Smoky Beef and Bacon Chili

A smoky, spicy, hearty chili with bacon and ground beef. Serve with your choice of toppings--sour cream and Cheddar cheese work well.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large clove garlic, diced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon dark red chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons dark red chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon chipotle hot sauce, or more to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans

Steps

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add onion, cover, and cook until translucent, 4 to 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and cook and stir until browned and crumbly, 6 to 10 minutes. Stir in chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper; cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, beer, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce; stir well.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover partially and cook until reduced, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in black and kidney beans. Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.