The Best Chili Recipe – Award Winning

Name: The Best Chili Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 6 lbs ground beef; 3 quarts stewed tomatoes (6-9 cans**); 2 quarts tomato juice; 2 cans Mrs Grimes Hot Chili Beans; 1 onion (diced); 1 green pepper (diced); 1/2 bottle ketchup (7 oz total); 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard; 1/2 cup Chili Powder to taste (or more if you like spice)

November 7, 2019 Updated: November 13, 2020 By Julie Menghini 100 Comments

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The Best Chili recipe is a simple homemade beef chili that’s loaded with flavor. This recipe can feed a crowd.

A center brown bowl heaped with chili that\'s garnished with cheddar cheese. The chili sits in front of the second bowl of chili and jars of cheese and soup crackers.

Why isn’t chili called soup or stew? Chili is chili and that’s just the way it goes. There are probably as many homemade chili recipes as there are the people who make it. Once you make the Best Chili Recipe, it will become your favorite chili!

Growing up chili was always tomato-based and made with ground beef.

These days there is tomato-based, white chili, beef, chicken, or vegetarian.

You can have as many varieties as there is imagination. One thing that sets people against one variety versus another is whether it’s beans or no beans.

The chili my mother made included tomato juice, ground beef, kidney beans, onion, and the spice packet from the grocery store. I loved it. That is until I tried this chili at a party we attended years ago.

The recipe is still written on a scrap of paper and doesn’t have a name but it’s The Best Chili recipe I’ve ever had.

Top-down photo of two bowls of chili topped with shredded cheese in brown bowls next to small jars of cheese and soup crackers, and a spoon sitting on a slate tile.

This chili for a large group recipe can be made ahead and made just as spicy as you want. You can also just put it in a large crockpot and let everyone serve themselves!

I made this great chili recipe and entered it into our neighborhood chili contest.

I needed a delicious chili recipe that would feed a crowd, and while we love it, I wasn’t sure what everyone else would think.

It was the winner hands down and my “Best Chili Recipe” is now the recipe that my neighbors make for their families.

What is the difference between Chile and Chili Powder?

Chili Powder is actually a blend of dried chile pepper and other spices such as oregano, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, peppercorn, coriander, and cayenne according to Southern Living.

It’s different according to the brand you buy. There’s also a big difference between Mexican Chili Powder and Indian Chili Powder. I learned that the hard way!

Chile Powder is pure dried chile peppers even though the type of chile peppers can be different. They’re often sold under the name of the chile such as Ancho, Guajillo, Chipotle, Jalapeno, among others.

three-quarter view of a bowl of chilli topped with shredded cheese in front of small jars of soup crackers and shredded cheese. Small soup crackers are scattered around the bowl.

What’s the difference between dark red chili powder and light red chili powder.

The PepperScale states that dark chili powder often contains more of the chili pepper (like ancho) with a darker color and the spices are often roasted for longer periods.

This leads to a seasoning blend that’s often earthier, smokier, sweeter, and spicier than the lighter powder.

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!

3/4 angle view of a bowl of chili garnished with cheese with soup crackers scattered about.

Oh and there is a secret ingredient…..1 tablespoon of yellow mustard.

Believe it or not, it’s a game-changer. A friend of mine said she doesn’t like yellow mustard but after making this has a bottle in her fridge just for this recipe.

We’ve both tried it without and it makes a difference!

Chili Ingredients

ground beef
stewed tomatoes
tomato juice
Chili Beans
onion
green pepper
ketchup
prepared yellow mustard
Chili Powder to taste

A few items you may need to make this Homemade Chili recipe:

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12-qt Stockpot – This is such a nice stockpot for the price. I can use it for large recipes and the clean up is so easy! This recipe can also be cooked in a large slow-cooker.

Some more award winning Chili recipes!

While I believe that this is the Best Chili EVER, I have to admit that John’s Downhome Chili No-Beans recipe and the Spicy Chili Con Carne recipes are amazing.

If you’re looking for something a little less traditional, Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili or the Green Chili Pork recipes might be right up your alley.

Tips & Variations to make The Best Chili Recipe:

This is a thick beef chili recipe. You can use a combination of ground beef varieties or mix it up by using ground pork or sausage.
- If you like a thinner chili, you can add more tomato juice.
We don’t skimp on the chili powder and we like pure red chili powder, not a pre-mixed chili seasoning. We test it by taste but also for a deep red color.
- It’s best to add your spices through the entire cooking process instead of all at once. Adding spice and letting it cook into the chili will tell you if you need more but will also keep you from adding too much.
We chop up the stewed tomatoes to remove the large pieces in a food processor.
Allow the chili to simmer until you can no longer detect any flavor from the cans. 30 minutes to several hours, whatever time you have.
- Heat the chili over medium-high heat and then immediately lower the temp to a simmer.
This chili can be simmered for several hours on top of the stove or in a slow cooker.
Feel free to substitute the beans for black beans or another variety that you like.
Chili may be frozen in reclosable bags or airtight containers.

Chili freezes great! I fill zip-lock bags and lay them flat to freeze. Using a cookie sheet works well. Once they’re frozen you can remove the pan and keep them flat or store them vertically. It’s a great way to save freezer space.

What to make with leftover chili?

Chili is a complete meal but when I cook something savory I like to complement it with something sweet. A great muffin, homemade apple sauce or cheddar cornbread are my go-to’s.

I would love it if you enjoy this recipe that you will leave me a comment and rate the recipe with 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.75 from 8 votes