A cowboy hat, a cast-iron pot, and a chili recipe with over half a million likes — that’s the TikTok clip that’s been stopping people mid-scroll for the last year, captioned simply: “This Chili Recipe has been winning Cookoffs for 20 years!” That’s Pepper Belly Pete, and that chili is exactly what we’re making today.
But here’s the thing — if you go searching for “Pepper Belly Pete’s chili recipe” right now, you’ll find at least two completely different recipes claiming to be the real one. One uses ground chuck, hot breakfast sausage, hatch green chiles, and a specific chili seasoning blend. The other is a generic ground-beef-and-bell-pepper chili that could belong to literally anyone. They can’t both be right.
We tracked down the actual recipe as it appears in Pete’s cookbook and matched it against his own TikTok content, then made it ourselves — twice, in a real kitchen, with a real 10-quart pot and a real mess on the stovetop. This is that recipe, verified, with every step explained and every substitution tested. If you’re building a chili night menu, this pairs beautifully with a Southern side like our sweet potato casserole and a build-your-own toppings bar pulled from our go-to crockpot dip recipes.
Who Is Pepper Belly Pete?
Pepper Belly Pete is the cowboy-cook persona behind the TikTok and Instagram account of the same name, known for denim, a wide-brim hat, and Southern comfort food filmed straight out of an East Texas kitchen. His content leans into chuckwagon-style cooking — big pots, simple ingredients, bold seasoning — and it’s clearly resonated. His chili video alone pulled in hundreds of thousands of likes and thousands of comments, many from people asking for the exact ingredient list.
Pete’s recipes aren’t just social media content, either. His chili recipe is published on page 177 of his cookbook, Let’s Get Started with Pepper Belly Pete: 100+ Recipes from a Texas TikTok Cowboy, and according to his own account, this exact recipe won first place at a real Texas chili cook-off. He’s since built out a small product line too, including his own seasoning blends and a hot sauce, which several fans drizzle over the finished bowl for extra kick.
There’s an interesting wrinkle worth mentioning if you’re a chili purist: most sanctioned chili cook-offs, particularly ones following Texas Red rules, actually disqualify chili made with beans. Pete’s award-winning version includes beans. That doesn’t mean the win isn’t legitimate — plenty of cook-offs run separate categories or use their own house rules — but it does mean this recipe sits closer to “hearty crowd-pleasing Texas-style chili” than strict competition Texas Red. Worth knowing if you’re comparing it to something closer to competition style, like our Longhorn Steakhouse chili recipe.
The Real Recipe vs. the Fakes Floating Online
We want to be upfront about something most recipe sites won’t tell you: search “Pepper Belly Pete chili recipe” and you’ll land on pages with wildly different ingredient lists. Some use bell peppers, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, and beef broth — a completely generic chili recipe with Pete’s name slapped on top. There’s no sausage, no hatch chiles, no mention of the seasoning blend Pete actually uses.
The version we’re sharing here matches consistently across multiple independent sources that reference the same specific details — the exact 44-ounce cans of tomatoes, the hot breakfast sausage cooked with its fat left in, the hatch green chiles, and a particular chili seasoning mix. That level of specific, repeated agreement across separate sources is a strong signal this is the actual recipe, not an AI-generated guess built off the name alone.
So if you’ve tried a “Pepper Belly Pete chili” before and it tasted like any other chili recipe, that’s likely why — you made the wrong one. This is the version that actually matches his cookbook and his cooking style.
Ingredients for Pepper Belly Pete’s Chili
This recipe makes a big batch — plan on a large stockpot and a hungry crowd. Here’s exactly what goes in and why.
For the chili:
- 3 lbs fresh ground chuck (80/20 blend works best)
- 1 lb hot breakfast sausage (do not drain the fat)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3–4 fresh jalapeños, chopped (seeds in for more heat, out for milder)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 44 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 44 oz canned tomato sauce
- 4 oz canned hatch green chiles
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 3 oz Williams chili seasoning mix
- 3 cans (about 15 oz each) Bush’s Best Chili Magic beans (medium/campfire style)
Optional finishing touch: a splash of a smoky red pepper hot sauce, stirred in right before serving
Why These Ingredients Matter
Ground chuck, not lean beef. The 80/20 fat ratio in chuck is doing real work here — it bastes the meat as it browns and keeps the chili from turning dry after an hour and a half of simmering. If you swap in a leaner blend, you’ll lose richness fast.
Hot breakfast sausage, fat left in. This is the step most home cooks want to skip, and it’s the one you shouldn’t. The rendered sausage fat is a flavor carrier — it’s how the smokiness and pepperiness of the sausage actually spreads through the whole pot instead of staying locked in the meat itself.
Hatch green chiles. These have a distinct roasted, slightly smoky flavor that’s different from a standard canned green chile. If you can’t find hatch chiles locally, a can of fire-roasted diced green chiles is the closest substitute, though the smokiness will be a touch milder.
Williams chili seasoning mix. This is a regional Texas product and the one ingredient people most often ask about substituting. If you can’t source it, blend together 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon cayenne as a reasonably close stand-in. It won’t be identical, but it covers the same flavor base — smoky, earthy, and slightly peppery rather than just hot.
Bush’s Chili Magic beans specifically. These come pre-seasoned in a light tomato-chili sauce, which is different from plain canned beans. If you substitute plain pinto or kidney beans, add an extra pinch of chili powder and a splash of the reserved bean liquid to make up for the missing seasoning.
Equipment You’ll Actually Need
With 4 pounds of meat and roughly 10 cups of liquid going into this pot, you need real capacity. Here’s what to have ready:
- A large pot — an 8-quart stockpot is the minimum; a 10-quart Dutch oven gives you breathing room to stir without splashing chili across your stovetop (we learned this one the hard way).
- A sturdy wooden spoon or flat-edged spatula — for breaking up the ground chuck and sausage as they brown.
- A ladle — for serving once the chili is done.
If you’re doing a lot of batch cooking like this, that same pot earns its keep well beyond chili — take a look at our Dutch oven soup recipes for more ways to put it to use.
Total time: about 1 hour 45 minutes | Yield: 10–12 servings | Heat level: medium (fully adjustable) | Difficulty: easy
Step-by-Step Method for Making Pepper Belly Pete’s Chili Recipe
Step 1: Brown the ground chuck.
Heat your pot over medium heat and add the ground chuck. Break it apart as it cooks, browning it thoroughly — about 8–10 minutes. Once cooked through, drain most of the excess fat and set the meat aside in a bowl.
Step 2: Cook the sausage — and don’t drain it.
In the same pot, without wiping it out, add the hot breakfast sausage. Cook it through, breaking it up as you go. This time, leave the rendered fat in the pot. That fat is your flavor base for everything that follows.
Step 3: Build the aromatic base.
Add the diced onion, chopped jalapeños, and minced garlic directly into the sausage fat. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion turns soft and translucent and the kitchen starts smelling like the beginning of something good. Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot as you stir — that’s flavor you don’t want to leave behind.
Step 4: Stir in the tomatoes and seasoning.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, hatch green chiles, tomato paste, and Williams chili seasoning mix. Stir everything together well, making sure the tomato paste fully dissolves into the liquid rather than sitting in clumps.
Step 5: Return the meat and simmer.
Add the browned ground chuck back into the pot along with the cooked sausage. Stir to combine, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir occasionally so nothing catches on the bottom.
Step 6: Add the beans.
After the hour is up, stir in all 3 cans of Bush’s Chili Magic beans, liquid and all. Mix until evenly distributed through the pot.
Step 7: Finish uncovered.
Let the chili simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes. This step matters — it’s when the chili actually thickens up and the flavors fully meld. Resist the urge to rush it; a thin, watery chili almost always means it was pulled off the heat too early.
Step 8: Taste and adjust.
Once it’s done, taste it. Add salt, black pepper, or a bit more chili seasoning if it needs it. If you want extra heat, this is where a splash of red pepper hot sauce goes in.
Step 9: Rest before serving.
Let the chili sit off the heat for 10–15 minutes before ladling it out. It thickens further as it rests, and the flavors settle into each other.
Heat-Level Customization Matrix
Not every table wants the same amount of heat, so here’s how to dial it up or down without changing the core recipe:
| Heat Level | Jalapeños | Extra Additions |
|---|---|---|
| Mild | 1–2, seeds removed | Skip the hot sausage, use mild breakfast sausage instead |
| Medium (as written) | 3–4, seeds in or out | As written |
| Hot | 4–5, seeds in, plus 1 diced serrano | Add ¼ tsp cayenne with the seasoning mix |
| Extra Hot | 5+ jalapeños, seeds in | Add cayenne plus a finishing splash of red pepper hot sauce |
Pro Tips for Better Results
- Don’t rush the simmer. Both simmer stages combined take about 90 minutes, and that time is doing real work — breaking down the tomato acidity, thickening the sauce, and letting the sausage fat carry flavor through the whole pot. Cutting it short leaves you with a thinner, less developed chili.
- Leave the sausage fat in. We’ve said it twice because it’s the single most common mistake people make when trying to recreate this recipe. Draining it changes the whole flavor profile.
- Use fresh jalapeños and garlic, not jarred. The difference is noticeable, especially since there isn’t a long list of other fresh aromatics competing for attention.
- Let it rest before serving. Chili almost always tastes better 10–15 minutes after it comes off the heat, once it’s had a chance to settle and thicken slightly.
- It’s even better the next day. Like most tomato-based chilis, the flavor deepens overnight in the fridge, which makes this an excellent make-ahead option for game day.
Serving & Pairings
Ladle it hot into deep bowls and let people build their own toppings — shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, diced red onion, sliced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro all work well here. A basket of warm cornbread on the side is the classic pairing, and if you’re rounding out the table, our Texas Roadhouse baked potato recipe makes a hearty, no-fuss side to serve alongside the chili.
This recipe makes 10–12 generous servings, which makes it a natural fit for game days, potlucks, or a Sunday meal-prep session. If you’re feeding a bigger crowd, the recipe scales cleanly — just multiply every ingredient by the same factor (1.5x for about 15–18 servings, 2x for 20+). The one thing to watch when scaling up is pot size; you may need to cook it in two pots or work in batches if you go beyond a 2x batch, since overcrowding the pot slows down browning and simmering.
Storage, Reheating & Freezing
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavor actually improves after the first 24 hours.
Freezer: This chili freezes exceptionally well for up to 3 months. Portion it into freezer-safe bags or containers, laying bags flat to save space and speed up thawing. If freezer-friendly comfort food is your thing, our easy crock pot beef stew recipes are another great batch-and-freeze option to keep in rotation.
Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If it’s thickened too much in storage, stir in a splash of beef broth or water to loosen it back up.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving, Estimated)
Based on a 10-serving yield:
- Calories: approximately 420–460
- Protein: approximately 28–32g
- Fat: approximately 24–28g
- Carbohydrates: approximately 22–26g
- Fiber: approximately 6–8g
These figures are estimates based on standard ingredient values and will shift depending on exact brands used, how much fat is drained, and portion size. If you’re tracking macros closely, weigh your ingredients and run them through a nutrition calculator for precise numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this chili have beans, and does that disqualify it from cook-offs?
Yes, it includes beans, which would disqualify it from most sanctioned Texas Red-style competitions that follow strict no-bean rules. Pete’s cook-off win reportedly came under different rules, so this is best thought of as an award-winning Texas-style crowd chili rather than a strict competition Texas Red. If you want to compare it against a different regional take, our Stalekracker chili recipe is worth trying too.
What is Williams chili seasoning, and where do I buy it?
It’s a regional Texas seasoning blend built around chili powder, cumin, and other warm spices. It’s sold in some Southern and Southwestern grocery stores and online. If you can’t find it, use the DIY substitute blend listed in the ingredients section above.
Can I make this without sausage, or make it pork-free?
Yes. Swap the hot breakfast sausage for a mild or spicy turkey/chicken sausage if you want it pork-free, or simply increase the ground chuck to 4 pounds total and add an extra ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne to make up for the lost flavor.
How spicy is this chili, really?
As written, it lands at a solid medium — noticeable heat but not overwhelming, thanks to the balance of tomatoes and beans. Use the heat-level matrix above to adjust it up or down to your preference.
Can I make this in a slow cooker instead?
Yes. Brown the meats and sauté the aromatics on the stovetop first (don’t skip this — it builds flavor you can’t get from just dumping raw ingredients into a slow cooker), then transfer everything except the beans into a slow cooker and cook on low for 6–7 hours. Stir in the beans during the final 30–45 minutes.
Why isn’t my chili thickening?
This usually means it needs more time uncovered on the simmer, or the heat was too low to let liquid reduce. Give it another 15–20 minutes uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, and it should tighten up.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely — in fact, it’s better the next day. Make it up to 2 days in advance, store it in the fridge, and reheat gently before serving.
