This is my fiery, sweet chili. I decided to put the recipe here because I’ve received enough requests for it. This yields a large amount of chili. You could always cut the ingredients in half. It’s also not a big deal if the ingredients aren’t exactly the same because I probably cook it somewhat differently each time. I believe that the chili is at its best when a few days have passed so that the flavors can fully meld.
| Prep Time: | 10 mins |
| Cook Time: | 6 hrs 15 mins |
| Additional Time: | 8 hrs 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 14 hrs 55 mins |
| Servings: | 20 |
| Yield: | 5 quarts |
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, or more to taste
- 1 onion, chopped, or more to taste
- 1 pound bacon
- 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, undrained, or more to taste
- 2 (15 ounce) cans baked beans, undrained, or more to taste
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced stewed tomatoes, or more to taste
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons barbeque rub (such as Great American Spice Co.™ Pit Master)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon habanero-based hot sauce (such as Backdraft Fire Sauce®)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour off excess grease.
- Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain and cut into pieces.
- Combine beef mixture, bacon, kidney beans, baked beans, tomatoes, brown sugar, barbeque rub, chili powder, hot sauce, and garlic powder in a large pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring every 30 minutes, until bubbling, 2 to 3 hours. Remove chili from heat and let cool, about 30 minutes.
- Refrigerate chili, 8 hours to overnight.
- Reheat chili over low heat, stirring every 30 minutes, for at least 4 hours before serving.
- You can also make this in a 5-quart slow cooker.
- Substitute 1 to 2 cups cubed cooked ham for the bacon if desired. Substitute 3 cups fresh tomatoes for the canned if desired.
- Substitute barbeque sauce for the rub if preferred.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 196 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 25 g |
| Cholesterol | 22 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Sodium | 810 mg |
| Sugars | 11 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I made this recipe yesterday. The blend of flavors and the sweet contrasted against the spicy makes for an explosion of goodness with every bite. The longer the chilli sits, the better the flavors blend. Made this for a Boy Scouts chilli coof-off and it was very well received. Many comments about how I was “cheating” with all the tasty bacon inside.
Made this for a board game weekend with college friends & it was a huge hit!! Might add a dash more of hot sauce next time.
I just made this tonight and everyone loved it!!!! It was by far the best chili I have had!!!! I will continue to use this recipe!
This chili gets rave reviews every time I bring it to a get-together! It’s perfect!!