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This easy Award Winning Chili recipe is made with ground beef, beans, onions, tomatoes, and peppers, and can easily be made as spicy or not as you like.
Okay, my award winning chili was a fourth place award for a chili contest at my husband's work, but still, an award is an award, right? I believe it was 4th out of 37.
The secret to my award winning crock pot chili recipe is I make my chili with tomato juice and V-8 juice. I started putting the juices in my chili years ago simply because although I like some diced tomatoes in chili, I don't like a lot of them. I still wanted the tomato flavor though. I've liked both V-8 and tomato juice since I was very little, and even my daughter who won't touch anything with tomatoes in it will drink both! Okay, I realize that is not like a really major secret ingredient, but I swear it's what makes this chili different.
I make my award winning chili recipe at least four times a year, often for big football games like the playoffs or Super Bowl. My husband is a Steelers fan, I stopped trying to pay attention to football a while ago, haha!
While the step by step photos below show the chili being made on the stove, I normally make it as a slow cooker chili. For that, simply put everything in the slow cooker after browning the ground beef. We like our chili extra spicy, but if you don't just leave out the optional ingredients.
Heat a large pot over medium high heat, add the ground beef.
cook and break up the beef until browned, then drain carefully. Reduce the heat on the stove to low.
Add chopped onions and green peppers,
Followed by diced tomatoes (I always use canned, this time I was out), and drained kidney beans.
Next we stir in chili powder and dried basil.
Then add the liquids, V-8 juice, tomato juice, and a can of beer. At this point I always remove a bowl full for my daughter, who doesn't like spicy chili. Then I add the jalapeno, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper, stir it up, raise the heat and let my Award Winning Chili come to a simmer, cover it and let it simmer for two hours.
Award Winning Chili
If you would like a different chili recipe, check out some more of my favorites:
Instant Pot Spicy Chili (Similar to this recipe, but for the Instant Pot)
Chorizo and Black Bean Chili
Southwest Chicken Pumpkin Chili
Turkey Habanero Chili
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Award Winning Chili!
This easy Award Winning Chili recipe is made with ground beef, beans, onions, tomatoes, and peppers, and can easily be made as spicy or not as you like.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time5 hours hrs
Total Time5 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course: Soups/Stews/Chili
Keyword: award winning slow cooker chili, award-winning chili recipe, chili made with tomato juice
Servings: 6
Calories: 498kcal
Author: Bernadette
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 jalepeno pepper sliced (optional)
- ½ of a green pepper diced
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
- 2 19 ounce cans dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 5-6 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup V-8 juice
- 1 cup tomato juice I always use Campbells
- pinch Cayenne pepper optional
- a couple of dashes each red and green Tabasco sauce optional, or to taste
- 1 can or bottle beer I have always just used Coors Light, a stronger flavored beer will result in a different taste
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions:
Brown the ground beef in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Drain well and pour into a large crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, stir well. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours. I usually do mine on high for around 5 hours.
Stove Top Instructions
Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain carefully and return to the stove over low heat. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well. Increase the heat until the chili comes to a simmer, cover and simmer for two hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 499mg | Potassium: 1703mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2685IU | Vitamin C: 47.4mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 10.8mg
FAQs
Only Add Flavorful Liquids
Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.
What is the secret to competition chili? ›
Additional Depth of Flavor
Ingredients like tomato paste, cinnamon, coffee and liquid smoke can all add flavor hints that will make your chili cook-off entry unique. Roast your vegetables and use broth or beer instead of water for even more flavor in your pot.
What adds the most flavor to chili? ›
If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.
What not to put in chili? ›
Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.
Why do you put vinegar in chili? ›
With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.
What makes chili taste better? ›
"Adding fresh ingredients — like diced onions, cilantro, and jalapenos — will take any canned chili to another level," Dunleavy said. "The fresh burst of flavor will brighten and elevate the chili while also adding great texture and crunch."
How do you add depth to chili? ›
Cocoa powder, a tablespoon or so adds a richness and does something magical with the flavor of chilies. Smoked peppers; either chipotle or spanish smoked paprika are delicious in chili. Using dried Mexican chilies helps a lot too.
Is chili better the longer it cooks? ›
A low and slow cook time—at least an hour total—is key for drawing out the most flavor in a pot of chili. Yes, a quick chili is most welcome on weeknights, but it won't have quite the same results. A slow cooker works wonders, but if you're short on time, try a pressure cooker.
Should I add tomato paste to my chili? ›
The tomato paste adds color and rich flavor to our chili. Now we have our flavorful base, you are going to finish the chili with pureed tomatoes, beef broth (or chicken broth), and beans. Beans make this chili hearty — I like pinto beans or kidney beans.
What is my chili missing? ›
Sometimes after a long simmer, your chili will taste wonderful be maybe missing one little thing you can't figure out. Try a tad bit of vinegar or a squeeze of lime! The acidity in vinegar & limes bring a good roundness to the pot and binds all the flavors together.
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break the meat into ¼-inch pieces, until the beef is browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
What is chili magic? ›
Bush's Chili Magic Campfire Style chili starter brings tender pinto beans together with smoky chipotle and green bell peppers for quick, unforgettable chili any night of the week.
Why do you put butter in chili? ›
Butter smooths out the bitterness and adds its unique richness, making you take another bite without quite knowing why. A dash of sugar and vinegar gives a sweet-sour flavor that also makes the sauce rounder and more satisfying.
What makes Wendy's chili taste so good? ›
Pinto beans have a creamy texture and a nutty and slightly earthy flavor. Kidney beans have a dense texture and subtly sweet flavor. Finally, customers love Wendy's chili because it's just good, old-fashioned comfort food.
What makes the best chili meat? ›
The best chili meat is a combination of meats, often a mix of ground chuck, ground sirloin, brisket, diced tri-tip, and/or some bacon or sausage. Do your best to mix smaller pieces with larger pieces to stack textures and make it your own! Happy cooking!
Why is my chili not flavorful? ›
Change up the beans. Use black beans, pintos, or a combination of beans to give more flavor. Cook the chili! If you don't cook it long enough (or put in a pressure cooker to speed up the process), it won't taste quite right.
Does sugar make chili taste better? ›
Now for the piece de resistance: 1-2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar. The chili tastes completely different without the brown sugar so if you like a subtle sweetness in your chili then you've just got to go for it! Trust me, it will not make your chili taste like candy.
