The moment the weather starts to turn every fall, game day beer chili is on my stovetop. This meaty chili is loaded with beans and layers of deep, complex flavor, combining smoky undertones from the peppers, a subtle maltiness from the beer, and rich, savory tomato notes, making it perfect for any football game buffet or cozy dinner.
In the first few weeks of every August, I start daydreaming about fall, not just because we're living in stifling Midwest heat. Yes, I love sweaters and fall colors and pumpkin desserts. But the real reason I can't wait for fall is this chili. I've been making beer chili for well over a decade, and I'm excited every time the smell of simmering chili starts wafting through the house. This is a simple recipe to put together, and the key is to let it simmer for a few hours. Simmering allows the flavors to meld and deepen while also slowly reducing the liquid, creating a thicker, more luxurious texture. It's absolutely delicious. Everyone in the house likes to make their bowl with their favorite toppings, and we peacefully co-exist in the land of no one whining during dinner. This freezes beautifully, so I like to have a few batches in the freezer during winter for easy meals, and of course, this is the best chili recipe to use for the Super Bowl because it has the preferred game day beverage in the recipe!
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Cold-weather comfort food
Don't get me wrong, I'll eat a bowl of chili any time of year, but there is nothing that warms me all the way through like chili in the winter. This chili is a hearty meal on its own, but throw it on cornbread or add a pile of corn chips on top, and it's even better. Spoon it over nachos, or layer it on your hot dog-chili is so versatile. My favorite thing to eat with chili is a peanut butter sandwich. Hear me out! The spicy/sweet combo of a peanut butter sandwich dipped in chili is amazing. The first time my husband saw me eat chili this way, he thought I might be in some sort of emotional crisis. Now he agrees it's pretty good. I'm still not sure of the origins of this combo. It might be the area I grew up in, or it might even be as specific as my elementary school cafeteria. Doesn't really matter. It's fantastic, and I highly recommend giving it a try.
If you love soup as much as I do, be sure to check out my Broccoli Cheese Soup, Creamy Potato Leek & Cauliflower Soup with Bacon, and Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup, too!
Ingredients
- Peppers - You can't make chili without peppers. Bell pepper adds a touch of sweetness, balancing the richness of the meat and tomatoes. Poblano peppers contribute an earthy, mild heat, while jalapeño peppers bring a sharper, spicier kick. Using a variety of peppers gives more depth of flavor-fruity, sweet, earthy, and spicy. Bell, poblano, and jalapeno peppers hit on all these flavor profiles. You can adjust to taste depending on how much spice your crew is willing to eat. Cut out the ribs and seeds of the jalapenos to reduce the heat level. Anaheim chili peppers are a good substitution if you can't find poblanos.
- Tomatoes - I like the texture of crushed tomatoes for chili. But canned tomato sauce will also work if you don't want it to be as chunky and thick.
- Beans - A mix of red kidney beans and pinto beans gives this chili a fantastic texture. Black beans can also be used.
- Beer - Lagers or stouts are both great choices, each offering unique flavor contributions. Stouts, like Guinness, add a rich, malty depth and slight bitterness, enhancing the chili's robust profile. Lagers, such as Modelo Negra or Anchor Steam, bring a crisper, cleaner taste that balances the spices and acidity from the tomatoes. Nearly any kind of light or dark beer will work. If it's your favorite bottle of beer and you want to drink it with your chili, put it in your chili.
- Onions - Use what you have. Yellow, white, and red onions work great.
- Seasonings - This beer chili recipe uses a healthy dose of seasonings and herbs to bring the chili flavor. You'll need chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, dried basil, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes) to punch up the flavor.
See the recipe card below for details and amounts.
Variations & Notes
- Vegetables: Add sweet potatoes or corn for a bigger dose of vegetables.
- Whiskey: Instead of beer, add ⅓ cup of your whiskey of choice.
- More Peppers: When in season, I love (love love love) the earthy flavor of Hatch chili peppers.
- Meat: You can use ground chicken or turkey in place of ground beef.
- Thicken if You Are Crunched for Time: If you need the chili to be ready to serve a little faster, you can use ¼ cup of masa or cornmeal to thicken it instead of allowing it to cook down over a few hours.
- Slow Cooker: Brown the ground beef on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, then add all other ingredients and slow cook on low for 6 hours. If you like a thicker chili, you will need to add one of the thickeners mentioned above to achieve the desired consistency.
- Let It Rest: This chili is best the day after it's made. It thickens up even more in the refrigerator overnight.
How to make Beer Chili
Here is how to put the chili together. See the full recipe below for details.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and brown the ground beef in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until the beef is cooked through.
- Add bell peppers, poblano peppers, jalapeno peppers, and onions, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic cloves and stir until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tomato paste is incorporated evenly.
- Add seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, cooking through. Pour in the beer and let it cook for 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any flavorful bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Finally, add beans and crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat, maintain a slow simmer, and cook down until the desired thickness. I like to let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours, but it's ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes if you are in a hurry.
Ways to serve
- Garnish with: A dollop of sour cream, diced onion, sliced green onions, avocado, shredded cheese, hot sauce, sliced jalapenos, and chopped cilantro. For a cooling contrast, try a combination of sour cream, avocado, and shredded cheese. If you enjoy a spicy kick, sliced jalapenos paired with hot sauce will amp up the heat. For a fresh, herbaceous finish, scallions and chopped cilantro work beautifully together. Mix and match for a balance of creaminess, spice, and freshness to suit your taste.
- Accompaniments: cornbread, corn or tortilla chips, saltine crackers, peanut butter sandwich, pasta, rice, pour over nachos or on hot dogs.
Chili FAQs
Yes!! In fact, I like it more the day after I make it. It thickens up even more after sitting in the refrigerator overnight. You can make chili up to 3 days early and heat it through when ready to serve.
For the chili to reduce down to a beautiful thick stew, simmer with the lid off.
Yes. It's also delicious and simmered for only 30 minutes. But to achieve a thick chili with fully developed flavors and to provide the collagen in the meat enough time to fully break down, cooking it for 2 to 3 hours is recommended.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Store servings in freezer bags or glass jars with an airtight lid (leave 1 inch of head space at the top) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
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Recipe
Best Game Day Beer Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers, diced remove seeds and ribs for less heat
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 2 15.5 ounce cans mild chili beans preferred brand (not sponsored) Bush's Best Mixed Chili Beans, pinto & kidney
- 2 15.5 ounce can spicy chili beans preferred brand (not sponsored) Bush's Best Chili Beans, spicy chili cause
- 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 12 ounce can/bottle lager or stout beer options: Guinness, Negra Modelo or Anchor Steam
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until the beef is browned.
- Add bell peppers, poblano peppers, jalapeno peppers, and onions, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic cloves and stir until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tomato paste is incorporated evenly.
- Add seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce cooking through. Pour in beer and let cook for 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any flavorful bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add beans and crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, maintain a slow simmer, and cook down until the desired thickness. Cook, uncovered for 3 hours or longer if desired. It's ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes if you are in a hurry.This chili is even better the second day. Refrigerating it overnight thickens it to a perfect hearty consistency.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish and serve hot. See notes below for garnish suggestions.
Notes
Variations & Notes
- Vegetables: Add sweet potatoes or corn for a bigger dose of vegetables.
- Whiskey: Instead of beer, add ⅓ cup of your whiskey of choice.
- More Peppers: When in season, I love (love love love) the earthy flavor of hatch chili peppers.
- Meat: You can use ground chicken or turkey in place of ground beef.
- Thicken if You Are Crunched for Time: If you need the chili to be ready to serve a little faster, you can use ¼ cup of masa or cornmeal to thicken it instead of allowing it to cook down over a few hours.
- Slow Cooker: Brown the ground beef on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, then add all other ingredients and slow cook on low for 6 hours. If you like a thicker chili, you will need to add one of the thickeners mentioned above to achieve the desired consistency.
- Let It Rest: This chili is best the day after it's made. It thickens up even more in the refrigerator overnight.
Ways to Serve
Garnish with: sour cream, diced onion, sliced green onion, avocado, shredded cheese, hot sauce, sliced jalapenos, chopped cilantro For a cooling contrast, try a combination of sour cream, avocado, and shredded cheese. If you enjoy a spicy kick, sliced jalapenos paired with hot sauce will amp up the heat. For a fresh, herbaceous finish, scallions and chopped cilantro work beautifully together. Mix and match for a balance of creaminess, spice, and freshness to suit your taste.Accompaniments: cornbread, corn or tortilla chips, saltine crackers, peanut butter sandwich, pasta, rice, pour over nachos or on hot dogs.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Freezer: Store servings in freezer bags or glass jars with airtight lids (leave 1 inch of headspace at the top) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Anonymous says
Love it
Michael says
Hits the spot for those cold winters
Jamie says
Excellent!