Campfire Chili
on Nov 03, 2026
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This Campfire Chili is loaded with tender beans, savory bites of salt pork, and a rich tomato base seasoned with ancho chile, cumin, and a little chipotle heat. A packet of instant coffee adds depth while the Dutch oven bubbles away over a wood fire.
This recipe takes a few cues from my smoked brisket chili, with extra beans and salt pork bringing the hearty flavor to this pot. Build a fire, set up a grill grate, and give the chili a gentle simmer while everyone gets hungry.
Why This Campfire Chili Works
Rendering the salt pork gives you a flavorful base for the onion and bell pepper. A little of that fat carries the spices through the chili, while tomato paste adds body to the diced tomatoes and beef stock.
Black beans and kidney beans make this a filling pot of chili without needing a large cut of meat. Ancho brings earthy chile flavor, cumin adds warmth, and the coffee gives the sauce a deeper savory edge. Chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce bring smoky heat and a tangy, savory flavor that rounds out the tomatoes.
Pro Tips for the Best Campfire Chili
Cook over steady heat. Establish a bed of coals before the Dutch oven goes on the grate. Keep a cooler area available so you can move the pot when the fire flares up.
Leave only a little rendered fat. About 2 tablespoons is enough to soften the vegetables and bloom the spices. More can leave the finished chili greasy.
Bloom the spices briefly. Stir them into the tomato paste and vegetables just until fragrant, then add the stock. Hot cast iron can scorch ground spices quickly.
Scrape the bottom as you stir. Pay attention to the corners of the pot, where thick chili can stick. Adjust the fire if the bottom keeps catching.
Keep extra stock handy. Open-fire cooking makes evaporation less predictable. Add a little stock when needed to keep the chili thick but spoonable.
Ingredients That Matter
Salt pork builds the base. Small pieces render more evenly and are easier to eat in a spoonful of chili. Remove the rind if your piece has one, and use unsalted beef stock to balance the salt already in the pork.
Two kinds of beans add texture. Black beans and kidney beans add variety. Use canned beans, drained and rinsed, so they are ready for the relatively short simmer.
Onion, bell pepper, and garlic bring the flavor. Give the onion and pepper time to soften before adding the garlic. That extra minute of cooking takes the raw edge off the garlic without burning it.
Tomatoes and tomato paste work together. Keep the juices from the diced tomatoes. The paste gives the broth more body and a stronger tomato flavor base.
Ancho and cumin lead the seasoning. Use pure ancho chile powder, with smoked paprika, oregano, and black pepper. The recipe includes ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
Chipotle peppers in adobo bring smoky heat. Use ½ of a standard 7-ounce can, about 3½ ounces, with the peppers chopped and half of the sauce included. Stir them in with the tomatoes and stock. The adobo adds tangy, savory flavor along with the heat from the peppers.
Coffee is the secret ingredient. Plain Starbucks VIA Pike Place Roast is the secret flavor enhancer for prize-worthy chili. Do not use flavored coffee. You can also use a double shot of espresso instead.
Substitutions and Variations
Roasted poblano peppers: Swap the bell pepper for 1 to 2 poblano peppers charred over the fire. Let them steam in a covered bowl, then peel, seed, and dice them. Stir them in with the tomatoes for a deeper roasted pepper flavor.
Smoked brisket: Replace the salt pork entirely with 1 to 2 cups of chopped cooked brisket. Skip the rendering step and use 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil or beef tallow to sauté the vegetables. Add the brisket with the beans and tomatoes, then simmer gently. Taste before adding salt, especially if the brisket has a salty rub. If you love this version, try my smoked brisket chili, too.
Beer in the broth: Replace 1 cup of the beef stock with 1 cup of amber ale or lager, keeping the total liquid at 2 cups. The malty flavor pairs well with the coffee and smoky chipotles. Skip heavily hopped beers, which can make the chili taste bitter.
Milder chili: Start with 1 chopped chipotle pepper and 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce instead of half a can. Keep the ancho chile powder and cumin for flavor, then taste and add more chipotle or sauce if you want a little more heat. For an even gentler version, omit the chipotles and adobo; the smoked paprika still brings smoky flavor.
Different beans: Pinto beans are an easy swap for either the black beans or kidney beans. Use your favorite combination, keeping the total at four 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed.
Charred corn: Grill a few ears of corn over the fire until lightly charred, then cut the kernels from the cobs. Stir 1 to 1½ cups of kernels into the chili during the last 10 to 15 minutes of simmering for little bursts of sweetness that balance the smoky heat.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
Dice the onion and bell pepper and measure the spices before heading outside. Keep the salt pork refrigerated or in a properly chilled cooler until you are ready to cook. Having everything ready makes it easier to focus on the fire.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers and use within 3 to 4 days. Freeze portions for up to 3 months for best quality, then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the chili reaches 165°F throughout. Add a splash of stock if it has thickened in the refrigerator. For a single bowl, microwave in short intervals, stirring between each one so the center heats evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use medium heat to render the pork and soften the vegetables, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer once the remaining ingredients are added. Stir regularly and use the same tenderness cues.
Cook dried beans separately until tender before using them in this recipe. The campfire simmer is designed for cooked beans, so do not add dry beans directly to the chili.
The single packet is intended to add depth alongside the tomatoes and chile spices rather than make coffee the main flavor. Use plain, unflavored instant coffee and avoid adding extra packets.
Use moderate heat over a bed of coals, keep a cooler spot available, and stir every 5 to 10 minutes, scraping the bottom and corners. Move the pot if it boils hard and add stock when the chili becomes too thick.
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Campfire Chili
Ingredients
Chili Base and Seasonings
- 8 ounces salt pork, rind removed, diced into small pieces
- 2 cans black beans, 15oz cans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans kidney beans, 15oz cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large onion, yellow or white, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 14.5oz cans
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef stock, plus more as needed
- 1 packet Starbucks VIA Pike Place Roast instant coffee, unflavored
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, about 3½ ounces, peppers chopped; include half of the adobo sauce from the can
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Optional Toppings
- shredded cheddar cheese, optional, for serving
- sour cream, optional, for serving
- sliced green onions or diced white onion, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Start a wood fire and let it burn down until you have a bed of hot coals with some steady flames. Secure a sturdy grill grate over the fire and position the Dutch oven over moderate heat. Leave room to add wood and move the pot to a cooler area as needed.
- Add the diced salt pork to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently, until the fat renders and the pieces begin to turn golden. If it starts browning too quickly, move the pot farther from the heat. Spoon off excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot along with the pork.
- Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until softened and the onion turns translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ancho chile powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, kosher salt, and the packet of Starbucks VIA instant coffee. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant, keeping the pot away from intense flames so the spices do not scorch.
- Pour in the beef stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices, black beans, kidney beans, and chopped chipotle peppers with their adobo sauce,
- Bring the chili to a gentle simmer, then adjust the pot’s position or the fire to maintain occasional bubbles rather than a rolling boil. Partially cover and simmer for about 45 to 60 minutes, until the salt pork is tender and the flavors come together. Continue cooking as needed until the pork is tender.
- Stir every 5 to 10 minutes, scraping along the bottom and corners to prevent sticking. Add more stock, about ¼ cup at a time, if the chili gets too thick. If it is too thin, leave the lid off toward the end and simmer until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let the chili rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and sliced green onions or diced white onion.
Notes
Salt Pork
Use it for richness. Salt pork is much fattier and saltier than brisket. Stick with the amount listed and spoon off excess rendered fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons for the vegetables.Managing the Fire
Keep a cooler spot available. Move the Dutch oven away from strong flames if the chili starts boiling hard or catching on the bottom. Stir every 5 to 10 minutes and add stock as needed. Use heat-resistant gloves when handling the pot or lid.Coffee and Chipotle Peppers
Use plain instant coffee. One packet of unflavored Starbucks VIA adds depth without adding more liquid. Avoid sweetened coffee mixes. Check the spice labels. Use pure ancho chile powder. A generic chili seasoning blend can contain salt and other spices that change the balance. Use half a standard can. This recipe uses ½ of a 7-ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, about 3½ ounces. Chop the peppers and include half of the sauce from the can. Add them with the tomatoes and stock, not with the dry spices. For a milder chili, start with less and add more to taste.Timing and Yield
Let tenderness guide you. The simmer usually takes 45 to 60 minutes, but the fire and the size of the salt pork pieces affect timing. Allow additional time to establish the fire. This batch makes approximately 6 to 8 servings, depending on portion size.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
