Beef Chili Recipe

Hands down – our Best chili recipe made with ground beef, pork, beans, onions, bell peppers, bacon, and chili seasoning. This hearty meal is easy to make in a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

Homemade chili is easy to make and delicious with buttermilk biscuits, jalapeno cheddar biscuits or cornbread. Step-by-step instructions for making chili in slow cooker or Dutch oven below.

Why this recipe works

• Simple ingredients & ease – Uses ground beef, bacon (optional), onions, peppers, tomato paste and spices, readily available in grocery stores. Easy to prepare.
• Flavorful – Combination of beef and pork, onions, peppers, beans and spices make it super flavorful.
• Heart comfort food – The ultimate comfort food for gameday or Sunday supper. Easy meal to feed a crowd.

What you’ll need

• Ground beef – 85% lean ground round or chuck work best.
• Ground pork – Adds a little fat and flavor.
• Bacon – It adds a depth of flavor, but can be left out. Chili will be delicious either way.
• Onions & peppers – Yellow or white onion work best. We love a mix of red and green Bell peppers.
• Diced tomatoes with chilies – Adds wonderful flavor to beef chili.
• Tomato sauce & paste – Concentrated tomato flavor.
• Canned beans – Red kidney and black beans are our favorite, but use any varieties you love.
• Chili seasoning – Store-bought or homemade chili seasoning.

I’ve used canned red kidney beans and black beans in this chili recipe. But, you can use whatever type of beans you prefer.

How to make beef chili

• Cook the bacon – Brown the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Brown the meat – Brown the ground beef and pork. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
• Add remaining ingredients – Once the meat is browned, add the remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine.
• Place into a preheated oven – Place in a preheated 350-degrees F oven for about 45 minutes to an hour.

If you’re throwing a football party and feeling ambitious, you can try your hand at my Sourdough bread and make it into bread bowls!

Toppings for Chili

• Sour cream
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Diced tomatoes
• Jalapeno peppers, sliced thinly
• Ritz crackers or Oyster crackers

More easy dinner ideas

• Baked breaded chicken
• Barbecue pulled pork
• Meatloaf recipe
• Italian meatballs recipe
• Buttermilk fried chicken

Did you make one of my recipes? Please take a moment to leave a star rating. Also, if you are on Pinterest, please feel free to leave a comment there! Follow A Farmgirl’s Kitchen on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and YouTube and subscribe my mailing list for ALL the latest recipes!

5 from 4 votes

Print Rate this Recipe

Beef Chili

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Homemade Beef Chili is packed full of flavor. Easy to make in either your Dutch oven or slow cooker.

Course: dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: 10 people

Calories: 843kcal

Author: Jessica Robinson

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 to 2 ½ pounds ground round or chuck
• ▢ 1 pound ground pork
• ▢ 8-10 slices bacon cut into 2-inch pieces
• ▢ 2 medium onions diced
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper diced
• ▢ 1 green bell pepper diced
• ▢ 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
• ▢ 1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
• ▢ 1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste
• ▢ 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans (drained)
• ▢ 2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans (drained)
• ▢ salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 3 (1.25-ounce) packets of McCormick original Chili seasoning
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Cooking Chili in Dutch Oven

• Brown the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium to high heat. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon or so of the bacon fat. Saute the onions and peppers in the fat, just until translucent.
• Add the ground beef and pork and brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Once cooked, drain off any excess fat with a large spoon and discard. Season with salt and ground pepper.
• Once the meat is browned, add the remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Season again with salt and ground pepper if needed. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour.
• Serve with crusty French bread slices and top with sour cream and shredded cheese. Top with jalapeno pepper slices if desired.

Cooking Chili in Slow Cooker

• Brown the bacon on the stove, in a pan. Drain on paper towels.
• Place all the ingredients in your slow cooker, including the cooked bacon. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Or cook on high for 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally to mix all the ingredients well. Drain off any fat with a large spoon.
• Serve with crusty French bread slices and top with sour cream and shredded cheese. Top with jalapeno pepper slices if desired.

Recipe Notes

Chili seasoning:

Rather than buying packets of chili seasoning, if you prefer, BJ’s sells the large container of McCormick’s Chili seasoning. Just follow the directions on the package and measure approximately ¼ cup per pound of meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 843kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 924mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 662IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 6mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AFarmgirlsKitchen or tag #afarmgirlskitchen!

Disclosure: As an Affiliate Marketer, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a product affiliate link on A Farmgirl’s Kitchen and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you!  I own every cooking product I recommend and love how they perform.