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Chili Cook-Off Winning Beef Chili Recipe. There are SECRET ingredients that make this a winning chili recipe. How to make the best chili around! People will be begging for the recipe and want to know your secrets.
Award-Winning Beef Chili Recipe
This is hands-down our family’s favorite beef chili recipe. It is super simple and made with layers of flavor and two secret ingredients. This is what makes it so unique and why it is such a crowd favorite.
Having the ultimate chili recipe in your repertoire is pretty darn important! Chili competitions are a big deal and this recipe just may win you the coveted top prize. It did for me and hopefully, you will come home with the bragging rights too.
What is the secret to making the best chili?
The secret ingredients — Dr. Pepper (or your favorite soda such as Coke or even root beer) and ranch dressing powder! You just need to trust me on this one — they make all the difference!
What are some beef chili toppings?
The beauty of a simple bowl of chili is the infinite number of possibilities that make it anything but simple. I call it a Texas Sized Chili Bar. Just set out some white bowls, fill them with Mexican cheeses, sour cream, cilantro, fresh lime, green onions, tortilla strips, and creamy avocado and you have a Texas-sized chili bar that will please the masses.
I think the toppings make a huge difference in the final bowl of chili. They add some freshness and creaminess to the Texas chili.
This is the recipe that I used to win a few Chili Cook-Off Contests. It’s all about the secret ingredients that make the huge difference! Here is the proof….
When I go to Chipotle, I order the same thing every single time. I basically put everything (I mean everything) they offer in my fajita bowl and it becomes a huge masterpiece. When I go with my “picky” friend, I watch in bewilderment as she orders rice, chicken, and cheese. That’s it. This is where the beauty lies in a chili bar because your guests can pile it sky high with toppings or keep it simple.
How to make the best beef chili:
This recipe has few MVP ingredients which sets it apart. Can you guess what makes this chili so unique and prize worthy? Well, I will share the secret….a big ol can of Dr. Pepper does the trick. Let all my soda lovers out there rejoice! You can also use Coke or Root Beer, if you can believe it. I have tried all 3 sodas in this chili recipe and they’ve all been successful but DP may be my personal favorite.
The other secret ingredient is definitely
ranch dressing powder. It adds such a fresh and creamy flavor. It is a huge game changer!
It’s good hearty “man food” (don’t worry…ladies like it too) and is hands down one of my husband’s favorite meals and the perfect accompaniment to a cold winter’s day. The best news is that it not only tastes good, it’s lightning-fast to put together.
The key to this recipe is to season as you go along. When you add salt and pepper to the ground beef as it’s cooking, it seals in the flavor so each component is savory. Feel free to taste away and add more spice if you can handle it! Spice is good.
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Best Beef Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil or any cooking oil
- 1 Onion diced
- 1 – 1 1/2 lbs. Ground Beef
- Salt + Pepper
- 1 – 12 ounce can of Dr. Pepper
- 2 – 14 1/2 ounce cans Tomato Sauce
- 1 – 14 1/2 ounce can Chili Beans
- 1 – 14 1/2 ounce can Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 3 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Ancho Chili Powder or any Chili Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing Powder
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Salt
Chili Bar Toppings:
- Mexican Cheeses
- Sour Cream or Mexican Crema
- Fresh Limes
- Green Onions
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Tortilla Chips or Strips
Instructions
- Heat pot over medium heat and add oil. Heat for 1 minute and add diced onions. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. Add ground beef and let brown, breaking up into small pieces as it is cooking. Generously season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to medium low and add Dr. Pepper, tomato sauce, chili beans, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, chili powder, ranch dressing mix, and garlic salt.
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes to let flavors intensify.
- Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, avocado, tortilla strips, and sprinkle with fresh lime.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Now go light a fire, snuggle in a blanket with your bowl of warm chili, and watch the big game with your friends and family. Oh…and bring home a big trophy at the next Chili Cook-Off too.
Happy Cooking!
I want to try this but I like chunky tomatoes on mine? Would that change the taste If I add some stewed tomatoes that I smash with my hand?
I make your recipe exactly like you do and we think it’s perfect, it’s absolutely delicious.
I would not consider changing one thing, we love it!!! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe with us.
God Bless,
Shelly
Do you add water or beef broth for the liquid? Or is just the tomato paste ok?
This wasn’t my type of chili but it DID win the chili contest at my work. I added an additional can of beans, (one can kidney and one can cannelloni), used 16 oz of Dr.Pepper, subbed garlic powder for the garlic salt and added a 6oz can of tomato paste. I put in about 1t each salt and pepper to start and ended up adding the extra 4 oz of soda because it was too salty (and I’m a salt goddess, so, yeah…go easy on the additional salt).
How would you thicken this?
Sounds so simple and delicious, what tomato sauce do you recommend though??
Took this to a chili cook off and it won 3rd place! I was proud! The first place had ghost peppers and apparently the judges liked HOT HOT. lol. My husband absolutely LOVES this chili. Today makes the third time I’m making it in just 2 weeks.
First thing, I don’t like chili, but this is a game changer! I mKe this weekly in the fall and winter! I follow the recipe exactly and it is the best!
Hi, Melissa. I am going to try your recipe for our school’s fundraiser chili cook-off. Would you be able to approximate how much chili this recipe makes in terms of quarts? I wasn’t sure how much you estimate for 1 serving of chili (1 cup or more?). Many thanks!
Can you substitute ground turkey? I don’t eat red meat but this recipe looks so yummy!