Cooking Chili in a smoker

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whistlepig

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Dec 23, 2011
667
264
Preble County, OH
We have a good chili recipe we have used for years that we always prepared on a stovetop. Meats are 2 pounds of sirloin, 2 pounds of ground beef, and a pound of Bob Evans sausage. Thinking about smoking the sirlion, ground beef, and sausage before it goes in to the chili pot and then simmering the whole pot of chili in the smoker. Wondering if anyone has done this and what temp is simmer temp for a pot of chili in a smoker?
 
I would smoke the meat then finish on the stove if I were doing it, you can smoke the onions and peppers as you smoke the meat, lotta work trying to simmer on the smoker and your pot will get stained. I don't see much if any up side to finishing on the smoker , right tool for the job gets my vote lol
 
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Reactions: JLeonard
We use stew meat in our chili and Ive started smoking the meat and onions (cut onions in half) Couple days before I plan on making it, Ill mix the meat and chili seasoning and let it sot in the fridge for a day or so, put it an aluminum pan with the onion halves on top and intonthe smoker it all goes for about 2 hours. Bring that all back in, dice the onions then build my chili. I let it simmer for a cpl hours till the stew meat starts the break down like pot roast, then put it all in a couple of aluminum pans and back into the smoker for a couple more hours. Comes out fantastic
 
Kevin DeShazo Kevin DeShazo sounds like a solid plan. Another option I have seen is to build like a meatloaf and smoke that until IT 165 degrees and then break it up into your sauce on the stove. Thats how I plan to do my next pot of chili.
Jim
 
Here you go. ..... Definitely gets the smoke flavor that way. I'm sure my recipe is different from yours but I'm sure the process will work on any chilli recipe
 
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Reactions: jcam222
Sounds great we have used left over smoked meat in a veggie soup and received awesome smoke flavor. Not sure about the simmering in the smoker though.

Warren
 
I agree with the above posts. Smoke your meats and then finish the chili on the stove. for the sausage I'd smoke it like an original fatty. Cover it with whatever rub you like and smoke the sausage log.

Original fatty:
1603637740056.png


Original fatty on the right, stuffed fatty on the left:

1603637801133.png
 
I've done chili in my MES a few times.Used a pan instead of a pot only because it fits in the MES a whole lot better than a pot and with a pan much more surface area is exposed to smoke.One stir about half way through and that's about it.
 
Smoking any or all of your chile ingredients is a winner, depending on how much smoke flavor you want.
You can simmer in a smoker.
Ideally you'll need to be able to maintain 325° and higher for such as a chile, mac/cheese or casserole.
Cook close to the heat source or in the hottest area of your smoker.
It'll be easier to attain and maintain a bubbling simmer if you use cookware similar in size/shape to a casserole pan or dutch oven rather than a deep pot.
Large disposable aluminum trays work great, as do preheated CI dutch ovens.
Don't use your wife's good stone, ceramic or glass cookware in the smoker as it can be discolored.
 
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