Take A Page From This Cocktail For A Flavor-Loaded Chili Experience

Finding yourself a little bored with standard stews and looking for ways to upgrade your weeknight dinners? Take inspiration from everyone's favorite savory weekend drink and incorporate the bold flavors of a bloody mary into your next bowl of chili. It'll liven up the stew and keep you going until Friday. 

"A Bloody Mary overlaps really beautifully with a chili," Yasmin Henley, the recipe developer behind By The Forkful, told The Takeout. She recommends "leaning into the spicy horseradish heat" and explains that adding "a sprinkle of celery salt, tabasco, and a splash of Worcestershire could create a really fun, bold twist on classic chili." 

That horseradish is key. Bloody marys and classic chili both pack a spicy punch. Chili gets its heat from — you guessed it — chili peppers. Chili peppers contain capsaicin, the source of that classic, high-octane heat that we associate with spicy foods. Ingredients like Tabasco lend bloody marys a hint of chili pepper heat, too. 

But capsaicin isn't the only reason why your nose starts running after your first sip of a bloody mary; horseradish is also to blame. While you might think of horseradish as being spicy, it's a markedly different type of heat. The heat in horseradish comes from allyl isothiocyanate, not capsaicin. It's the same compound that gives mustard and wasabi their signature zing. A few tablespoons of horseradish will help bring a recognizable bloody mary note to an otherwise-standard stew.

Think about the flavors that define a bloody mary and try to bring them out in your chili. Olive brine or pickle juice would help bring out the similarities between the tomato-forward favorites. If you like less conventional bloody mary add-ins, like barbecue sauce, feel free to add them, too. Yasmin Henley notes that adding "a bit of lemon juice" would also liven up the stew. Just avoid adding too much since tomatoes already give chili a strong acidic flavor.

"Optionally, you could add a splash of vodka to the chili too — but it wouldn't add much in the way of flavor," says Henley. It's worth a try, since alcohol can enhance flavors in small amounts. If you've ever had vodka sauce, you likely already know what to expect with this addition. You won't get that strong alcohol burn, but rather a smooth finish on the tongue.

Just one piece of advice: Don't double down. As tempting as it might be to serve bloody mary chili with actual bloody marys, opt for a lighter, more refreshing drink. Something like a vodka soda will help clear your palate between bites, and pull the meal together with that missing hint of booze.