Over the Top Chili
Over the Top Chili
Ingredients
For the Ground Beef Loaf
- 4 pounds ground beef, 80/20 blend
- 4 tablespoons barbecue rub, your favorite
For the Chili Base
- 3/4 pound bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained (from two 14.5 oz cans)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 32 ounces pinto beans, drained and rinsed (from two 16 oz cans)
- 15 1/2 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed
For the Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup chili powder
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
For Serving (Optional)
- shredded cheddar cheese, as needed
- sour cream, as needed
- fresh chives, chopped, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, season the ground beef generously with the barbecue rub. Form the seasoned ground beef into a large, compact loaf or patty.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Add the chopped onion and red bell peppers to the reserved bacon grease in the Dutch oven. Sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, beef broth, drained and rinsed pinto beans, black beans, and kidney beans into the Dutch oven.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Return the cooked bacon to the pot. Add the ground cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Preheat your smoker or oven to 225°F. Place the Dutch oven containing the chili mixture into the smoker or oven.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 225
- 7
Position a wire rack directly over the Dutch oven. Carefully place the seasoned ground beef loaf on the wire rack, ensuring it is centered above the chili so that the rendered fat and juices will drip into the pot below.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 225
- 8
Cook the chili and ground beef for 4 hours. Every hour, stir the chili in the Dutch oven and lightly spritz the ground beef loaf with a little beef broth to keep it moist.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 225
- 9
Once the ground beef loaf reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (use a meat thermometer to check), remove it from the wire rack. Shred the cooked beef into the chili in the Dutch oven.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Stir the shredded beef into the chili. Continue to simmer the chili in the smoker or oven for an additional 1 hour to allow all the flavors to meld and deepen.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 225
- 11
Serve the Over the Top Chili hot, garnished with shredded cheese, sour cream, and fresh chives, if desired.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Over the Top Chili
Ingredients
For the Ground Beef Loaf
- 4 pounds ground beef, 80/20 blend
- 4 tablespoons barbecue rub, your favorite
For the Chili Base
- 3/4 pound bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained (from two 14.5 oz cans)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 32 ounces pinto beans, drained and rinsed (from two 16 oz cans)
- 15 1/2 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed
For the Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup chili powder
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
For Serving (Optional)
- shredded cheddar cheese, as needed
- sour cream, as needed
- fresh chives, chopped, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, season the ground beef generously with the barbecue rub. Form the seasoned ground beef into a large, compact loaf or patty.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Add the chopped onion and red bell peppers to the reserved bacon grease in the Dutch oven. Sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, beef broth, drained and rinsed pinto beans, black beans, and kidney beans into the Dutch oven.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Return the cooked bacon to the pot. Add the ground cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Preheat your smoker or oven to 225°F. Place the Dutch oven containing the chili mixture into the smoker or oven.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 225 - 7
Position a wire rack directly over the Dutch oven. Carefully place the seasoned ground beef loaf on the wire rack, ensuring it is centered above the chili so that the rendered fat and juices will drip into the pot below.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 225 - 8
Cook the chili and ground beef for 4 hours. Every hour, stir the chili in the Dutch oven and lightly spritz the ground beef loaf with a little beef broth to keep it moist.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 225 - 9
Once the ground beef loaf reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (use a meat thermometer to check), remove it from the wire rack. Shred the cooked beef into the chili in the Dutch oven.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Stir the shredded beef into the chili. Continue to simmer the chili in the smoker or oven for an additional 1 hour to allow all the flavors to meld and deepen.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 225 - 11
Serve the Over the Top Chili hot, garnished with shredded cheese, sour cream, and fresh chives, if desired.
⏱️ 5 min