Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BUSH’S slow-simmered chili beans and Hunt’s vine ripened tomatoes.

Is chili a soup or a stew? Or is chili in a class of its own? Classic chili, white chili, no- bean chili, hot chili, vegetarian chili,  chili mac… the list goes on with chili variations.

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. #awardwinningchili #chilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com


 

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables.

In my world there are two ingredients that no chili should ever be without: Hunt’s vine ripened tomatoes and BUSH’S slow-simmered chili beans.

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, you guessed it, a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. The best chili recipe ever! #awardwinningchili #bestchilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

Regardless of what type of chili you make, everyone claims that their chili is the best. They have CHILI PRIDE! And even though my Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, ahem, the best… I still like seeing other chili variations.

Mush like grandma’s sauce, every family has their own secret ingredient or technique.

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, you guessed it, a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. The best chili recipe ever! #awardwinningchili #bestchilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

Hop of over to their website and use the chili name generator to name your unique creations. Mine was: “Your love is like a bowl of chili,” chili. If it didn’t already have the title of the BEST CHILI EVER, I’d totally use this one!

What makes my Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili so fantastic and unique? This recipe started as a variation from Boilermaker Chili, served at college football tailgates, but has since morphed into my own concoction.

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, you guessed it, a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. The best chili recipe ever! #awardwinningchili #bestchilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

Using three types of meat, ground beef, ground sausage and bacon, gives it layers of sophistication. The base, instead of being purely tomato, is also rich and robust with beefy flavors.

Lastly, onions, bell peppers, jalapeno and celery are added raw instead of letting them sweat down first. This adds texture and color to the mix. And while it isn’t unique, per say, my chili always uses Hunt’s vine ripened tomatoes and BUSH’S slow-simmered chili beans.

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, you guessed it, a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. The best chili recipe ever! #awardwinningchili #bestchilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

I serve my Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili with Garlic Dill Oyster Crackers. They help tone down the heat while adding a crunchy texture.

Like any chili recipe, this chili tastes even better the second day after the flavors have time to marry. It is also meant to feed a large crowd, so either cut it in half, feed the neighborhood or plan to freeze some.

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, you guessed it, a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. The best chili recipe ever! #awardwinningchili #bestchilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

If you like my Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili, then you’ll also love my other chili variations:

best vegetarian sweet potato chili in a bowl

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

This EASY Sweet Potato Chili is the perfect Meatless Monday weeknight dinner! It's simple to make plus freezer and meal prep friendly.
See The Recipe!
angled shot of bowl of instant pot chili

Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Instant Pot Chili is a gold star chili. A simple chili recipe using jalapeño, chili seasoning, beans and beef ready in just 20 minutes!
See The Recipe!
white speckled bowl of crock pot white chicken chili

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe

Zesty White Chicken Chili is made with hearty beans, tender chicken thighs, and a creamy broth, all in the slow cooker. A great alternative to tomato and beef chili.
See The Recipe!
Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. #awardwinningchili #chilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com
Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, you guessed it, a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. The best chili recipe ever! #awardwinningchili #bestchilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com

Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili

4.09 from 46 votes
Blue Ribbon Award Winning Chili is, you guessed it, a chili cook-off winning recipe! A robust and rich stew loaded with beef, sausage, bacon and tons of vegetables. The best chili recipe ever! #awardwinningchili #bestchilirecipe www.savoryexperiments.com 
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a very large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking apart as it cooks. Drain excess liquids and grease, return to pot.
  • Add all remaining ingredients except garnishes.
  • Simmer over very low heat for 1-5 hours, or until chili is thick and becomes a rich burgundy color.
  • Serve with cheddar cheese, Garlic Dill Oyster Crackers and sour cream.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Notes

Control the heat by adding more jalapeño or substituting a habanero pepper. Tone it down by omitting the pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 487 kcal, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Protein: 26 g, Fat: 32 g, Saturated Fat: 12 g, Cholesterol: 88 mg, Sodium: 731 mg, Potassium: 710 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 2 g, Vitamin A: 465 IU, Vitamin C: 24.8 mg, Calcium: 60 mg, Iron: 4.2 mg
Author: Chef Jessica Anne
Calories: 487
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: award winning chili, chili recipe
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

Tell me about your CHILI PRIDE, what do you put into your special chili? 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BUSH’S slow-simmered chili beans and Hunt’s vine ripened tomatoes.

 
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.09 from 46 votes (41 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    I won 2nd place in a chili cook off at our church. I am making this again today to serve with hot dogs for our Wednesday night service. This will be my go to anytime I make chili from now on! 😊

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious chili! One added thing I did was instead of using veggie oil to sauté the veggies in, I cooked the sausage then bacon. I reserved 1 tablespoon of the drippings & sautéed in that, I also didn’t cook the bacon all of the way, but cut it up in the veggies to finish cooking – just extra layers of flavor! I used all of the seasonings & spices listed & adjusted the amount according to my family’s taste. I just made a batch this morning to enter in our church’s annual chili cook-off tomorrow – high hopes for a Blue Ribbon win !!

  3. 5 stars
    I don’t often see chili recipes that call for bacon, but it’s a terrific add-in. I can see why this chili wins the blue ribbon!