Sally’s West Coast Chili

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Cook: 3 hours

Makes

12 servings (4 quarts)

Updated: Oct. 24, 2022
We often have chili cook-offs at our church, so we trade lots of different recipes. I was always mixing and matching ingredients and experimenting, trying to come up with an original recipe that would be a little different. That's how I developed this one, and I never fail to get compliments on it! —Sally Grisham, Murray, Kentucky
Sally's West Coast Chili Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1 pound sliced bacon, diced
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 cup chili sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking cocoa
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder, optional
  • 3 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain. Reserve 3 tablespoons drippings.
  2. Brown beef in drippings. Add onions; cook until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Return bacon to pan. Stir in the next 12 ingredients.
  3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 3 hours.
  4. Add beans and heat through. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with cheddar cheese.