Prime Rib Beer and Bacon Chili - a luxury leftover meal

Prime Rib Beer and Bacon Chilli

I've often used the term "leftover rescue recipe" on Rock Recipes but today, I think I've coined another term, "luxury leftovers"!

I have to confess I am not a fan of just plain reheated leftovers. I don't like eating the same thing two days in a row and it's never as good the second time around in the vast majority of cases, especially if it's reheated in that destroyer of texture, moisture and taste, the God-awful microwave; I'm not a fan of those either. My microwave's primary function is melting butter!

When I do use my leftovers, especially in my Leftover Turkey Recipes I like to be a little more creative with them and create a completely different and delicious meal. This exceptional chilli is another great example of that approach.


Let's face it , prime rib ain't cheap, but I am! We always buy standing prime rib when it's on sale, always buy a roast that's larger than we need, and always plan for leftovers. One other thing that I often do is turn a prime rib roast into a rib eye roast by cutting off the ribs and freezing them for later. This is very easy to do with a sharp knife by following the natural structure of the meat. The rib eye roast becomes dinner and leftovers and the ribs will be frozen to use later in some of the most fall-apart tender and delicious braised beef ribs you can ever eat. The ribs saved from two large roasts can easily feed 4-6 people.

My prime rib roast is generally cooked to medium rare and that works very well when reheating, as there is still plenty of moisture left in the meat so that it doesn't dry out. Thinly sliced leftover prime rib roast gently warmed in leftover gravy and served on toasted sub rolls makes a great lunch or dinner too. The cubed leftovers still stay pretty tender when added in the final few minutes of cooking time for this chilli too, which can be made in a slow cooker, on the stovetop or in the oven. Either way this "luxury leftover" meal is sure to please and can be an impressive contribution to any pot-luck dinner.


Serves 8

• 2 to 3 pounds of leftover prime rib roast, cut in cubes
• 1/2 pound of smoked bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small red onion diced
• 1 bottle of beer (or substitute 12 ounces of low sodium beef stock)
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 14 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups canned red kidney beans
• 1 1/2 cups canned Romano beans
• 2 large tomatoes diced
• 1 large roasted red pepper, peeled and diced small
• ½ to 1 whole jalapeño pepper finely minced (optional)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 5 tbsp chilli powder (more or less to taste)
• 2 tbsp chipotle powder
• 3 tbsp ground cumin
• 6 tbsp molasses

Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Toss in the garlic and onions and cook until softened.
Next add the beer (or beef stock) and simmer for 5 minutes before adding the beans and the remainder of the ingredients except for the red peppers and fresh tomatoes.

Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to minimum. Cover and very slowly simmer the chilli for 2 or more hours, stirring about every 15- 20 minutes. Alternatively you can cook this in the oven at 325 degrees F. I like to do it that way because you don't have to tend it as much and it is much less likely to stick or burn to the bottom of the pot if you forget to stir it. A slow cooker is also an excellent choice for this recipe.

Add the fresh diced tomatoes, bacon and roasted red pepper in the final 1/2 hour. In the last 5 or 10 minutes add the leftover prime rib roast. Adding it last preserves the tenderness and moisture of the roast beef. Serve with the rest of the bacon sprinkled on top.

Prime Rib Beer and Bacon Chilli

I've often used the term "leftover rescue recipe" on Rock Recipes but today, I think I've coined another term, "luxury leftovers"!

I have to confess I am not a fan of just plain reheated leftovers. I don't like eating the same thing two days in a row and it's never as good the second time around in the vast majority of cases, especially if it's reheated in that destroyer of texture, moisture and taste, the God-awful microwave; I'm not a fan of those either. My microwave's primary function is melting butter!

When I do use my leftovers, especially in my Leftover Turkey Recipes I like to be a little more creative with them and create a completely different and delicious meal. This exceptional chilli is another great example of that approach.


Let's face it , prime rib ain't cheap, but I am! We always buy standing prime rib when it's on sale, always buy a roast that's larger than we need, and always plan for leftovers. One other thing that I often do is turn a prime rib roast into a rib eye roast by cutting off the ribs and freezing them for later. This is very easy to do with a sharp knife by following the natural structure of the meat. The rib eye roast becomes dinner and leftovers and the ribs will be frozen to use later in some of the most fall-apart tender and delicious braised beef ribs you can ever eat. The ribs saved from two large roasts can easily feed 4-6 people.

My prime rib roast is generally cooked to medium rare and that works very well when reheating, as there is still plenty of moisture left in the meat so that it doesn't dry out. Thinly sliced leftover prime rib roast gently warmed in leftover gravy and served on toasted sub rolls makes a great lunch or dinner too. The cubed leftovers still stay pretty tender when added in the final few minutes of cooking time for this chilli too, which can be made in a slow cooker, on the stovetop or in the oven. Either way this "luxury leftover" meal is sure to please and can be an impressive contribution to any pot-luck dinner.


Serves 8

• 2 to 3 pounds of leftover prime rib roast, cut in cubes
• 1/2 pound of smoked bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small red onion diced
• 1 bottle of beer (or substitute 12 ounces of low sodium beef stock)
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 14 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups canned red kidney beans
• 1 1/2 cups canned Romano beans
• 2 large tomatoes diced
• 1 large roasted red pepper, peeled and diced small
• ½ to 1 whole jalapeño pepper finely minced (optional)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 5 tbsp chilli powder (more or less to taste)
• 2 tbsp chipotle powder
• 3 tbsp ground cumin
• 6 tbsp molasses

Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Toss in the garlic and onions and cook until softened.
Next add the beer (or beef stock) and simmer for 5 minutes before adding the beans and the remainder of the ingredients except for the red peppers and fresh tomatoes.

Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to minimum. Cover and very slowly simmer the chilli for 2 or more hours, stirring about every 15- 20 minutes. Alternatively you can cook this in the oven at 325 degrees F. I like to do it that way because you don't have to tend it as much and it is much less likely to stick or burn to the bottom of the pot if you forget to stir it. A slow cooker is also an excellent choice for this recipe.

Add the fresh diced tomatoes, bacon and roasted red pepper in the final 1/2 hour. In the last 5 or 10 minutes add the leftover prime rib roast. Adding it last preserves the tenderness and moisture of the roast beef. Serve with the rest of the bacon sprinkled on top.