Over-the-Top Chili with Bourbon and Maple

Go ahead and argue about the beans. I’m putting bourbon in mine and hanging meat over it.

For this over-the-top chili, we’re mixing ground beef and breakfast sausage, shaping it into a loaf, and coating the outside with Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub. That loaf goes on a rack above a pot of chili, where it smokes while the pot catches the drippings.

Down below, we’ve got fire-roasted tomatoes, hot chili beans, bourbon, real maple syrup, and a serrano pepper. Once the meat is cooked, we break it up and stir it into the pot, seasoned crust and all.

You were going to spend the afternoon standing around the smoker anyway. Might as well have chili at the end of it.

Why Put the Meat on Top?

Keeping the meat above the pot gives the outside a chance to take on smoke and develop a seasoned crust before it gets mixed into the chili.

Meanwhile, the drippings fall into the beans and tomatoes underneath. When you finally crumble the loaf, those pieces of smoked beef and sausage bring that crust into the finished chili.

Leave some pieces a little bigger when you break it up. Finding a good chunk of smoked meat on your spoon is part of the appeal.

Over-the-Top Chili Recipe

Yield: 1 batch
Prep Time: Approximately 20 minutes
Stovetop Time: Approximately 20 minutes
Estimated Smoker Time: 3–5 hours
Smoker Temperature: 225°F, then 250°F
Target Internal Temperature: 165°F in the center of the loaf

Cooking times are estimates. The thickness of the loaf and how your smoker runs will affect the first stage. After that, finish the chili to the consistency you like.

Ingredients

For the Smoked Meat

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound breakfast sausage
• Approximately 2 tablespoons Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub, enough for an even exterior coating

For the Bourbon Maple Chili

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 serrano pepper, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup bourbon
• ¼ cup real maple syrup
• 1 packet Williams Chili Seasoning, 1 ounce
• 2 cans Brooks Hot Chili Beans, 15.5 ounces each, including the liquid
• 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes, 14.5 ounces each, including the liquid
• 1 can tomato paste, 6 ounces

Equipment

• Smoker or pellet grill
• Smoker-safe Dutch oven with a lid, large enough for the chili and cooked meat with room to stir
• Sturdy, oven-safe rack that securely supports the loaf above the pot
• Meat thermometer
• Mixing bowl
• Clean tray or cutting board for breaking up the cooked meat

How to Make Over-the-Top Chili

1. Get the Smoker Ready

Preheat your smoker to 225°F.

Check your Dutch oven and rack arrangement before everything gets hot. The loaf needs to sit securely above the chili, with its drippings landing inside the pot. Make sure the smoker lid closes with the whole setup in place.

2. Shape and Season the Meat

Combine the ground beef and breakfast sausage in a bowl, mixing just until they’re evenly combined.

Shape the mixture into a squat loaf that will hold together on the rack. Give it an even coating of Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub, including the sides and underneath. About 2 tablespoons is a starting point; spread it over the entire surface.

Refrigerate the loaf while you prepare the chili base.

3. Soften the Vegetables

Reserve a few tablespoons of liquid from the fire-roasted tomatoes and add it to the Dutch oven.

Place the pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the onion and serrano, then cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Use a little more liquid from the tomato cans if needed to keep things from sticking.

Add the minced garlic during the last 30–60 seconds.

4. Add the Bourbon and Build the Chili

Move the pot off the burner before adding the bourbon. Return it to the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for approximately 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, Williams Chili Seasoning, and maple syrup.

Add the fire-roasted tomatoes with their remaining liquid and the Brooks Hot Chili Beans with all their liquid. Stir everything together and bring it to a simmer.

Keep those canned liquids in the recipe. The chili has several hours of cooking ahead of it.

5. Put the Meat Over the Pot

Transfer the uncovered Dutch oven to the smoker and position the loaf on the rack above it.

Smoke at 225°F until the center of the loaf reaches 165°F. Allow approximately 2–3 hours, checking with a thermometer to determine when it’s ready.

Stir the chili base periodically and keep an eye on how much it’s thickening.

This is the part where everybody walks over and asks what you’re doing. Point at the drippings. They’ll catch on.

6. Break It Up and Stir It In

Transfer the cooked loaf to a clean tray or cutting board.

Break it into crumbles, leaving a mix of smaller and larger pieces. Scrape up the seasoned exterior and add all of it to the chili.

Increase the smoker temperature to 250°F.

Stir the pot thoroughly and verify that the chili itself reaches at least 165°F before tasting, since it has been collecting meat drippings.

7. Let the Chili Finish

Continue cooking at 250°F for approximately 1–2 hours, until the chili reaches the consistency you want.

Stir every 30–45 minutes, gently scraping along the bottom of the pot.

Once the chili has enough smoke and has thickened to your liking, cover the Dutch oven to limit further reduction. Skim off any noticeable pools of fat if needed.

Then grab the bowls.

A Few Notes Before You Start

Give the loaf some width. A squat loaf is easier to support on the rack, and its thickness will affect how long it takes to cook.

Keep an eye on the pot. Beans and tomato paste help this chili thicken. Stir throughout the cook, and use the lid once you’re happy with the smoke and consistency.

Use real maple syrup. There’s only a quarter cup in the batch, adding sweetness alongside the bourbon, peppers, and smoked meat.

The bourbon stays in the recipe. Simmering it starts the reduction, but it doesn’t guarantee that all the alcohol cooks out.

Save Some for Loaded Tots

Before the pot hits the table, set aside 1½ cups if you’re planning to make loaded tater tots. Smoked chili over crispy tots with queso is a pretty good reason to protect a little from the first round of bowls.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers. When reheating, stir well and bring the chili to 165°F throughout.

Anybody still complaining about the beans can make their own pot.