Bacon Chili Recipes

SMOKY BEEF AND BACON CHILI

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add onion, cover, and cook until translucent, 4 to 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and cook and stir until browned and crumbly, 6 to 10 minutes. Stir in chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper; cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, beer, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce; stir well.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover partially and cook until reduced, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in black and kidney beans. Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

BACON CHILI WITHOUT BEANS

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Transfer beef to a slow cooker.
• Brown bacon in the same skillet, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Transfer bacon to the slow cooker and stir with beef.
• Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef stock, onions, bell pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic to the slow cooker; stir together with beef and bacon. Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, cumin, basil, paprika, and black pepper; stir again to make sure all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
• Cook on Low for 5 hours. Stir and continue to cook for 2 to 3 more hours.

BEEF AND BACON CHILI

Steps:

• Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onion, chopped cilantro. In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the drippings. In drippings, brown ground beef with onion and green pepper; drain. Add reserved bacon and remaining ingredients except optional toppings; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Ladle into bowls, top as desired, and serve with additional picante sauce.

SLOW-COOKER BACON CHILI

Steps:

• Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
• In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon 12 to 14 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 1/4 cup; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add remaining bacon to slow cooker.
• Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Add beef, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook 6 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
• Add beef mixture to slow cooker; stir in remaining chili ingredients. Cover; cook on High heat setting 3 to 4 hours or on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours. Serve with reserved bacon and Toppings.

BACON CHILI

Steps:

• In large pan, fry bacon until crisp. Reserve about 3 T bacon grease, and then discard the remaining grease.
• Remove bacon from pan and chop into small pieces.
• Add reserved bacon grease back into the pan.
• Over medium heat, cook onions and celery until tender.
• Add minced garlic and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
• Simmer for at least 20 minutes.
• Add chopped bacon and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until bacon is heated.

BEEF CHILI WITH BACON & BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Fry bacon in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 8 minutes.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat, leaving bacon in pot.
• Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add half the beef; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
• Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened.
• Adjust seasoning with additional salt.
• Serve with lime wedges and condiments if desired.