Southern soul chili is a bold, smoky pot of ground beef, hot sausage, and two kinds of beans, built on a slow simmered base of barbecue sauce, tomato, and beer that takes about 2 hours 50 minutes.
It is the kind of chili people bring to a cook off or a game day potluck: deeply savory, a little sweet, and loud with spice. Plan on a lazy afternoon of stirring and tasting, and the reward is a pot that feeds a crowd.
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Why This Southern Soul Chili Recipe Works
Two meats give this pot its depth. Ground beef supplies a rich, beefy base, and hot sausage adds fat, spice, and a peppery bite that carries through every spoonful.
The sauce is where the soul comes in. Barbecue sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, and a spoonful of honey layer sweet, tangy, and smoky notes, while the beer adds a mellow malt backbone.
Because the beans go in late, they keep their shape instead of turning to mush, and the long simmer lets the sauce thicken to a rich, glossy finish.
Ingredients for Southern Soul Chili
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 pound hot pork sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 poblano pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces tomato paste (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 can (16 oz) crushed tomatoes, no salt added
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup hot barbecue sauce
- 12 ounces lager beer
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cans (15 oz each) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- Sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced scallions, hot sauce, and jalapenos, for serving
Meats: Use a 90 percent lean ground beef and a hot pork sausage. Squeeze the sausage out of its casings so it browns into crumbles.
Barbecue sauces: Pick a sauce you enjoy on its own. The hot version adds a slow burn, and you can swap it for more of the regular sauce if you want less heat.
Beer: A basic lager works well. Dark beers can turn the chili bitter.
Beans: Rinse the beans well, since the canning liquid adds extra sodium and a dull taste.
How to Make Southern Soul Chili
1. Brown the meats. In a large stockpot or cast iron Dutch oven over medium high heat, cook the beef and sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking them into crumbles, until no pink remains and both reach 160 degrees F. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
2. Cook the vegetables. Add the poblano, celery, and onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. Hold the garlic back for now.
3. Build the sauce base. Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the chili powder, salt, pepper, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and both barbecue sauces. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the liquids. Stir in the garlic, beer, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and honey until smooth.
5. Simmer low. Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 75 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add water 1/4 cup at a time.
6. Add the beans. Stir in both kinds of beans and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring often, until the chili is thick and glossy.
7. Taste and adjust. Taste and add a pinch of salt, more chili powder, or a splash of hot sauce. Let the pot sit for 5 minutes before serving.
How to Serve Southern Soul Chili
Serve the chili in deep bowls with sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced scallions, and a few jalapeno rings. A skillet of Southern fried cornbread hoecakes soaks up the sauce nicely, and Roasted chile cheese cornbread adds a cheesy bite. Round out the table with macaroni salad with sour cream and honey butter dinner rolls.
How to Store and Reheat Southern Soul Chili
Cool the chili within 2 hours, then refrigerate in covered containers for 3 to 4 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove over medium low heat until it reaches 165 degrees F, adding a splash of broth if it has tightened up.
Tips and Variations for Southern Soul Chili
Skim the fat. Hot sausage can release a lot of grease, so spoon off the excess before adding the vegetables.
Go gentle on the salt. The sausage, sauces, and Worcestershire already bring plenty, so taste at the end before adding any.
Stir often. The sugars in barbecue sauce can scorch on the bottom, so scrape the pot every few minutes.
Adjust the heat. Use mild sausage and skip the hot barbecue sauce for a family friendly pot, or add a diced jalapeno for more fire.
Use the oven. Cover the pot and simmer in a hot oven at 300 degrees F for the same time if you prefer hands off cooking.
Add the beans late. Beans added at the start break down and turn the chili muddy.
Make it ahead. The flavor deepens overnight, so cook it a day ahead for a cook off or gathering.
Cool it quickly. Divide a big pot into shallow containers so it chills fast. For general leftover guidance, see this Purdue Extension guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Southern Soul Chili
What makes southern soul chili different from regular chili?
It leans on barbecue sauce, beer, and two meats for a sweeter, smokier, more layered flavor than a simple tomato and chili powder base.
Can I make southern soul chili without beer?
Yes. Replace the beer with more low sodium beef broth and add 1 teaspoon of vinegar for a little tang.
How long should southern soul chili simmer?
Plan on at least 75 minutes of simmering before the beans go in, then 30 more minutes with the beans so the pot turns thick and glossy.
Can I freeze it in portions?
Yes, freeze cooled chili in airtight containers for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
What toppings go well on this pot?
Sour cream, sharp cheddar, sliced scallions, pickled jalapenos, and crushed corn chips all work well.
Southern Soul Chili
Equipment
- Large stockpot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Colander
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
- 1 lb hot pork sausage casings removed
- ½ poblano pepper chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4 oz tomato paste
- 16 oz crushed tomatoes no salt added
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup hot barbecue sauce
- 12 oz lager beer
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans rinsed and drained
Instructions
Cooking
- Brown beef and sausage. Cook both meats in a large pot over medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until crumbled, browned, and at 160 degrees F. Leave 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot. Soften the vegetables. Cook the poblano, celery, and onion for 6 to 8 minutes until tender.
- Simmer the base. Turn the heat to medium and add chili powder, salt, pepper, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and both barbecue sauces. Cook 15 minutes, stirring often.
- Pour in the liquids. Add garlic, beer, broth, Worcestershire, vinegar, and honey and stir well.
- Long simmer. Reduce to low and cook 75 minutes, stirring now and then. Add 1/4 cup water if the pot gets too thick.
- Finish with beans. Add the kidney and black beans and simmer 30 minutes more until thick.
- Rest. Let it stand 5 minutes, adjust the seasoning, and serve with toppings.
