The bacon gets crisp at the edges before the beef even hits the pot, and the smell already tells you this chili is going to have more going on than a basic tomato-and-bean version. I let the beef brown in the bacon fat, then build the smoky flavor with paprika, cumin, and a small amount of chipotle. The unexpected ingredient is unsweetened cocoa powder: it adds depth without turning the chili sweet or making it taste like a chocolate dessert.
I like this combination because each part has a job. Bacon brings a savory, smoky base, while the crushed tomatoes and beef broth give the spices room to settle into the pot. The cocoa rounds out the tomato and chile flavors, so the finished chili tastes rich rather than sharp.
After an uncovered simmer, the broth thickens around the kidney beans and browned beef. A little crisp bacon stirred in near the end gives each bowl a smoky bite, with a deep, warm sauce underneath.
Kitchen Note
When you stir the cocoa into the tomato paste, the mixture turns dark and thick, and it can look a little dry. Give it the full minute in the pot before adding the tomatoes and broth; the liquid loosens it into the chili instead of leaving cocoa pockets behind.
Save this smoky bacon chili for a cozy dinner—the cocoa deepens the tomato-rich broth, and crisp bacon brings a savory finish.
Why This Chili Needs a Proper Beef Sear Before the Tomatoes Go In
Ground beef can turn gray and soft if it starts cooking in a pot full of liquid. Browning it before the tomatoes and broth go in gives the meat a firmer, more savory base, and it lets the pot stay hot enough for the beef to color rather than steam. Break the meat into small pieces as it cooks so you get browned bits throughout the chili instead of a few large clumps.
The bacon fat helps carry that browning along, but you don’t need all of it. Keeping about a tablespoon in the Dutch oven gives the beef enough fat to cook in; spooning off excess after browning keeps the finished chili from feeling greasy. Those browned bits at the bottom aren’t waste. The broth, tomatoes, and beans loosen them when you scrape the pot, and they become part of the sauce.
This is also why I use a 6-quart Dutch oven for the full batch. It gives the beef space to brown and leaves room to stir the chili once the beans and tomatoes are in.
What the Cocoa, Paprika, and Tomatoes Bring to the Pot
- Bacon and ground beef — Chopped bacon renders into a smoky cooking fat, while 85% lean ground beef gives the chili enough richness without needing a fattier cut. The beef should be broken up as it browns; large pieces take longer to cook through and make the finished texture less even.
- Smoked paprika and chipotle powder — Smoked paprika gives the pot its broad, woodsy aroma, while the smaller amount of chipotle brings a sharper chile heat. Keep the paprika fresh if you can; spices that have been open for a long time lose their fragrance. Regular paprika won’t provide the same smoky character.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder — Cocoa adds a dark, rounded note that softens the acidity of the tomatoes. Standard unsweetened baking cocoa works well here; sweetened cocoa mix doesn’t, because it adds sugar and other ingredients that change the balance.
- Crushed tomatoes and beef broth — Crushed tomatoes create a cohesive base instead of leaving large tomato chunks throughout the chili. Low-sodium broth leaves room for the measured kosher salt to season the pot. If you use diced tomatoes instead, expect a chunkier texture rather than the same smooth, thick sauce.
- Kidney beans — Their firm shape holds up through the uncovered simmer and gives each serving a hearty texture. Drain and rinse them before adding so the canning liquid doesn’t cloud the tomato broth.
Building the Smoky Base in Four Stages
Render the bacon, then brown the beef
Cook the chopped bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pot. Add the ground beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces until browned and it reaches 160°F. Spoon off excess fat before moving on.
Soften the vegetables and bloom the spices
Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the beef and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, chipotle powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, just until the spices smell fragrant. Don’t leave the spices sitting on the heat after that; the brief bloom is enough to wake them up.
Coat the pot with tomato paste and cocoa
Stir in the tomato paste and unsweetened cocoa powder, then cook for 1 minute. The mixture will look darker and thicker than it did before, which is expected. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and drained kidney beans, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven as you stir. Bring the chili to a simmer before lowering the heat.
Simmer uncovered and finish with bacon
Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chili should thicken as moisture cooks off, and the beans should remain intact rather than breaking down into the sauce. Stir the cooked bacon in during the last 10 minutes so its smoky flavor moves into the chili without disappearing into the long simmer.
Three Practical Ways to Adjust This Pot of Chili
Make a lower-carb bowl without the beans
Leave out the kidney beans for a more meat-forward chili with fewer carbohydrates. The pot will have less bulk and a looser texture, so begin checking the thickness toward the shorter end of the simmer window rather than expecting the beans to help the sauce feel substantial.
Use ground turkey for a lighter beef-free version
Replace the ground beef with the same amount of ground turkey and brown it in the bacon fat using the same method. The chili will taste milder and less beefy, while the bacon and smoked paprika keep the base savory. Cook the turkey until it reaches 165°F.
Turn down the chipotle heat
Omit the chipotle powder for a gentler pot that still gets its smoky flavor from the smoked paprika and bacon. The result has less chile heat and a rounder, milder finish, without changing the cooking method.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled chili in a covered container for 3–4 days. The beans will soften a little as they sit, and the sauce may thicken.
- Freezer: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Leave a little space at the top of each container, since the chili expands as it freezes.
- Reheating: Warm it gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, until it reaches 165°F. If it has thickened in the fridge, stir in a splash of beef broth; high heat can scorch the thick tomato base before the center is hot.
Questions That Come Up While Making Bacon Chili
Secret Ingredient Bacon Chili with Smoky Flavor
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pot.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and it reaches 160°F.
- Spoon off excess fat.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, chipotle powder, salt, and black pepper; cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and kidney beans, scraping the bottom of the pot.
- Bring the chili to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thickened.
- Stir in the cooked bacon during the last 10 minutes.