Beer Chili Recipe

Chili and soups are something I make hundreds of times a year and after many years, I have a go-to base recipe. A great base recipe helps me easily later it when I want a little variation in the chili, like this one. This beer chili is my go to for game days and other sports and barbecue parties and it’s a simple adjustment from by classic beef chili.

While so many recipes exist out there, I built this one with flavor in mind and making sure it’s easy to customize. It embraces the robust, cozy taste that only chili can provide, elevating the dish with incredible depth and complexity by using beer.

This chili is all about making it your perfect bowl.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

Meat – for the best results, I recommend ground beef that is 85%/15% meat to fat ratio works the best for flavor and texture. Anything lesser can be tough and leaves a lot of clumps, and anything with more fat is too greasy. Ground pork adds an overall softness to the chili texture.

Vegetables – start with the classics of onions, tomatoes, chili peppers, and bell peppers. You can decide to add more veggies is that sounds good and good veggies in chili are celery, carrots, zucchini, and corn.

Beans – I prefer nice and soft skinned beans in my chili but you can always use your favorite ones. Good beans in a chili are kidney beans, white beans, navy beans, pinto beans, black beans.

Seasoning – with is where the chili comes to life. I’ve curated a great blend of chili seasoning that packs a flavor punch. Chili seasoning is basically the spices and herbs that go into chili. Be generous with chili powder and make sure to add cumin, oregano, and paprika. But my biggest tip is to taste your chili after it’s seasoned to see if you want more salt or spice.

What Kind Of Beer Is Good In Chili?

Now that we’re talking the good stuff, I’m happy to tell you that you can add just about any beer you want. The important thing to consider is to make sure you add a flavorful beer. A mild tasting beer will get lost in the chili flavors.

You can go as strongly as Guinness Stout or a similar deep dark beer. If stout is not your thing, try an amber ale.

Toppings Good For Chili Bar

Load your chili bar with as many possible toppings as possible. Make sure to include lots of fresh veggies like:

• diced jalapeno peppers
• diced red of white onion
• avocado
• cilantro
• lime wedges
• diced green onions

Don’t forget to include lots of crunchy options like:

• crackers
• tortilla chips
• pretzels
• crunchy chick peas

And of course, must-have classics like:

• shredded cheese
• sour cream

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!

Beer Chili Recipe

This is a wonderful chili recipe made with beer and it's a perfect football party food. Comforting chili made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork, beans, vegetables, chili seasoning, and your favorite beer. This Chili recipe in a middle of a chili bar will be the star of the party.

4.60 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb ground beef
• ▢ 1 lb ground pork
• ▢ 3 Tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 yellow onion
• ▢ 2 tomatoes
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper
• ▢ 1-2 jalapeno peppers
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 cup beer Ale or Stout
• ▢ 8 oz can of tomato sauce
• ▢ 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 16 oz can of pinto beans or kidney beans
• ▢ 2 tbsp chipotle chili powder or ancho chili powder
• ▢ 2 tsp paprika
• ▢ 2 tsp cumin
• ▢ 2 tsp oregano
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 2 tsp sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp salt to taste
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Heat up the oil in a large pot, over medium heat.
• Add diced onion, jalapeno, and bell pepper and sauté until it starts to become transparent. Add diced tomatoes and sauté until veggies soften. Add minced garlic, stir well and sauté until fragrant.
• Mix ground beef and ground pork together and add the mixture to the pot. Stir well, cover and cook stirring occasionally.
• When the meat is almost all cooked (you will notice that it gave out a lot of juice), add the beer, stir and heat through.
• Add the spices, tomato sauce and tomato paste, stir well. Taste to check if you need more salt or more heat.
• Drain the beans and add them to the chili. Stir well and cover.
• Cook on medium-low to low heat, cover, and cook for about about an hour. Take off the lid and cook uncovered for about 30-40 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally.

Notes

• To store: Store your cooled chili in an airtight food storage container in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days.
• To freeze: cool it as quickly as possible, portion it into smaller zip-top freezer bags (or freezer container), let all the air out, and close it tight. Freeze for up to 2 months.
• To thaw: Pull the frozen bag from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Let it slow-thaw overnight. Reheat it in the microwave or on stove-top over medium heat. 

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 838mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1585IU | Vitamin C: 31.4mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 4mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles or tag #willcookforsmiles!