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The Best Chili recipe starts off with beef and beans in a rich sauce is loaded with amazing flavor! That’s perfect for tailgating, game day, or when you’re feeding a crowd. Simmered for hours, its comfort food at its BEST.
Last weekend, I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride! I had chopped, cooked, and tasted chili for several days. The reason? I’d entered a Chili Challenge sponsored by our local Farmers Market. It’s a great event that brings together vendors with community partners and all money raised benefits the market. And had two great partners, Charles Sheppard from Sir Charles Gourmet BBQ Sauces and Tommy Neese from Neese’s Country Sausage so I was feeling pretty good about going up against some formidable competitors.
During my prep week, I’d made several different batches of chili and called on a few special taste testers to weigh in on my recipe, and thank goodness, they knew what they were doing! The days were flying by and then, finally, on Thursday night, everything came together and I had the recipe perfected. Friends…all that hard work paid off – we WON!
I am thrilled to share this award-winning recipe with you! It might look complicated but I can assure you it’s not.
Ingredients For The Best Chili
- Ground Beef
- Hot Breakfast Sausage
- Chili Powder
- Poblano Pepper
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- Concentrated Tomato Paste
- Crushed Tomatoes
- BBQ Sauce
- Spicy (Hot) BBQ Sauce
- Beer
- Beef Stock
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Honey
- Dark Red Kidney Beans
- Black Beans
Readers Love This Chili
Chef D, January 2018
Melissa, March 2018
Alice, October 2019
Don’t Forget The Toppings!
This hearty chili is great with all kinds of extra toppings. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Shredded Cheddar or Pepper Jack Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Fresh or Pickled Japapeños
- Hot Sauce
- Chopped Green Onions
- Tortilla Strips
- Chopped Red Onion
Can You Freeze This Chili?
You sure can! Just like my Creamy White Chicken Chili, this recipe is easy to freeze. After making the chili, let it cool then place it in a freezer-safe container with a lid. You can also put it in freezer-safe bags. Fill the bag, seal, and lay flat on a baking sheet. Once the chili freezes in the bag, it can be stored upright to save space in the freezer.
What To Serve With Award Winning Southern Soul Chili
- Sour Cream Corn Bread
- Smoked Gouda Cheese Grits
- Garlic Knots
- Quick And Easy Beer Bread
- Cheese Grits Casserole
- Instant Pot Garlic Herb Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb hot sausage
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ poblano pepper – chopped
- 2 stalks celery – chopped
- 1 medium onion – minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic – minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 oz tomato paste – canned or from tube
- 1 16 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup your favorite BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup your favorite Hot/Spicy BBQ sauce
- 12 oz lager Beer
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- 2 cans (15oz) dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
Instructions
- In an extra-large stockpot or cast iron skillet, brown ground beef and sausage.
- Add chopped vegetables, except garlic, and cook until meats are cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- Lower heat to medium.
- Add chili powder, tomatoes, tomato paste, and BBQ sauces to the pot, mixing well. Scrape any bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes stirring often.
- Stir in beer, beef broth, minced garlic, Worcestershire, vinegar, and honey. Stir to blend ingredients.
- Simmer for about 1.5 hours stirring frequently allowing chili flavors to marry. If sauce gets too thick, add water in ¼ cup amounts.
- Add beans and cook another 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
- Serve with garnishes and extras – sour cream, scallions, grated cheese, hot sauce, jalapeños, hot cornbread.
Notes
- This recipe can be finished in the crock pot. Make chili sauce and put mixture in crock pot . Add beans and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Chili freezes well. Allow to cool, put in zip lock bags and lay flat in freezer for storage.
- You may purchase Sir Charles Gourmet BBQ Sauce from The Extra Ingredient in Greensboro, NC by calling toll free ~ 800-528-3618.
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This was an excellent recipe,I made only two changes.first I couldn’t seem to find black beans so I used all Kinsey beans.
And second with the I used only one type of bbq sauce for both amounts.
Came out amazing.
Made this chili yesterday and entered it in a chili contest today with about 12 contestants and won 1st. It is a unique chili that stands out from your normal all tomatoe base recipes. I did follow the instruction, “Taste for seasoning and adjust.” I used the whole poblano, Negra Modelo, dried beans instead of canned, my homemade canned stewed tomatoes, and increased the heat with a habanero finely chopped and 2 TBLS of my homemade habanero sauce. The flavors meld overnight in the refrigerator and the heat decreases. It came out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe.
Congratulations, Greg! Well done and I appreciate you sharing with me.
~Donya
My comment is more a question. On the BBQ sauce it says 1 cup fav BBQ sauce and right below it says 1/2 cup fav BBQ sauce. So a total of 1 & 1/2 cups of my 2 fav sauces?? Just needing clarification. Oh and the poblano pepper. Sub suggestions?!
There are 2 different TYPES OF BBQ SAUCE used in the recipe. One regular and one spicy/hot.
Leave out the poblano if you don’t like it.
~Donya
This Chili looks amazing, but I’m not a “”beans” fan…would it make a huge difference if I omitted them?
Sure – go for it!
My family hates beans. So to substitute, I dice Yukon gold potatoes and add them in. Same effect without the beans! Game changer
That recipe was so delicious and easy to make. I entered it in our church cook-off and won! I kinda knew I would because it was so good. Not a bite left over. I added just a little chili seasoning.
WOW! Congratulations. Thank you for the terrific rating.
~Donya
I have been trying for years to win our club chili cook off. I followed this recipe exactly. I used Kraft bbq original and sweet and spicy as well as Yuengling lager and I WON last night hands down! Four entries and three judges. I couldn’t believe it had no tomato sauce! Very unique flavors. WOW!
Hey Dano! Congratulations and I’m so happy for you. Thank you for the outstanding rating.
~Donya
THE BEST CHILI I HAVE EVER HAD!!!
Thank you! You’ve made my day. Thank you also for the terrific rating.
~Donya
Just won first place for overall chili and first place for spiciest chili with this recipe!! Thank you!
I’ve made this twice, with and without the beer. The census is that the majority liked it better without the beer. Has great flavor. The amount of chili powder was perfect
Delicious. My only issue is 3 TBLS of chili powder was way too hot! I mean way too hot! When making, cut back on chili powder.
Can I make this without the beer and it still be good?
Sure. Just add chicken stock or water.
~Donya
Well Donya, you did it again! This recipe took 1st place at our community cook off 🙂 the judges loved the sweet taste up front followed by the perfect amount of heat. I made it the night before and the next day all the flavors came together perfectly! Thank you, definitely a WINNER!
THANK YOU!! This has made my day. Congratulations on the win. And, thank you for the outstanding rating.
~Donya
Could you use a substitute for the beer?
Beef or vegetable stock.
~Donya
I’m going to make this for a chili cook off. Thoughts on chuck beef (like for a stew) vs the sausage? If a good idea how much you recommend and any suggestions?
I entered this chili recipe in my yacht clubs annual chili cook off and Won! The only substitution I made was using Italian hot sausage.
Amazing recipe! I may just use 1 can of the dark red kidney beans instead of 2 next time just due to personal preference but I am enjoying this chili. The flavors compliment each other very well, thanks for this resource!
Thanks for sharing and for the outstanding rating!
~Donya
Too sweet
Honestly the chili didn’t taste bad but it was a little too sweet. Next time I will omit the beer and bbq sauce and just add more crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
Sure, make it your own. Glad I could inspire you.
~Donya
I’m making this recipe this weekend, and am going to sub the sausage for double beef. What beef ratio of fat is recommended for this recipe
I normally use 90/10.
Enjoy!
I’m vegan so I use vegan honey (not honey), impossible beef, field roast’s spicy vegan sausages, and vegan not-beef broth, and OMG it’s best chili I’ve ever had—and I went to many chili cookoffs before going vegan!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!!!
Awesome and thanks for the terrific rating!
~Donya
Made this today and won 1st! I followed the recipe exactly. It’s definitely not like any other chilis. It’s different but delicious. Thank you for helping me win!
CONGRATULATIONS! I’m thrilled for you.
~Donya
Sadly out of beef stock – can I sub chicken stock? Looks great!
You bet! Give it a go.
Enjoy,
~Donya
Question: I’d like to make sure I’m moving everything to the crockpot at the right time. Do I follow every step through #5, add the beans, then put in the crockpot on low for 4 hours, or do I follow every step through #5, let it simmer for 1.5 hours, THEN move it to the crockpot and add the beans?
Thanks!
Hey there Candace!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I think you’re really going to love it! If you’re hoping to finish off this recipe in the crock pot, then you’ll want to follow every step through #5 then transfer the chili to your crock pot. Once your chili is in the crock pot, add in the beans and set the Crock Pot to LOW and cook for 4 hours. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out, I really hope you enjoy the recipe!
~Donya
Hi Donya! I tried your recipe last night, on a chilly night, and it was absolutely delicious. I had seconds late night, it was that good. I definitely will be making it again once I finish the current pot of chilli that I have. Thank you!
This recipe is bomb!!! Right on with all the ingredients. Congratulations with the win, no brainer. Will be making again soon!
Hey there Jay Jay!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, it’s a big hit in my house so it warms my heart to hear that you liked it as well! One of my favorite recipes to serve with this chili is my Creamed Corn Cornbread Muffins, it’s a shortcut recipe so they’re simple to make and the flavors pair perfectly with this chili, I’d love to hear what you think if you give it a try. Thank you so much for your kind words and your fantastic rating, I really appreciate all your support! Please let me know if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
Hi Donya! You’re very welcome and well deserved. I agree, it’s definitely heart warming and a very special recipe. I would definitely love to try the creamed cornbread to pair it with the chilli. Is there a link somewhere to try the creamed cornbread recipe? Thanks!
Hey there Jay Jay!
It’s great to hear from you again, thank you so much for your interest in these recipes! Since you’re planning on making another batch of chili, you should totally try the Creamed Corn Cornbread Muffins, I’ll paste the link at the bottom of this comment, you’re going to love them! I also have a couple other bread recipes you might enjoy as well including a Zucchini Cheese Quick Bread recipe, a Quick and Easy Beer Bread recipe, and the classic Cast Iron Cornbread recipe, I’ll link those as well. Please let me know how everything turns out if you give any of these recipes a try, I’d love to hear what you think. Feel free to reach out with any questions, I really hope you enjoy!
https://www.asouthernsoul.com/creamed-corn-cornbread-muffins/ | https://www.asouthernsoul.com/zucchini-cheese-quick-bread/ | https://www.asouthernsoul.com/quick-and-easy-beer-bread/ | https://www.asouthernsoul.com/southern-cornbread-in-cast-iron/
~Donya
I used this recipe for a chili cook off at work, I won first place. It is delicious
Hey there Linda!
Wow! Congratulations on your first place win that’s incredible, I am so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit! Thank you so much for your kind words of support and your fantastic rating, if you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask!
~Donya
I made this tonight for some friends of ours. We all enjoyed it tremendously. I did not add celery and I used the recommended amount of bbq sauce, but didn’t have a tangy one on hand, so I added Frank’s hot sauce to it. Spectacular!
Hey there Diane!
I am thrilled to hear that you and your friends enjoyed this recipe, adding Frank’s Hot Sauce was a great idea for putting a little tangy kick into the dish! Thank you so much for your kind words of support and your fantastic rating, let me know if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
I won 2nd place at my church chili cook-off using this recipe.
Hey there Joyce!
Wow! That is amazing news to hear, I am so glad that everyone enjoyed this recipe, it’s definitely a classic at this point! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and for your wonderful rating, I really appreciate your support!
~Donya
AMAZING! I was skeptical about using breakfast sausage, but I will use it in any chili recipe from here on out. Followed this recipe to a T and it’s by far my favorite!
Hey there Jennifer!
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, I agree adding the breakfast sausage isn’t conventional but it really takes the flavor of this chili to the next level! Thank you so much for your kind words of support and your fantastic rating, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya
We made this for our church’s chili cookoff and won first place!! It is sooo delicious and all the flavors came together perfectly. Everyone loved it. We even beat long-time & seasoned chili cook-off winners! Thank you!!
Hey there Sara!
Wow! Congratulations that is fantastic news, I am beyond thrilled to hear that everyone enjoyed this recipe! If you enjoyed making this dish, you should check out my Hearty Turkey Chili recipe, it’s just as simple to prepare and the flavors are out of this world delicious! Thank you so much for your kind words and your phenomenal rating, I am so grateful for your support!
~Donya
Hi!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe ! We have a Chili Cook off and Halloween Costume Contest every year at my hospital. I decided to enter this year. I was browsing for ideas to elevate my Turkey chili and ran across your recipe and decide to try it. I won 1st place!!!! I also won first place for my costume! This recipe is amazing! So much flavor! Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to experience winning!!
Hey there Angel!
Wow! Congratulations on winning your chili cookoff and costume contest, that is absolutely amazing news! I am so glad to hear that everyone enjoyed this recipe, it’s definitely a winner. Thank you so much for your kind words, your phenomenal rating and for sharing this experience, I really appreciate your support! If you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask!
~Donya
Totally going to try this chili recipe! Could you tell me where those delicious looking corn muffins in the picture came from? I want some 😋
Hey there Jennifer!
Thank you so much for your interest in this chili recipe, it’s perfect to serve this time of year so I’m so glad to hear that you’re giving it a try! The corn muffins in these photos I believe came from the Fresh Market, but I actually have a recipe for Creamed Corn Cornbread Muffins that’s even better! Adding Creamed Corn into the cornbread muffins gives them a delicious flavor and a warm texture that’s irresistible, plus they’re ready to serve in just 30 minutes. Let me know how everything turns out if you give the recipes a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
Thanks so much, I’ll give them both a try!
Hey there!
I am so happy to hear that you’re giving these recipes a try, they are a match made in heaven, I can’t think of a more perfect combination! Let me know if you have any other questions, I’d be more than happy to help!
~Donya
I used the Jimmy Deans hot sausage in the breakfast meat section. Is that ok or should I bought a different type?
Hey there Samantha!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I think you’re really going to love this Chili! You can absolutely use the Jimmy Deans spicy sausage that would be delicious, it’ll give a little kick to the chili. Let me know if you have any other questions, I’d be more than happy to help, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
~Donya
No matter how many times I have made this recipe, I swear it gets better every time I do! It’s a perfect recipe that comes together fast. Prep work is actually fun. Thank you!
Hey there Christine!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you like this recipe, I totally agree with you that the prep for this chili is fun to do, it’s such an easy recipe so I’m thrilled that you’ve been enjoying it as well! Thank you so much for your kind words and your fantastic rating, I really appreciate all your support!
~Donya
Going to try this tonight, getting hungry just reading it, and I just had breakfast!
Hey there!
I am so happy to hear you’re going to give this recipe a try! I might be a little biased but I really do think it’s the BEST chili recipe out there. If you have any questions I’d be more than happy to help, I hope you enjoy!
~Donya
I am making this recipe on Sunday. What is your thought on using chicken instead of beef and sausage? Should I substitute chicken broth? However, would the rest of the ingredients work?
Hey there Melissa!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I think you’re really going to love it! I’ve actually never made this chili with chicken, but it’s definitely worth a try, I think the other ingredients would definitely be compatible. You can use chicken stock if you’d like, but I also think you can just use beef stock if that’s easier, whatever you have on hand should work just fine. Let me know how everything turns out if you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
Thank you for the great chilli recipe!! Made this for our fair days chilli cook off and won first!!! Cooked it the night before and threw it in the slow cooker. The only thing I found was it was a little watery… if you know what I mean… not as thick as I usually make, wonder if it’s because I finished it in the slow cooker.. but still came out first! And hubby loves it too so it will take place of his long time mothers recipe that I’ve been making.. thank you!!
Hey there Darla!
My goodness, reading this comment has made my day! I am so happy to hear that y’all enjoyed this recipe and won first place, that’s incredible! Thank you so much for your kind words and your great rating, I really appreciate your support. If you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask!
~Donya
Thank you so much for this phenomenal chili recipe! I just won our church chili cook off with it today.
Hey there Carey!
WOW! Oh my goodness you’ve made my day! That is absolutely incredible to hear, I am so glad that everyone enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for your support, it means the world! If you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya
We had a college wide chili cook off and we WON with this recipe!! We used andouille sausage and added various spices with love. This recipe is AMAZING. We also served it with home made cheddar jalapeño corn bread…absolutely the best thing I have ever made.
WHAT? WOW!! Lydia, you have made my day.
Congratulations on the win, and I’m thrilled to be a little part of all this happiness. The combination of the chili and the corn bread sounds delicious. I am over here just smiling and giggling at how awesome this is.
Thank you so much for sharing AND for making my chili recipe.
❤️
Wondering if you can share the recipe for those corn biscuits in the picture?
Hey there Annie!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe and your fantastic rating, that’s a great question. I do not currently have a corn biscuit recipe on my site, but I do have a Southern Style Cast Iron Corn Bread recipe that I’ll link below. Thank you for your support, I hope you have a great day!
https://www.asouthernsoul.com/southern-cornbread-in-cast-iron/
~Donya
Thanks Donya, made your chili recipe- hands down the best and a crowd pleaser. My nephews ask for this every time the come to visit.
Hey there Annie!
Oh my goodness, that truly warms my heart to hear, I am so happy that you and your family have enjoyed this recipe! If you like this recipe you should check out my Bloody Mary Chili recipe, it’s just as delicious but it has a bit of a different flavor combination. I really appreciate your kind words and your support, if you ever have any questions feel free to reach out!
~Donya
FANTASTIC CHILI RECIPE!!! Thank you, Donya! Best chili ever! Followed your recipe and the results were great!
Hey there Christine!
Wow! Thank you so much for you sweet words and this phenomenal rating, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! This Southern Soul Chili is always a hit, and if you enjoyed this recipe, you should check out my Homerun Hot Dog Chili. Thank you for your support, have a great day!
~Donya
Donya, another hit recipe! Thank you so much! I made it, refrigerated it, and WOW, next day even better!
Hey there Christine!
Thank you so much for your phenomenal rating and your kind words! I completely agree, this Chili makes for fantastic leftovers, I am so glad you enjoyed. Thank you so much for your support, I hope you have a phenomenal day!
~Donya
This was really good! We used a caroline bbq sauce and it was a little tangy, next time I’d use something a bit more smokey as I think it would be better flavor profile. We did make one change because we doubled the recipe and didn’t have two lbs of ground beef we used one of ground bison and it just turned me from beef to bison, I’ll never make chili with just beef again. I’d recommend anyone to use some bison in there and to be very selective in the bbq sauce you use.
Hey there Andrea!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I’m glad you liked the recipe! If you’re not a fan of the vinegar based Carolina BBQ sauce, you should give my “Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce” a try, it’s nice and sweet but it adds a great flavor profile to the Chili. Also, adding the bison sounds like a great idea, I’ll have to try it! Thanks for your comment, I hope you have a great day!
~Donya
Just wondering how important the sausage is to the recipe. Would it be not as good with just double the beef? I have family members that don’t eat pork.
Hey Tommy.
Sure, you can double the beef and the recipe will work out great. Thank you so much for the great rating!
Enjoy,
~Donya
Hey! This looks delicious, however I can’t have red meat–how would it taste with sub of Ground Turkey and turkey sausage? Thanks so much in advance.
Hey Chelsea.
Yep, you can sub out for turkey. I think the chili will turn out great. Keep me posted!
Have a wonderful weekend,
~Donya
Great chili, my only modification was adding a hot Georgia pepper whole, but removed before serving. Even my pickie brother loved it.
WOW! I love it, CC!
Thank you for the rating and I’m thrilled your brother loved the chili. It’s always fun when things like that work out.
Have a wonderful day!
~Donya
In the ingredients it lists BBQ sauce but in the instructions there is no mention of bbq sauce
Hey Scott.
I adjusted the instruction to state BBQ sauce instead of just sauce. I hope this helps.
Have a great day!
~Donya
Great recipe. Changed it up a bit by adding my Italian influence, nduja sausages along with unsliced Italian sausages. Tastes amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Mia!
Yay I’m so thrilled you liked it and made it your own! Thanks for the support!
~Donya
I learned the hard way that you should be careful about the BBQ sauce. I used Newman’s Own, which is real high in sugar. It made the chili too sweet. Next time I will choose a souce with much less sugar and I believe that the chili will be great.
I hear you, George. Sorry that you had to go through this with the sauce. Yes, use one with not so sweet and you’ll be in business.
Keep me posted!
Have a great weekend,
~Donya
I love to make chili and have used various recipes over the years. This is by far the best one. The flavors in this chili are amazing … all the ingredients really come together to make the PERFECT chili. Will never use another recipe for chili in my life!
Thank you so much, Bethann!
I am thrilled you like the recipe.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend,
~Donya
Hey Donya,
I love your website and have been following you for a while. I want to make your chili but when I clicked on the website to get the BBQ sauce, I don’t think they sell it anymore. I did not call them but listed Sir Charles BBQ Sauce in their search and under the food links and it doesn’t come up. Any ideas where I can get this in Nashville, TN? Oh, congratulations on the win!!! I don’t doubt it because your recipes are super! Thanks for sharing them. Blessings, Cynthia
I made this recipe for my office’s chili cook-off and I won!! Finally too.. I’ve done so many different recipes that I thought I would never win. This one was hands down the winner because I’m a winner now lol. ‘ve been looking for a crowd pleaser and this one is it. Perfect amount of spice. Thank you for sharing.
WHAT? WOW and CONGRATULATIONS!!
This is so great and I’m honored. It sounds like you “killed it” woman. Way to go, Alice. I’m so glad you are part of the SS family.
Have a great week!
~Donya
This is the best chilli I have ever made thank you!!
Thanks, Genny!
I’m so glad you made it and like it. You’ve made my day.
~Donya
Someone asked this question back in 2015 but there was no reply…. Do you drain the fat from the browned ground beef and sausage?
The instructions go directly to adding in the veggies to cook. Just wondering since there is a good bit of fat from the ground beef and sausage. Thanks …
Hey there. Depending on the amount of fat left in the pan, you can drain most of it off. Thanks for the reminder, cause you don’t want too much fat in the pan. Let me know how it turns out!
XO,
~Donya
We had a chilli cook off at work, and won best overall chilli using this recipe. Everyone raved about how great it was. We used sweet baby Rays bbq sauce, and Yuengling for the lager.
Oh my goodness, Melissa! I just screamed and did a happy dance. This is such a great story and I hope you don’t mind that I shared your quote on Facebook. I love hearing about how my recipes turn out and this is a WINNER! Let’s keep on cooking together.
XO,
~Donya
Crock Pot Chili and sweet southern cornbread is the perfect meal to come home to. Not only is this recipe easy but it packs so much flavor!
Absolutely best Chili recipe I’ve ever personally made. Big hit with my wife. Thank you!
THANK YOU! Wow, that is some kind of comment and I am just beside myself with happiness. I’m so grateful you found A Southern Soul and hope you’ll keep hanging out with us.
XO,
~Donya
I’m making a pot tonight. Waiting to add my beans?
Hey Michelle. I hope you liked the chili! It sure is cold here so it’s time to make a big pot.
XO,
~Donya
Hi,
I live in Charlotte, and no one sells that BBQ sauce. Is there another brand you recommend?
Leslie, you can use whatever BBQ you like. Adding the BBQ sauce, no matter what brand is important ~ it gives the chili an extra zing!
Thanks for stopping by.
XO,
~Donya
Hi there, thank you for the recipe. I have been needing to make a good chili for a long time! All my chilies have not been very good. So going to give this a shot. What brand of chili powder would you recommend? Please let me know. Thanks again!
Get whatever grocery store brand you like. The key is just make sure it's fresh! Let me know how it turns out – I'd love to see a pic.
XO
-Donya
What can I use instead of Beer?
Thanks for stopping by. I would use a chicken or veggie stock. It works great! Let me know how it turns out.
XO,
~Donya
You mention hot sausage. Do you mean sausage meat or spicy sausage meat? Thx
Sausage meat that comes in a package in the section of the grocery where you buy breakfast meats. I used the "hot" version.
Thanks
~Donya
Hi! I'd love to make this for a party I'm hosting on Sunday. I won't have time to order the Sir Charles Sauces. What ingredients are key that I could just add individually? Also, how much do you think this makes? I'm hosting 20 adults, should I double it?
Thanks!
Oh my gosh Angela – I just saw your comment. It actually landed in my spam box. Just for the record, you can use your favorite BBQ sauce ( a regular one, not sweet) and then the rest of the ingredients are pretty straight forward. If you are feeding 20, I would double the recipe. If you have any left over, just know that it freezes well.
I made this tonight! It is so good. However, i did just brown the meat and stick it all in a crock pot and put it on low for 5 hours instead of all the stove top work. I also added chipotle peppers to give it that extra smokey flavor. 🙂 thanks for the amazing recipe!
So, you don't drain the fat off of the meat before adding the rest of the ingredients?
This looks great, but what can I substitute for the lager beer?
What can I substitute for the lager beer?
I love it when I see a title that includes the words "award winning chili". I've gotten so many good recipes. I agree, chili recipes can seem so complicated due to the line up of ingredients, but they're usually pretty easy. And you now what I'm loving about yours? Worchestershire sauce. note to self next time I make Chili. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
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Bel
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I attempted to make this chili before I got your recipe and I used pinto beans (my husband's favorite) and it was great with the Neese's sausage. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on the win!
THANK YOU, Tracy! I think it's gonna be good with just about any kind of bean. I used the red beans, since they are traditionally used in chili then added the black beans. I LOVE pinto beans so I'm sure it was delicious. Thank you for your kind works on our win!
Have a great weekend!
XO,
~Donya
What kind of onion goes in the chili?
Hey there Harley!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, it’s perfect to make this time of year, I think you’re really going to like it! For this chili recipe you can honestly use any kind of onion you’d like, except red onions, I normally use either a white onion or a Vidalia onion depending on what I have on hand. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
I have a chili cook off this week. Im trying this. Is it real hot? That’s my worry about some people .
Hey there Jennifer!
If you’re entering a chili cook off this week, then this is absolutely the right recipe for you, after all this is an award winning chili! The chili isn’t too hot at all, it has a hint of spice but it’s not overpowering at all, even my son who hates spicy foods loves this chili. Let me know how everything turns out with your chili competition, I wish you the best of luck!
~Donya