Award-Winning Beef Chili Recipe
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.
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.
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!
The beauty of a simple bowl of chili is the infinite number of possibilities that make it anything but simple. 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.
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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Texas Sized Chili Bar
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil or any cooking oil
- 1 Onion diced
- 1 - 1 ½ lbs. Ground Beef
- Salt + Pepper
- 1 - 12 ounce can of Dr. Pepper
- 2 - 14 ½ ounce cans Tomato Sauce
- 1 - 14 ½ ounce can Chili Beans
- 1 - 14 ½ 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.
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!
Sondra MacArthur
Melissa, this is a new family favorite! Thank you!
Modern Honey
Hi Sondra! Thank you cuz. It makes me so happy that your family liked it. We need a reunion!
Alicia
Have you tried caffeine free or diet for the DP? Wondering if it would give an off-taste...
Modern Honey
Hi Alicia! I haven't tried either one but I believe either one will work just great. The caffeine won't make a difference as it is more about the carbonation and depth of flavor it gives to the sauce. Diet soda may give a slightly different taste but with so much spice going on in the chili, I don't think it will be detectable at all. If you try it, let me know how it turns out. Great question! xo - Melissa 🙂
Jenn
Could u add 2 additional meats to the recipe and in doing so would I need to add any more or any less spices?
Lisa
Would this work in a slow cooker?
Mary
I won the Chili cook-off at our church Fall Fest with this recipe. Thank you!!!
I used avocado oil in place of olive oil. In addition to ground beef I added ground pork. I used rotel diced tomatoes and Chile’s.
It was too salty for me so I added some sugar and it was PERFECT!
Can’t wait to make for a meal at home. Thanks again for sharing!
Allie
I agree! I think the ranch and taco seasonings make it too salty. I mixed in a little brown sugar and it evened it out really nicely. I might try finding low sodium seasonings or using fresh garlic instead of garlic salt next time. Love this recipe 🙂
Nicole
Delicious! Had to thicken it a bit but we love it!
Julie
This was a hit with my family, well...everyone except my mother. But she doesn’t like spicy food. This was delicious.
AMY MURAUSKIS
Have you tried putting this in a crock pot?? Thinking of making this recipe for an upcoming chili cook off.
Melissa
I’ve only always made this recipe in a crockpot. (5-6 times now!)Just brown the meat snd throw it all in. 8 hours on low or 6 on high. I also add deer and pork chops that I sear first! Husband loves it!
Carlene
Do you drain the meat after cooking?
Lauren c
Oh man this is by far the BEST chili I have ever made!!!! This recipe is amazing!!
Bob Smith
This isn’t called award winning for nothing! I made this for a chili cook off at work and won first place!! I made it exactly except added 2 tablespoons of cumin to a double batch and used granulated garlic instead of garlic salt because I was afraid it might be too salty. Made it the night before on the stove and then brought it to work in a crockpot and reheated on high for about 3 1/2 hours and it was awesome! Thanks!
Modern Honey
I love to hear that, Bob! Thank you! It always makes me so happy to hear when it is a winner for my readers! Also, thanks for sharing your great tips. I appreciate it! -- Melissa
Dawni
Fed it to a crowd and everyone loved it! My new favorite chili recipe!
Modern Honey
Awww, thank you, Dawni! I appreciate you so much trying my recipes. You are the best!
Jessica Ward
The recipe was good. I won first place at work in chili cook-off! Thank you!
Modern Honey
Yay! I love to hear it, Jessica! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and I am so glad it won!
Jennifer Knuston
I hate chili....made this for a cook off and tried some...OH MY GOSH! This is one of the best things I’ve ever tried! Amazing! I’m hooked!
Becca
I was looking for a last minute chili recipe for our city’s chili cook off. I stumbled across this one. Guess what? I brought home a big trophy!!!! Thanks so much for sharing this!
Tony
Great recipe. I make this in a slow cooker and let it simmer all day. The only things I do different are, I use garlic powder instead of garlic salt, add alittle taco seasoning when browning meat and use Mr. Pibb instead of Dr. Pepper. Always a great bowl of chili. Thanks. I'm making a pot on Sunday to have for the football games. Go Cowboys!!!
Amanda
I want to try this in a crockpot. After browning the meat how long did you let it sit on low for with all of the ingredients together?
Thanks!
Robin
Made your chili tonight for dinner...love it! Definitely new family favorite!
Thanks!
Ann B
I always make our "tried & true" chili. However, since we have chili quite a bit in the winter, I wanted to use another recipe to change it up a bit. WOW!! This was amazing and very different from our T&T. It's a bit on the sweet side but NOT too sweet at all - I'm attributing that to the Dr. Pepper (who'd have thought?). The ranch dressing and taco seasoning caught my curiosity and then when I read that folks were winning chili contests --well I HAD to try it. YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY TRY THIS!!! I doubled the recipe right off the bat! The only thing I added was an extra can of kidney beans and a can of corn (both drained) and a bit of chopped green pepper and celery. This will be an absolute DO OVER - thank you!!
Sara
This recipe won me my very first chili contest! Soooo good! Can’t wait to keep putting different touches to it! Thanks for sharing!
Lindsie Long
In the process of making this chili right now! It smells delicious and I'm excited to try it! For the beans, I bought Bush's Kidney Chili beans. I poured the whole can in and didn't drain them...is this correct?
Victoria
Can you substitute ground turkey? I don’t eat red meat but this recipe looks so yummy!
Shami R
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!
Sara
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!
Angela
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.
Shanea
Sounds so simple and delicious, what tomato sauce do you recommend though??
Robin Hunau
How would you thicken this?
Jennifer Cimperman
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).
Brando
Do you add water or beef broth for the liquid? Or is just the tomato paste ok?
Shelly
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
Rylan
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?
Cathy
Fantastic recipe. I added Cayenne Pepper. It was so good my husband said Ive gone from making the wolds worst chili to the best! Thanks so much. Loved it
lisa g.
How many bowls does this make, please?
Kathy
I made this last night with diet Dr. Pepper and it was fantastic. I'll be making this again. . Thank you
Lorena
This is truly the most delicious chili I have ever tasted, just like all of Modern Honey’s recipes, nothing unusual about that. I wanted to get brunch on the stove early, before I ran out of steam after walking the dogs this morning. Even before the flavors have fully developed I am tasting it and different flavor notes hit around my mouth. So yummy. Thanks!! Made a big cast iron skillet of cornbread to go with it and have all the fixings.