Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- ¼ cup Big Poppa Smokers Little Louie’s Garlic Salt
- ¼ cup Prairie Smoke and Spice Tumbleweed Rub
- ¼ bottle Prairie Smoke and Spice Blue Ribbin Sauce
- 1 lb Bacon
- 1 Large Onion, sliced
- 3 Garlic Cloves, diced
- 1 can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans
- 2 cans Brown Beans
- 2 Chipotle Peppers, diced
- 2 tbsp Canola Oil
- 1 can Corn Niblets
Instructions
1. Preheat the Smoker
Set your smoker or BBQ to 300°F.
2. Prep the Meat Ball
- Dice and cook the bacon in a pan until slightly crispy.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked bacon, ground beef, and ground pork.
- Add the Tumbleweed Rub and mix thoroughly.
- Form the mixture into a large meatball.
- Season the outside of the meatball with more Tumbleweed Rub and set aside.
3. Start the Chili Base
- In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat canola oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and garlic. Sauté until soft.
- Add the corn, chipotle peppers, kidney beans, brown beans, diced tomatoes, and BBQ sauce. Stir until well combined.
- Place the pot on the smoker.
4. Smoke “Underneath” Style
- Place the meatball on the smoker grates.
- Put the pot of chili directly underneath the meatball so the juices drip down into the pot—this is where the magic (and the name) happens.
- Smoke everything until the meatball reaches an internal temp of 150°F. This gives the meat a smoky bark while infusing the chili with incredible flavor.
5. Finish and Serve
- Once the meatball is done, remove it and break it up thoroughly.
- Stir the smoked meat into the chili pot and mix well.
- Serve hot, straight from the pot.
Quick Recap
- Preheat smoker to 300°F
- Cook bacon and mix it with beef and pork
- Form meatball and season
- Build chili base in pot
- Smoke with meatball above chili for dripping flavor
- Cook until meatball hits 150°F
- Break up meat, mix into chili, and serve
Helpful Tips and Notes
Want it spicier?
Add extra chipotles, hot sauce, or a few dashes of cayenne to the chili base.
Prefer a different meat combo?
Feel free to swap in ground turkey, brisket, or even pulled pork for a twist.
Make it ahead?
Absolutely. This chili gets better the next day as the flavors meld and intensify.
Cooking without a smoker?
Use a grill with indirect heat and wood chips or even bake in the oven—just brown the meat first and add it to the chili before baking.