Chili is one of my favorite things to eat after a long day on the water. It’s hearty, protein-packed, and basically involves throwing a ton of ingredients in a pot and letting it ride. Chili is also the food that keeps on giving—for days on end. Have you ever been able to make just two servings of chili? I’ve determined that it isn’t possible. Whenever we make it, we have leftovers for the next couple of nights. And leftover chili always tastes the best.
Chili is simple, hearty, and forgiving. It doesn’t demand precision, and it doesn’t need to be babied. I like to prep all of my ingredients at home and put them in Tupperware until cooking time. The best part? You can clean out that same Tupperware later and fill it with leftover chili. One of my favorite things about chili is that once it’s going in the Dutch oven, it’s hands-off. That means more time to fish your camp water, B.S. with friends, play cards with the old lady, or read up on Bob Arnold’s Steelhead Water.
It All Starts with a Solid Fire
I cook this recipe in a Dutch oven suspended from a metal tripod over a bed of coals, but you can just as easily go the traditional route and place the pot directly on the coals. My little brother is a blacksmith and made me the tripod I bring on every camping trip. Thanks, Todd.
You’re going to cook over coals, not open flames. Start your fire early and add plenty of wood so you’ve got a steady supply of fresh coals. If you don’t want to burn through your campfire wood—or you just want consistency—add charcoal once your fire is going.
When you lay out your bed of coals, gauge the heat by holding your hand above them at cooking height:
- 2 seconds = high heat
- 3–4 seconds = medium-high heat
- 5–6 seconds = medium heat
- 7–8 seconds = low heat
A Base Recipe to Build On
This isn’t a chili cook-off recipe with 20 ingredients and three kinds of heirloom beans. And it sure isn’t some influencer recipe blog. We keep camp cooking simple here on The Redband Revival.
You’ll need:
- 1 package of ground meat
- 1 can of beans
- 1 can of corn
- 1 can of Muir Glen Chili Starter (pre-seasoned tomatoes for chili)
- Chili powder, about a tablespoon
- Cumin, about a tablespoon
- Coriander, about half a tablespoon
- A couple bouillon cubes
At home, prep in Tupperware:
- 1 chopped onion
- As many chopped jalapeños as you dare
Directions:
- Crack a beer. This is for the chef, not the chili.
- Get your Dutch oven nice and hot.
- Brown the meat, then add onions and peppers.
- Once the onions and peppers are soft, dump in everything else. Add a splash of water—just enough so nothing burns while simmering.
- Season to taste with salt.
Serve with cornbread or tortillas if you’re feeling frisky. Yes, it’s that easy.
What It’s All About
Chili by the fire is one of those things that sparks warm memories for most of us. Whether it came from a can or was made from scratch, we all know the comfort of wrapping our hands around a steaming bowl with cornbread crumbs all over our shirts.
It’s about the ritual—settling in around a fire with family and friends, swapping stories from the river, and reliving the memory of “the one that got away.” You know, when that 15-pound steelhead hit so hard it nearly ripped your shoulders out, only to throw the fly a jump later.
It’s about sitting back, full and content after a long session on the water, knowing tomorrow you’ll do it all over again.
– T
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