Post-game chili bar: dinner for a crowd with build-your-own toppings

A chili bar is the kind of dinner that rescues a host. One pot does the cooking, the toppings do the entertaining, and guests who arrive at different times, cold and hungry, can serve themselves. It is also forgiving: chili tastes better after it sits.

This recipe feeds about 10 to 12 people with a topping spread. Halve it for a smaller table.

The big pot

You will need:

• 1.5 kg ground beef (or turkey)
• 3 onions, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 red or green peppers, diced
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cans (796 mL) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (540 mL) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (540 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 500 mL stock or water
• Salt, and a little brown sugar or a square of dark chocolate to round out the flavour

Method:

1. Heat a little oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in two batches so it fries instead of steams. Break it up and take your time, about 8 minutes per batch.
2. Add onions and peppers to the meat and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft.
3. Stir in garlic, spices and tomato paste. Cook for a minute until fragrant.
4. Add tomatoes, beans and stock. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat.
5. Cook uncovered, stirring now and then, for 1 to 1.5 hours. If it thickens too much, add a splash of water.
6. Taste at the end and adjust salt. Chili usually needs more than you think.

Vegetarian version: swap the meat for an extra can of beans, 2 cups of cooked lentils and 400 g of diced mushrooms or sweet potato. Use vegetable stock. Brown the mushrooms well before adding the rest.

Heat control

Keep the main pot mild and let guests add heat. Put out hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, chili flakes and a small bowl of chipotle in adobo. Children and sensitive eaters will be glad.

The topping bar

Choose a few from each group and lay them out in small bowls with spoons:

• Cool and creamy: sour cream or plain yogurt, grated cheddar, crumbled feta or cotija
• Fresh: chopped green onions, cilantro, diced avocado, lime wedges, diced tomato
• Crunchy: crushed corn chips, crispy fried onions, pickled red onions
• Starch to fill the plate: baked potatoes, rice, cornbread or soft buns

Label anything with allergens and keep a clear dairy-free and gluten-free option. A simple card in front of each bowl does the job.

Make it ahead

Chili is better the next day. Cook it up to two days early, cool it quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate. Reheat gently on the stove until it is steaming hot all the way through (74 C for meat dishes), stirring often so it does not catch on the bottom.

Keeping it hot, safely

A slow cooker on the low or warm setting is a good way to hold chili for a few hours. Do not use a slow cooker to reheat cold chili from the fridge, because it takes too long to get hot. Reheat on the stove first, then transfer. Food should not sit between about 4 and 60 C for more than two hours.

What can go wrong

• Watery chili: simmer longer with the lid off, or mash a ladle of beans against the side of the pot.
• Bland chili: more salt, a splash of vinegar or lime at the end, and a bit more cumin.
• Burnt bottom: use a heavy pot, keep the heat low and stir from the bottom.
• Not enough bowls: buy compostable ones, or ask each team member to bring their own.

By the third bowl, everybody is talking about the game, or about nothing at all. That is the point. For more ideas for feeding a crowd, see our dinner parties section.