed
Jamie
I made this chili yesterday for a chili cook-off at my office today and I won. This is the first time I have won first place after coming in second or third for the past several years using another recipe. I followed the recipe to a T except for having to substitute Cubanelles for Anaheims. Thanks for the delicious recipe.
Eddie
Congratulations Jamie on taking home the blue ribbon! Good choice on cubanelles for the Anaheims. I am hearing more and more about Anaheims not being available. Perhaps I need to update the recipe to provide suggestions on substitutes. Anyway, thanks for leaving a comment (and 5 stars)!
Eddie
Haha, you actually tweaked this recipe to be vegetarian. That is quite a tweak!! I really appreciate your comment and am so glad to hear that this recipe works well as a vegetarian dish when you tweak out the four different kinds of meat. I am a big fan also of Sam Adams Oktoberfest beer. Good choice for this season. Enjoy!
Chelsea
First of all....I’ve never left a review on a recipe before. This fantastic chili recipe was so good, I couldn’t not say anything.
I’m making this for a chili cook off tomorrow and I did most of the prep work tonight including the first hour of cooking. I always taste my food (with a clean spoon) throughout the cooking process to make sure the ingredients are meshing well.
Holy cow. I was blown away by this recipe! I’ve been making chili for years and this takes the cake for the best recipe I’ve found.
Sounds crazy based on the meats in this but I actually tweaked it to be vegetarian. I subbed veggie broth for chicken broth and didn’t put in any meat. I plan to add soy crumbles during the last hour of cooking. For the beer, I used Sam Adams Oktoberfest because it’s my favorite beer to cook with. Next time I’ll try it with a local Sockeye Powerhouse Porter- a local Idahoan beer.
Fingers crossed that I fare well in the chili cook off. Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe!
Carolina
I rarely leave comments, but this is so good! I made it yesterday for a chili cook off we had at work today. I am excited to report that this chili won the Judge’s choice award!!! Thank you for a delicious recipe. Will be making this all fall/winter long! I did not find Anaheim peppers so I used two Cubanelles and one more poblano and used 60 min IPA 🙂
Lisa
Congratulations Caroline!!
Nena G Smith
I made this last month for a chili cook off at my work I took 1st place. I did not have the Anaheim Chiles or Poblanos but everyone still loved it and my husband wants me to make it again for his birthday this weekend.
Lisa
So great to hear, Nena. Well done in taking first place. It's a great feeling!
PAUL GOODWIN
I made this chili and entered it into a chili cook-off contest today. I've entered this contest in the past and my best showing was 3rd place..until today! Eddie, we took 1st place against a large number of entrants. Thank you!!!
I did have to make the recipe without Anaheim chilis as they weren't available at the market. I'll hunt them down for the next time. I don't know about you, but I've noticed at previous cook-offs that the hotter recipes rarely win. To address this, I took your suggestion to only use 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a little less heat. The result was PERFECT!
Eddie
That's awesome Paul. Yes, the heat is a preference thing and I can see laying off the cayenne a little depending on the audience.
Stacey Ruskouski Zieminski
I made this chili recipe for a chili competition today. I won first place. Thanks to the person who invented this. It’s a keeper and a winner!!
It’s a tad labor intensive but completely worth it!
Stacey
Hi! I entered a chili contest today against 8 other competitors with this recipe and I won first place!!! Thank you!!!!’
phil miller
Great recipe!!
I made a change or two.
I added habanero peppers to replace cayenne. Also, I used andouille sausage instead of sweet italian; a smoked style meat.
Next time I think that I'll smoke all peppers on the grill.
Thank you!