Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili
This hearty and delicious smoky beef and bacon chili with ground beef, bacon, beans, green chiles, and the perfect blend of spices is easy to make and loaded with flavor.
I was craving a bowl of chili, so when I found an award-winning chili recipe on Sugar Spun Run that claimed it’s the best chili ever, I had to make it. I love that this smoky beef and bacon chili recipe is easy to make and uses many ingredients that I normally have on hand. The bacon and spices gave the chili a nice smoky flavor, and the cayenne and chili powders added a nice kick! My husband, son, and I loved this chili, and it was even tastier the following day when we devoured the leftovers for lunch. This delicious chili paired nicely with some cornbread muffins drizzled with hot honey.
Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili
Ingredients:
- 5 strips bacon
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. ground beef (I used 85%, but any will work)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1¼ cups beef broth
- 1 (15-oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (7-oz) can fire-roasted green chiles, chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
- Green onion, sliced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Jalapeño pepper, sliced
- Hot sauce
- Saltine crackers or tortilla chips
How to Make Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili:
Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Set the bacon aside on paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
Add the onion and bell pepper to the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
Add the beef broth, kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, bacon, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 hours, depending on how much time you have.
Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.
Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, and jalapeños.
Serve with crackers or tortilla chips. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
Chili:
- 5 strips bacon
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef (I used 85% but any will work)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 1¼ cups beef broth
- 1 (15-oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 (7-oz) can fire roasted green chilis, chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese shredded
- Green onion sliced
- Fresh cilantro chopped
- Jalapeno pepper sliced
- Hot sauce
- Saltine crackers or tortilla chips
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, until browned, about 8 minutes. Set the bacon aside on paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper to taste, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the beef broth, kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, bacon, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 hours, depending on how much time you have.
- Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, and jalapeños.
- Serve with crackers or tortilla chips. Enjoy.
This is so flavourful and moreish!
I read this twice and don’t see when to put the cooked bacon back in
Lynn,
Thanks for noticing–I’ll fix it ASAP. Add the bacon when you add the broth, beans, and green chilies.
-Pam
It looks like a great recipe and we’ll have to give it a try. I like your first shot of a good looking presentation.
I love the ingredient you used in this delicious chili.
A nutritious meal is all anyone needs to start a working day.
The Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili was delicious and amazing!