What Actually Sets Boilermaker Chili Apart From The Rest

Chili is a hearty and highly adaptable dish that signals comfort and celebration for folks across America. It's a perfect recipe for cold, dreary days, or football parties. There are countless variations of chili to explore, and likely as many unique recipes as there are chili makers. Texas, known for its chili con carne, doesn't add beans to the official state dish; New Mexico uses local Hatch chiles to create chile verde; and Cincinnati chili, developed by Macedonian immigrants, invokes their culinary traditions with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, served over a plate of spaghetti like a sauce.

However, among connoisseurs of American chili traditions, boilermaker chili is less well-known — so where does it come from, and what are its key attributes? The name refers to Purdue University's football team, the Boilermakers, and the chili was conceived as a great meal for tailgating. First shared on Allrecipes, the recipe has been adapted by countless home chefs to suit their dietary needs and preferences, ensuring you can make a batch to please any crowd. Drawing from many tomato-based chili variations, boilermaker chili's foundation is a hefty share of protein and a lengthy list of seasonings. Most importantly, it must simmer for a minimum of two hours, and should be topped with corn chips and cheddar cheese.

What will likely immediately strike you about the recipe for boilermaker chili is its two-pronged approach to flavor building. The ingredient list is substantial, including three types of meat, two kinds of beans, four spicy components, and an impressive collection of herbs, spices, and seasoning agents to maximize the flavor of the finished product. There are also a few wildcard elements that make the recipe unique, like adding beer (Boiler Gold American Golden Ale from People's Brewing Company is recommended), topping it with shredded cheddar, and serving it with corn chips. Boilermaker chili doesn't hold back on flavor or experience.

The other way this recipe builds flavor is by requiring a significant amount of time. While any recipe worth its salt will note that flavors continue to evolve the longer you simmer your chili, many recipes are ready between 40 minutes to an hour and a half. Boilermaker chili holds you to a higher standard, listing two hours as the minimum required time for simmering. This dedication to the craft and the lack of wiggle room on this factor — no shortcuts allowed — is admirable.

While this is but a simple recipe, boilermaker chili is a nod to the rich legacy of Purdue tailgating — and, more broadly, to tailgating across the country. Tailgating, a tradition stretching back to 1904, has become a beloved national pastime that has evolved into an all-day event. It brings together friends, old and new, through a shared love of football and food. Purdue University's newspaper has featured stories about tailgate wedding parties, and offered tips on planning menus and preparing food for a tailgate. It even recommended tailgating etiquette from the university's mascot, Purdue Pete. His advice: Make friends with fellow tailgaters, and share your food.

The boilermaker chili recipe beautifully showcases the core values of tailgating: gathering as a community, collective celebration, and generosity in both food and spirit. Although it was created and popularized by fans of the Boilermakers, the university has embraced the recipe too, including it in its 2020 Virtual Homecoming tailgate party pack. With four pounds of meat and four cans of beans, it's clear that boilermaker chili is meant to be shared with a large crowd — so bring it to your next tailgate, and make some new friends.