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Smoked Chili Cheese Fries

This bold, smoky chili is rich, hearty, and built to shine piled high on crispy fries or enjoyed straight from the bowl. Slow-cooked with beef, sausage, and deep chile flavor, it’s the ultimate comfort chili with serious fire-cooked character.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheese, chili, chili cheese fries, Fries, loaded fries
Servings: 8

Ingredients

CHILI

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb hot sausage
  • 3 onions diced
  • 1 head garlic minced
  • 2 cans crushed tomatoes 28 oz each
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 28 oz
  • 2 cans beans drained
  • 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 can beer

CHILI SEASONING

  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat a smoker to 200°F for indirect cooking, or prepare a Dutch oven over medium-high heat if cooking indoors.
  • Brown the ground beef and hot sausage in a large Dutch oven until fully cooked, breaking it up as it cooks, then remove and set aside.
  • Add the diced onions, minced garlic, and chipotle peppers in adobo to the pot and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
  • Pour in the beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the browned bits, then stir in the diced tomatoes, one can of crushed tomatoes, cooked meat, and all of the chili seasoning.
  • Place the Dutch oven on the smoker and cook at 200°F for 6–8 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your desired consistency.
  • About halfway through cooking, stir in the beans and remaining can of crushed tomatoes, allowing them to slowly meld into the chili.
  • Serve the chili hot over crispy fries with cheese, jalapeños, and green onions, or enjoy it straight from the bowl however you like.