Bacon and Beef Chili. If that name doesn’t make your mouth start watering, then we likely disagree on a lot of things in life…
What is it about bacon that is so darn good? Don’t answer that, because I don’t actually want to know about bacon, but it is so darn good.
Combine it with one of my favorite Sunday soups (chili), and you truly have a match made in heaven. And oh my goodness, the smells of this slow cooking on the stove in the afternoon are absolute fire.
Typically, I like to add noodles to my chili (don’t @ me, I am from Wisconsin, and that is how I was raised to do it), but with this one, for some reason, I didn’t. The best way to serve this (in my opinion) is in a bread bowl! The leftovers are also great for a super delicious (and wildly unhealthy) chili dog.
There are definitely some tweaks you could make if needed, like removing anything spicy (although I thought the jalapeno stayed pretty mild throughout the recipe) or adding a little more beef broth to thin it out.
No matter how you choose to make it, I promise this one will climb to the top of your soup Mount Rushmore, and I can’t wait to hear how it turned out for you!
As always, I will now walk through a few of the key ingredients and cooking tips to help you crush this meal and be the dinner time hero:
- Bacon – You won’t hear me say this often, but I actually think there is a limit to how much you can add. I used about 6 strips of bacon. A few more wouldn’t hurt, but going for the full pound might not turn out the same. If you try that, I hope I am wrong (and please let me know)!
- Seasonings – If you don’t like spicy foods, you can still enjoy this meal, but I would sub out the chipotle chili powder for a little more paprika and regular chili powder. That stuff has a little more of a kick and can send this soup to spicy town really quick!
- Broth – Not all beef broths are created equal. Kettle and Fire is always a winner for me. If you can, try not to skimp on quality.
- Tomatoes – I don’t find fire-roasted toms to be overly spicy; they just bring a lot of flavor to my dishes. If you don’t like them, you can easily sub this out for traditional tomatoes!
See below for full measurements and cooking instructions!
If you make this, please leave a comment or rate the recipe below! Also, feel free to leave a comment with anything else you want me to make! I love putting my spin on classic recipes or creating new ones!
Equipment
- Soup Pot (Greenpan Ceramic)
Ingredients
- 6 strips of bacon
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. Chipotle chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. cumin
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cup beef broth (I used Kettle & Fire)
- 1 cup black beans or more!
- 14.5 oz. fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- Any toppings you would like!
Instructions
- Slice the bacon into small pieces, add to the soup pot, cook, and then remove once golden.
- Keep 1-2 Tbsp. of bacon grease in the pot and discard the rest.
- Chop the onion and add it to the pot.
- Cook until soft (3-5 mins), then add the chopped jalapeño and minced garlic.
- Cook for a minute, then add the ground beef.
- Break apart into chunks and cook for a few minutes (3-5 mins).
- Add all of the dry seasonings (chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper).
- Stir in, mixing well, and cook for another 3-5 mins.
- Add the beef broth, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, and cooked bacon.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour!
- Serve with your favorite toppings
- Enjoy!!
