Looking for a dish that really makes an impact on the BBQ? This over the top chili lives up to its name. With slow-smoked beef mince, peppers, tomatoes, beans and a mix of spices, you build layer upon layer of flavour. The result: a thick, spicy and smoky chili that will impress everyone around the table. Perfect if you like hearty, rich food with a hint of heat.
Ingredients for over the top chili
1 kg beef mince | 1 kg tomatoes | 3 coloured peppers | 3 onions | 4 cloves of garlic | 150 g sweetcorn | 320 g kidney beans | 400 g peeled tomatoes | 70 g tomato purée | 1 jalapeño (optional) | 1.5 g chili powder | 5 g cumin powder | 3 g garlic powder | 3 g paprika powder | 3 g onion powder | 200 ml beef stock | 2–3 tbsp BBQ rub | Olive oil
Finely chop the garlic, dice the onions, cut the peppers into medium pieces and chop the tomatoes into small cubes. Want extra heat? Add a finely chopped jalapeño.
Place a cast iron casserole on the hob with a splash of olive oil. Fry the garlic until golden, add the onions and stir until translucent. Add the pepper and tomato purée and fry briefly. Stir in the fresh tomatoes, let it simmer for 1 minute, then add the peeled tomatoes and beef stock. Bring to a gentle boil and mix in the spices.
Light the BBQ and heat it to 140 °C. Hold off on adding the smoking wood and the platesetter: only add these when you place both the pan and the meatball on the BBQ in one go.
Mix the minced beef in a bowl with 2–3 tablespoons of your favourite BBQ rub. Shape into a firm ball.
Now add the hickory smoking wood. Place the platesetter, set a small rack on top and put the pan of chili on it. Place another rack above and put the meatball on top. Close the BBQ straight away and smoke for about 2 hours, until the core temperature reaches 70 °C.
Remove the meatball from the BBQ, take off the grate and crumble the meat into a bowl. Add this together with the kidney beans and corn to the chili.
Let the pan simmer gently for another 30–45 minutes at 140 °C. Stir occasionally so the flavours blend and nothing sticks.
Serve the over the top chili with cooked rice and something fresh on the side, like pickles or pearl onions.
Spoon generously, taste the layered flavours and enjoy every bite.
