Game Day Chili, Done Two Ways
- Joseph
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Bone Broth vs. Bacon — Choose Your Team
Why Chili Is the Ultimate Game-Day Food
Game day food should be simple, satisfying, and built to sit on the stove while people hover, snack, and go back for seconds. Chili checks every box — especially when it’s made with high-quality, pasture-raised beef and pork.
This year, we’re offering two versions of the same foundation — both made with our Primal Wyoming Wagyu × Angus beef and beef soup bones — but finished very differently.
One leans nourishing and old-world. The other goes full indulgence.
Team Bone Broth: Primal Beef & Soup Bone Chili
This version starts the right way: soup bones gently simmered for hours, creating a rich, collagen-filled broth that becomes the base of the chili.
Why people love it:
Deep beef flavor without heaviness
Naturally gelatin-rich from marrow and knuckle bones
Slow-simmered, comforting, and satisfying
This is chili that feels grounded, traditional, and intentional — the kind of food that warms you up and sticks with you (in a good way).
Best for:
Cold game days
People who appreciate slow food
Anyone who says “this tastes different” and means it
Click here for the full Primal Beef & Soup Bone Chili Recipe
Serves: 6–8
Cook Time: 3–6 hours (broth) + 1.5 hours (chili)
Ingredients
2–3 lb beef soup bones (marrow + knuckle)
Cold water (to cover bones)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1½–2 lb Primal Wyoming Wagyu × Angus ground beef or chopped chuck
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2½ tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ancho chili powder
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cinnamon
Fresh cracked black pepper
Salt, to taste
Optional: kidney beans or pinto beans
Instructions
Place soup bones in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2–3 inches. Add apple cider vinegar.
Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Simmer 3–6 hours. Skim foam as needed.
Remove bones. Pull off any meat, chop, and reserve. Set broth aside.
In a Dutch oven, brown the beef in batches. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, sauté onion and bell pepper until soft and lightly golden. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Stir in tomato paste and spices. Toast 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Return beef and reserved bone meat to the pot. Add crushed tomatoes and 4–5 cups bone broth.
Simmer gently 60–90 minutes. Add beans during the last 30 minutes if using.
Season with salt to taste. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Team Bacon: Primal Beef, Soup Bone & Bacon Chili
Same foundation — then we add pasture-raised bacon and let it do what bacon does best.
What changes:
Bacon fat replaces oil entirely
Smoke and pork richness deepen the chili
Crispy bacon adds texture and indulgence
This is the chili you bring out when the house is full, the TV is loud, and nobody is counting macros.
Best for:
Big games
Friends coming over
Second bowls (and thirds)
Click here for the full Primal Beef, Soup Bone & Bacon Chili Recipe
Serves: 6–8
Cook Time: 3–6 hours (broth) + 1.5 hours (chili)
Ingredients
2–3 lb beef soup bones (marrow + knuckle)
Cold water (to cover bones)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1½ lb Primal Wyoming Wagyu × Angus ground beef or chopped chuck
1 lb pasture-raised bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ancho chili powder
½ tsp cayenne (optional)
Fresh cracked black pepper
Salt, to taste
Optional: kidney beans or pinto beans
Optional finishers: Worcestershire sauce, splash of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Simmer soup bones with cold water and apple cider vinegar for 3–6 hours. Remove bones and reserve broth and meat.
In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon slowly until fat renders and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon and reserve half for topping.
Brown the beef in the bacon fat until well caramelized.
Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until soft and golden. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Stir in tomato paste and spices. Toast 1–2 minutes.
Add reserved bone meat, half the cooked bacon, crushed tomatoes, and 4–5 cups bone broth.
Simmer gently 90 minutes, partially uncovered to thicken.
Season with salt to taste. Finish with vinegar or Worcestershire if desired.
Serve topped with remaining crispy bacon.
Which Team Are You?
There’s no wrong answer — just different moods.
Some weekends call for bone broth and depth.
Others demand bacon and zero apologies.
Either way, the difference is the meat.
When your freezer is stocked with thoughtfully raised, well-finished animals, even game-day food becomes something special.
Comments