I’ll admit it—I’ve got a bit of a chili obsession. There’s just something about tweaking a recipe, playing around with spices, and seeing what happens when you try a new ingredient that keeps me coming back to the stovetop. And if there’s a local chili contest coming up, you better believe I’m there, ladle in hand, ready to serve up my latest creation. That’s how Pale Ale Chili was born—out of my never-ending quest to create a version that stands out from the crowd.

Now, chili cook-offs can get pretty competitive, with each participant bringing their own secret ingredient to the table. Some go heavy on the heat, others on the sweetness. But when I stumbled on the idea of adding a pale ale, I knew I had something special on my hands. The beer’s bitterness does wonders with the chili spices, making the flavors more complex and adding just the right amount of edge. Depending on the type of pale ale you use, you can adjust the balance between spicy and bitter, letting you fine-tune the heat level to perfection.

If you’re like me and love experimenting with new chili recipes, this one’s a fun change of pace. The blend of chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin gives that familiar, warming kick, while the pale ale brings a unique depth that keeps people guessing. I’ll never forget the first time I brought this to a cook-off—it had folks coming back for seconds, trying to figure out what that “extra something” was. Little did they know it was the hops giving a subtle twist to the peppers!

The best part? It’s super adaptable. Want a milder version? Go for a pale ale that’s lighter on the hops. Craving more heat? A hoppier IPA will do the trick. It’s that kind of flexibility that makes Pale Ale Chili such a fun addition to the chili-making rotation. And if you’re prepping for your own local contest, you can easily tweak it to suit your audience—though I’ve found that a bit of spice, balanced with the rich, tomatoey base, tends to win over even the toughest judges.

Pale Ale Chili

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The pale ale adds a unique twist to this chili recipe. The bitterness of the hops enhances the flavor of the peppers while adding a distinct bite to the dish. The more bitter the beer, the spicier the dish will become, since the hops enhance the flavor of the peppers, so keep that in mind when choosing your pale ale.

• Author: Addie Gundry
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6-8
• Category: Soups

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 (12-ounce) can pale ale
• 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sour cream, for garnish

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Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Working in batches, quickly brown the stew meat, transferring each batch to a bowl. Once all the meat is browned, set the bowl aside.
2. Add the bell pepper, poblano, and onion to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
3. Return the meat to the pot, along with any juices from the bowl, and add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, pale ale, tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, and black pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for at least 1 hour. The longer you cook the chili, the more tender the meat will be.
5. Ladle into bowls, top with sour cream, and serve.

Whether you’re a fellow chili enthusiast like me or just looking to try something new, this recipe is worth a shot. Who knows? It might just earn you that blue ribbon—or at the very least, some bragging rights at your next gathering.

Give this Pale Ale Chili a whirl, and don’t forget to let me know how it turns out! Did you experiment with a different type of beer, or maybe add a little extra heat? I’d love to hear your twists and how it fares in your next chili showdown. Happy cooking, and may the best chili win!