BBQ pork chili for 10: ground pork browned with onion and peppers, then simmered with crushed tomatoes, pinto and kidney beans, chipotle and a cup of barbecue sauce, with pulled pork stirred in at the end. Use leftover smoked pork or a tub of plain pulled pork from the store. It's made the day before, so the lot work is just reheating and setting out toppings.
Feeds: 10 (about 1⅓ cups each) · Hands-on: about 30 min · Total: about 1½ hours
Home gear: a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot
Pack for the lot
- Chili, sealed, in the cooler
- Cheddar, green onions, jalapeños and sour cream, in the cooler
- Chips or saltines
- Pot with a lid and a ladle
- Propane burner, or a grill with a cover
- Instant-read thermometer
- Bowls and spoons
- Trash bags
Lot notes
- Fuel: a propane burner is the simple choice. On a grill, set the pot over the cooler side once it's hot so the bottom doesn't burn.
- Holding hot: keep it at 140°F or above with the lid on. If it drops below that, bring it back to 165°F.
- Toppings: sour cream and cheese ride at 40°F or below. Toss anything left out past 2 hours, or 1 hour over 90°F.
- The Vanderbilt rule: the FirstBank Stadium guide says grills are "Not in garages, under tents or within 25 feet of a building. Propane tanks up to 20 lbs; charcoal grills need a cover." Vanderbilt has no coal bins, so pack your ashes out.
- Hold it hot without a flame: ladle the hot chili into half-size pans and the Revo Dubler HEAT keeps covered food servable warm for up to 5 hours on microwave heat packs, per Revo, so check it still reads 140°F or above.
Can you make BBQ pork chili ahead?
Yes. Make it up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Chili tastes better the next day, and reheating at the lot takes about 20 minutes.
How do you keep chili hot at a tailgate?
Hold the pot on low at 140°F or above and stir it every few minutes. A lidded pot wrapped in towels inside an empty cooler stays hot for about 2 hours.
How much BBQ pork chili for 20 people?
Make 2 batches: 2 lb of ground pork, 2 lb of pulled pork, 2 cans of crushed tomatoes, 4 cans of pinto beans, 2 cans of kidney beans and 2 cups of barbecue sauce. Cook it in 2 pots, or 1 pot of 12 quarts or more.
Can you cook at FirstBank Stadium?
Yes, in the open. The FirstBank Stadium guide says grills are "Not in garages, under tents or within 25 feet of a building. Propane tanks up to 20 lbs; charcoal grills need a cover." A propane burner on a standard tank keeps the pot hot.