Big Ass Pot of Chili Recipe (2024)

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January 29, 2010 | 85 Comments

2 pounds of bacon, 4 pounds of sausage, 6 pounds of ground beef…and that’s only the beginning.

This recipe may seem excessive, but by the time this massive pot of chili is done cooking, and certainly by the time you’ve gone through the last of it, you always want just a little bit more.

It really is that good. It’s not like some chili which sits in your stomach like a ton of bricks. It’s not too beany, or too spicy, or too smoky. It’s complex, with a sweet savory tang, and layers of meaty flavor throughout. For me, it’s the sweetness that makes this chili special. A multi-dimensional sweetness derived from a number of ingredients: carrots (grated so that they melt into the sauce), ketchup, barbecue sauce, sugar, and baker’s chocolate.

That’s Secret #1.

Big Ass Pot of Chili Recipe (5)

The Makings of the Best Chili Ever

Secret #2 is adding a parmesan rind to the pot. This is an old Italian trick I learned for creating rich soups, stocks, tomato sauce, or…chili! Remember it next time you finish off an expensive wedge of parmigiano. After you’re done digging away at all the edible parts, pop the rind in a freezer bag and save it for a rainy (or shall I say chili, ha ha ha) day.

Secret #3: let it simmer for a long long time. This is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day, or the day after that. I kid you not, I let this simmer for 6 hours or more. I will usually make it late afternoon on a weekend, let it cook all evening, and then turn off the flame and cover it right before going to bed. The next day, the flavors will have melded together into something amazing.

There may be a few lingering doubts in your mind about why not to make this recipe. One being the long list of ingredients, to which I say, okay, there are a lot of ingredients, and yes, you will need to make a Costco run, but after that it’s really easy. You basically just add everything to a big pot and leave it alone. Fool proof. And worth it.

The other question may concern the alarming quantity this recipe makes. Feeds 20+. Yes, it does! But really, you’ll be surprised at how quickly this goes, and I mean, if you’re going to make all that effort in getting the ingredients, you might as well go the whole nine yards. If you’re still on the fence, consider these scenarios where a massive pot of chili makes perfect sense:

  • Game Day with lots of men to feed. Isn’t the Super Bowl coming up or something?
  • Ski weekend. This is the perfect make-ahead meal. All you have to do is heat it up on the stove, which is the maximum effort I usually have in me after a day on the slopes, when my quads have turned to lead.
  • Any weekend. Especially when it is relentlessly rainy and cold outside. (You may know what I mean). Extra bonus, this recipe freezes really well. Store away single/double servings of this and have a warm, satisfying, homemade meal ready in minutes any time.

Now that you’re ready for chili, the next challenge is to find a pot that is sufficiently massive. You’re on your own for that one. Alright, I’ll give you a hint: I scored mine off of Craigslist from a restaurant going out of business. For something this size, go commercial.

Big Ass Pot of Chili Recipe (6)

Best Chili Ever

Big-Ass Pot of Chili

Yield: 4 gallons (20+ servings)

Adapted from Steve Conn and Colerain Firefighters Local 3915’s "Major Cojone’s Chili.” I guess it makes sense that the original recipe would come from a fire house 🙂 I doubled the Major’s recipe, made some tweaks to the heat source, and added some sweet secret ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds applewood-smoked bacon, diced into 1 inch squares
  • 4 pounds spicy Italian pork sausage, removed from casings
  • 6 pounds ground beef
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 red bell peppers, chopped
  • 4 large onions, finely chopped
  • 3 carrots, grated
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 cans (28 oz each) chili beans
  • 4 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cans (28 oz each) tomato sauce
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup BBQ sauce
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 tablespoons red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce
  • 2 ounces unsweetened baker's chocolate
  • 1 parmesan rind

Instructions

  1. In a large pan, cook bacon until crispy; drain and add to a 5-gallon pot.
  2. Drain off the bacon grease. Brown the sausage in the same pan; drain and add to the pot.
  3. Drain off the fat from the pan again. Brown the ground beef; drain and add to the pot with the other meats.
  4. Add all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a bubble, stirring periodically. Then, lower heat and simmer on low for at least 6 hours.
  5. Serve with chili toppings if you’d like (shredded cheese, sour cream, green onion or chives), Frito scoops, quesadillas, or bread bowl.

http://lickmyspoon.com/recipes/big-ass-pot-of-chili/

Recipe Source: LickMySpoon.com.

Hello! All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you!

This post was published on KQED’s Bay Area Bites on January 27, 2010. It was also featured in SF Weekly’s SFoodie.

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Big Ass Pot of Chili Recipe (11)

Big Ass Pot of Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the correct way to cool a large pot of chili? ›

Cooling it in an ice-water bath with frequent stirring will work. You can also divide the chili into smaller containers and cool them in an ice-water bath separately. 2.

What size pot to make chili in? ›

The most common stock pot size, an 8 QT stock pot is perfect for making eight to twelve servings of soup or chili, boiling one to two boxes of pasta, or making homemade stock from all your scraps. This is commonly thought of as the standard size for stock pots, and works well for households of one or families of four.

How do you enhance Hormel chili? ›

Add a different can of chilli. Make sure to remove all traces of the Hormel chilli first, too. Add more meat, cilantro, green onions, and beans. And to give it heat put a few jalapenos in it.

How do you thicken Cincinnati chili? ›

Use All-Purpose Flour or Cornstarch

"Transfer some warm liquid [from the chili] to a separate bowl. Whisk in the flour or cornstarch, then slowly stir it back in the pot," advises Wofford. Bring the mixture back to a boil, which will "activate" the ingredient, instantly thickening the dish.

Can I leave chili in a crock pot overnight? ›

Can I leave crockpot on low overnight? Yes! This is my preference. I like to assemble the chili the night before, put it in the crockpot, then turn it on just before I go to bed.

What is the maximum amount of time to cool a pot of chili? ›

TCS food prepared from ingredients at room temperature must be cooled to 41°F or below within 4 hours. Properly cooked chili is cooled from 135°F to 70°F in 1 hour. Five hours remain to completely cool the chili to 41°F.

What secret ingredient will deepen the flavor of your chili? ›

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

What adds the most flavor to chili? ›

Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.

How do you make chili taste more meaty? ›

In a pot of chili, just a few strips of bacon add a smoky, meaty depth. And it's not just the bacon itself that adds flavor, it's the bacon fat, too. Before you start your recipe, cook 3 to 4 strips of thick-cut bacon until they're as crispy as you like.

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Traditionally, we expect a robust, spicy base, meat and/or beans, perhaps some bonus veggies, and a thick, rich consistency. Unlike soups, which are brothy, or even bisques, which are creamy yet thinner, chili is meant to be more stew-like; it's a definite stick-to-your-ribs creation.

What is chili over spaghetti called? ›

Cincinnati chili (or Cincinnati-style chili) is a Mediterranean-spiced meat sauce used as a topping for spaghetti or hot dogs ("coneys"); both dishes were developed by immigrant restaurateurs in the 1920s.

Is Skyline Chili the same as Cincinnati chili? ›

You may also hear Cincinnati chili called Skyline chili. This moniker actually comes from a Cincinnati restaurant, Skyline Chili, that got its name for its spectacular view of the city's skyline.

What is the correct way to cool a pot of chili Servsafe? ›

PLACE CONTAINERS OF HOT FOOD IN A CLEAN PREP SINK OR LARGE POT FILLED WITH ICE WATER. STIR FOOD FREQUENTLY TO COOL IT FASTER AND MORE EVENLY. BLAST OR TUMBLE CHILLERS CAN BE USED TO QUICKLY REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF FOOD OR THICK FOOD SUCH AS MASHED POTATOES.

What is an acceptable method to cool a large pot of soup? ›

Use ice water bath

An ice water bath is effective for cooling soups. This method helps decrease the food temperature quickly and safely. Fill a large container or clean sink with ice and a small amount of water.

How to cool chili down before refrigerating? ›

Clean the sink in the kitchen and fill it with clean cold water and ice. Then place the pot of food or smaller containers in the ice water. Be careful not to let water in the sink mix with food in the pot. If you stir the contents of the pot in the ice water it will help to cool it more quickly.

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