Smokey Bacon Chili

Smokey Bacon Chili

Typically chili is associated with the fall season, especially football! Though not only is chili a super versatile dish; it’s also extremely tasty! Most importantly, it’s pretty simple to make and requires minimal effort on your end! So if you ask me, chili is great for every season!

It is especially great for when you have friends and family coming over. You can supply a full meal for everyone and your clean up is easy too! Or, on those days that you just don’t have any time to cook but still need to feed your family? Yup, make some smokey bacon chili!

Don’t let me mislead you though… you don’t need a gathering of people to make chili! There have been plenty of times when I made it for me, myself, and I; and I wouldn’t be opposed to doing that again.

Time to serve it up

While the chili was simmering, I decided to get some other meal prep done by throwing some diced sweet potatoes in the oven to roast. That’s when it dawned on me… Why not serve the smokey bacon chili over the sweet potatoes?! So that I did! It paired perfectly, and you get all the added benefits of sweet potatoes too! Which just means you can indulge guilt free!

Even though this smokey bacon chili is filling on it’s own, I couldn’t help but decide what else would pair well and I immediately thought of my Honey Muffins! They are the perfect paleo replacement for cornbread! And if you have no room left, just save them for the next day! Though I have a feeling you’ll be eating them right then and there!

Knowing what will pair well is important! But none of that matters if the chili isn’t made right! So let’s talk about the most important part… THE MEAT!

Why is quality meat important?

One thing to remember about chili (just like most soups and stews) the flavor comes from the time spent simmering. Yes, if you just threw all the ingredients together, it would still have flavor; but it would be missing that mouth watering, jaw dropping taste that comes from the simmering process.

Realizing this, it’s clear to see how quality ingredients would play a role in creating the taste you desire!

In this smokey bacon chili you have two meats; beef and bacon. And if you were to use low quality meat, the flavor would not properly simmer and it will change the taste profile. Which is why I always recommend using grass-fed, pasture-raised beef, chicken, and pork.

Sadly, not everyone has a local butcher or meat farmer that can supply them with quality meats though!

I am happy to announce that ButcherBox now offers these amazing qualities of meat (bacon + beef) with all of their other great products too! Fueled by their passion for healthy, sustainable food, ButcherBox partnered with farmers who share their values to develop a meat, poultry, and seafood program unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere. From 100% grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork to free-range chicken and sustainable seafood, they’re setting a new industry standard with this incredible new program.

They’ll deliver grass-fed and grass-finished, pasture-raised beef, chicken, and pork (of your choosing) straight to your door!

So there’s no longer an excuse to use low quality meat!

Alright, are you ready to make this amazing smokey bacon chili?  Here’s what you have to do:

Smokey Bacon Chili

George Bryant (Civilized Caveman)

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• 6 slices of bacon cubed
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 red pepper diced
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder Reduce by half for a milder spice
• 2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 14 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat.
• Add onion, red pepper, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until tender.
• To the vegetables, add ground beef, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook until the ground beef is browned, breaking with wooden spoon into smaller pieces.
• To the beef, add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• Let simmer for 10 minutes, or until desired consistency is achieved.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Stir and eat

Interested in eating more healthy for a better life?

Listen to our friends over at Wellness Force Radio to learn about the “5 Must Have Nutrition Fundamentals”