Big-batch chili for 16: ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, tomatoes and a hard-working spice mix, simmered in one big pot and set out with a toppings bar so everyone builds their own bowl. It takes about 2 hours, and it's better made the day before, so game day is just reheating, whether you're homegating or carrying the pot to the lot.
Feeds: 16 (about 1½ cups each) · Hands-on: about 30 min · Total: about 2 hours
Home gear: a 10-quart or larger heavy pot (or 2 smaller pots), and a slow cooker for holding
Pack for the lot
- Chili, reheated to 165°F, in a clipped slow cooker or insulated jugs
- Cheddar, sour cream and green onions, in the cooler
- Red onion and jalapeños
- Corn chips and crackers
- Hot sauce
- Ladle and serving spoons
- Instant-read thermometer
- Extension cord, or a camp stove and pot for the lot
- Bowls, spoons and napkins
- Trash bags
Lot notes
- Holding hot: a slow cooker on warm keeps chili at 140°F or above for the whole game. Check it with a thermometer. Once it drops below 140°F, eat it within 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's over 90°F, then toss the rest.
- Don't heat it from cold in the slow cooker: a slow cooker warms too slowly to bring cold chili up safely. Reheat it on the stove to 165°F first.
- Toppings on ice: the cheese, sour cream and green onions sit on a tray of ice or go back in the cooler, at 40°F or below. Toss any that have been out past 2 hours.
- At the lot: with no outlet, a full propane tank and a camp stove keep the pot hot. Set the pot over the lowest flame and stir it every so often.
- Cleanup: fill the pot with hot water while you eat. Chili scrubs out easily wet and badly dry.
Can you make chili ahead of time for a party?
Yes, and it's better that way. Make it up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate it in shallow containers, and reheat it on the stove to 165°F before it goes in the slow cooker.
How do you keep chili hot at a tailgate?
Reheat it to 165°F at home and carry it in a clipped slow cooker or insulated jugs. At the lot, hold it over a low flame on a camp stove, and keep it at 140°F or above.
How much chili do you need for 20 people?
Plan on about 1½ cups each, or 30 cups. Multiply everything by 1¼: 5 lb of beef, 4 cans each of kidney and pinto beans and about 2½ cans of crushed tomatoes. That's more than a 10-quart pot holds, so use a 12-quart pot or cook 2 batches.
What goes on a chili toppings bar?
Shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onions, diced red onion, pickled jalapeños, corn chips, saltines and hot sauce cover it. Keep the dairy on ice.