This hearty Halftime Chili is deliciously seasoned and chock full of beef, beans, and beer! Get all the work done in advance so you don’t miss a minute of the next big game.
Serve this chili with Cheese Beer Bread warm from the oven!
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We are BIG on chili in this house. I’ve made so many versions that I have fine-tuned my recipes to suit different occasions.
This Halftime Chili is precisely what is in order on a cold day when you’ve got the game on and lots of people to feed. The prep is super easy and then it needs time to sit and simmer on the stove which means that you get to sit and simmer, until halftime. Then it’s time to eat!
It is THE perfect football food. It makes a good amount and the leftovers will reheat or freeze beautifully for another meal on another day. Always a bonus in my book!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Three kinds of beans bulk up this tasty chili. Black beans, kidney beans, and chili beans, like Bush’s Chili Beans in Chili Sauce. Chili beans come in different varieties and I like to use pinto beans for a nice mix in this chili. The chili sauce adds nice flavor to the chili so you don’t want to drain the chili beans.
- We have lots of dried seasonings in our pantry so why not use them? A wonderful blend of seasonings including chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper add great depth of flavor to this chili.
The Best Beer for Chili
I most frequently go with a stout, like Guinness, when I make a beer chili. Stouts are deep, dark and add great flavor to chili. If you prefer a lighter style of beer I don’t think it is necessary to run out and buy a stout. I love this chili with a Mexican beer like Modelo or Dos Equis which are pilsner-style lagers. I’ve also done this Halftime Chili with an ale like Newcastle or Sierra Nevada as well. I would not recommend using a lower quality or light beer.
How to Make Halftime Chili
- Grab a great big pot or Dutch oven, place it over medium high heat and pour in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic for several minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break it up with a spoon until it is thoroughly cooked. Drain the grease and return the pot to the stove.
- Add all the wonderful seasonings and cook and stir them into the ground beef for a couple of minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Add the kidney beans.
- Add the black beans.
- And, finally, the chili beans with their sauce and the beer. Combine it well and then bring the chili to a low boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for an hour.
Pull yourself up off the couch just long enough to remove the lid and then let it continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes to thicken up a bit.
Set out your toppings of choice and let everyone have at it. We love grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and cilantro. Of course an cold beer is a natural accompaniment for this easy beer chili.
How to Store Chili
Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Cooked chili keeps well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, transfer the completely cooled chili to zippered gallon-size plastic storage bags. Push out the excess air, close the bags, lay them flat and freeze them solid. Once frozen, the bags can be stacked to save space.
To reheat, safely thaw the bags of chili in the refrigerator, then warm it on the stove or in the microwave.
More Amazing Chili Recipes
- My Three Bean Turkey Chili is on regular rotation on my menu.
- Try my White Chicken Chili for a delicious change from beef.
- Skip the meat altogether and cook up a batch of this amazing Very Veggie Chili. SO good!
- Check out my archives for all of my tasty chili recipes.
Halftime Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 ½ pounds 90% lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I add lots!)
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 14 ½ ounce can tomato sauce
- 16 ounce can chili pinto beans in chili sauce, (like Bush's), undrained
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can kidney beans , rinsed and drained
- 12 ounce bottle beer, (stout, ale, or pilsner style lager recommended)
Optional Toppings
- grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, crushed tortilla chips or saltine crackers, hot sauce or salsa
Instructions
- Heat oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions have softened. Add the ground beef. Cook and stir, breaking up the ground beef until no pink remains. Drain off as much grease as you can from the pot and return it to the heat. Add the chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Mix in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, all the beans, and the beer. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove the lid and stir the chili. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with the toppings of your choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
Inspired by Bon Appetit and Valerie’s Kitchen
This post was originally published on December 1, 2013. It has been updated with new text and images.
This is the best chili recipe!!!! So simple and delicious! The thyme in the recipe is what sets it apart from all the other chili recipes I’ve tried! This one is a keeper! I used Dos Equis lager and it was delicious!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe! Thanks so much for your comment, Joyce. 🙂
I have been making this chili all my adult life. How’d you get my recipe??? I don’t always add the beer, but I’ve made this for 45 years!!!! I also add in a big Tbs of sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes.
Haha! Good tip, Debbie! Thanks so much. 🙂
Great recipe for a basic delicious chili. Also very easy to make. I highly recommend!
Can you cook it in a crock pot
Definitely! Proceed as directed in the recipe except do not add any of the beans. Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, adding the beans during the last hour of the cook time. Canned beans are already cooked and the texture can become unpleasant if cooked for too long in a slow cooker.
Does the alcohol cook out? Wanted to make sure safe for kids? Thanks
After simmering for an hour and half, the alcohol content of the beer should have reduced significantly if not completely. If there is anything left it would be a very small percentage and the amount per serving would be minimal. If you are concerned, you can replace the beer with an equal amount of beef broth.
What can you use instead of beer? Beef broth?
Yes, an equal amount of beef broth is what I would suggest.
I’m assuming this can be done in a crock pot?
This recipe is for 6 to 8 servings. I was wondering what the portion size is for serving?
I am making this for about 11 hungry people and don’t know if I should double or triple the recipe.
thanks!
For 11 I would definitely double it, Sharon. Leftovers are always a good thing when it comes to chili! As written this is plenty for 6.
This is the best ground beef chili I’ve ever had, it’s our go to chili recipe.
Thanks, Bill! I’m so glad to hear that 🙂
I made your chili recipe today and we loved it. We’re really picky and have been looking for years for a good recipe. I think you definitely have a touch of Mom in you! I’m a true fan. Your sis, Linda XOX
I’m glad you guys liked it! You have to try the turkey chili…it’s also very good. Love, ya!
Oh yeah sounds perfect for this cold weather too! I heard it’s a big game this Sunday? I’m always clueless when it comes to sports but I like to make and eat delicious food while everyone focuses on sports. 😀 This looks so good!
Yum! What a perfect comforting bowl of chili!