Bloody Mary Chili: A One-Pot Recipe That Brings Brunch to Dinner

Bloody Mary Chili Recipe

Bloody Mary chili replaces the usual spice cabinet lineup with Bloody Mary concentrate. The concentrate already contains horseradish, Worcestershire-style flavors, celery seed, black pepper, vinegar, and two kinds of chili peppers in balanced ratios. Instead of measuring eight different seasonings and hoping they work together, you pour in one ingredient and the chili has depth from the start.

The result is a chili that tastes more layered and more interesting than a standard recipe, with a tangy, savory quality that is distinctly "Bloody Mary" without tasting like you poured a cocktail into a pot. The vinegar and pickle brine in the concentrate cut through the richness of the meat and beans, the horseradish adds a warm back-of-the-throat heat, and the spice blend builds gradually instead of hitting all at once.

This is one of the most popular ways people use Stu's concentrate beyond drinks. Once you make it, you will understand why.

The Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 to 1.5 cups Stu's Classic Original concentrate
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/4 cup vodka (cooks off, adds brightness)

Instructions:

1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat.
2. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until softened, about five minutes.
3. Add the Stu's concentrate, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
4. Add the beans and vodka if using.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes. Longer is better. The flavors concentrate and meld as the liquid reduces.
6. Taste and adjust. More concentrate for more Bloody Mary flavor. More hot sauce for heat. Salt as needed.

Garnish like a Bloody Mary bar: Celery salt rim on the bowl, diced pickles, shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, a celery stalk. The garnish treatment is half the fun and connects the chili to its cocktail inspiration.

Three Variations by Concentrate Flavor

Each Stu's flavor creates a different chili personality.

Classic Original. The all-rounder. Balanced heat, tangy from pickle brine, and savory from the anchovy and tamarind in the concentrate. This is the version to start with if you have never made Bloody Mary chili before. It works with any meat and any bean combination.

Smoked Jalapeno. Smokier and spicier. The chipotle notes in this concentrate pair naturally with ground beef and dark beer. If you like your chili with real heat and a smoky backbone, this is the one. Add a can of fire-roasted tomatoes instead of regular tomato paste and you have something that tastes like it spent all day in a smoker.

Jamaican Jerk. A departure from traditional chili but worth trying. The allspice, scotch bonnet, and thyme in the Jerk concentrate create a Caribbean-inflected chili that pairs well with ground turkey, black beans, and a squeeze of lime. Serve it over rice instead of with cornbread and you have a completely different meal.

Tips That Actually Matter

Use more concentrate than you think. Start with a cup. Taste after 20 minutes of simmering. You will probably want to add more. The concentrate's flavor mellows and integrates as it cooks, so what tastes strong at first will round out.

Simmer longer for better results. Thirty minutes is the minimum. An hour is better. Two hours is where the chili stops tasting like individual ingredients and starts tasting like one unified thing. Low heat, lid off, stir occasionally.

The vodka is optional but does something. Alcohol extracts flavor compounds from tomatoes and spices that water alone does not reach. The vodka cooks off completely during simmering. You will not taste alcohol. You will taste a brighter, more complex chili. Same principle as adding wine to a braise.

Make it the day before. Like most chilis, this one improves overnight in the fridge. The flavors continue to develop as it sits. Reheat slowly the next day and adjust seasoning.

What Else Can You Cook with the Concentrate?

This chili is a gateway. Once you see how the concentrate works as a cooking ingredient, the possibilities open up. The same bottle that makes 12+ different drinks also works in BBQ sauce, marinades, finishing sauces, deviled eggs, and spicy bone broth.

That versatility is the point of the concentrate format. It is a savory seasoning base that works anywhere you want tomato-forward, spiced, tangy flavor. The chili is just the most obvious application.

For a full list of cooking ideas, see our guide to cooking with Bloody Mary mix.