Chili Cheese Johnny Cakes

Name: Chili Cheese Johnny Cakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 min 30 s
Total time: 32 min 30 s
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (8 oz) Rancho Gordo Domingo Rojo Beans; Water for soaking the beans; 2 lb ground Creekstone Farms Brisket Blend Burger Pucks (81/19); 1/4 cup Cattleman’s Grill Road House; 2 cups yellow onion, diced; 1 cup carrots, small dice; 1/2 cup celery, small dice; 1/2 cup poblano pepper, diced; 1/4 cup jalapeños, diced; 1 tbsp garlic, microplaned; 2 qt beef stock; 1 bottle (12 oz each) SHINER BOCK beer; 1 (28 oz) can Ciao Italian Peeled Tomatoes; 8 oz sharp cheddar, grated; 2 cups Marsh Hen Mill Johnny Cakes Mix; 2 cups water; 1/2 cup milk; 1 tbsp Tapped Maple Syrup; Cornhusker Spray Duck Fat

Nov 05, 2024 • Tom Jackson

Enjoy a comforting meal with these Chili Cheese Johnny Cakes! Soak Domingo Rojo Beans overnight, then brown Creekstone Farms Brisket Blend on a YS640S grill, seasoning with Cattleman’s Grill Road House. Sauté diced onions, carrots, celery, and peppers in the beef fat, then add garlic, beef stock, SHINER BOCK beer, tomatoes, and beans, simmering until tender. Whisk together Johnny Cakes with maple syrup, cook on a duck-fat-greased griddle until golden, and serve topped with chili and sharp cheddar for a hearty, flavor-packed dish.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Two recipes in one: A from-scratch brisket blend chili simmered with Domingo Rojo beans and Shiner Bock, served over golden cornmeal Johnny Cakes cooked in duck fat — this is a full comfort food meal built on the grill.
Beans cooked right: Overnight-soaked Rancho Gordo Domingo Rojo beans simmered directly in the chili build a richness and texture that canned beans simply can't match.
Duck fat Johnny Cakes: Marsh Hen Mill's cornmeal mix cooked on a cast iron griddle sprayed with duck fat produces crispy-edged, golden cakes that hold up under a full ladle of chili without going soggy.
One grill, two cooking zones: The YS640s runs the Dutch oven on the left at direct heat while the cast iron griddle handles the Johnny Cakes on the right — everything finishes at the same time on the same cooker.

Chili Cheese Johnny Cakes

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

16

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

2.5 minutes

Calories

361

Cozy up with a plate of Chili Cheese Johnny Cakes—a comforting, hearty meal that’s perfect for a chilly day. Tender brisket chili is simmered to perfection with rich spices, beans, and a splash of beer, creating layers of deep, smoky flavor. Served over golden Johnny Cakes with a sprinkle of melted cheddar, this dish brings together the perfect balance of savory, spicy, and a hint of sweetness. It’s an irresistible combination that feels like a warm hug in every bite.

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Ingredients

For the chili:

3 cups (8 oz) Rancho Gordo Domingo Rojo Beans
Water for soaking the beans
2 lb ground Creekstone Farms Brisket Blend Burger Pucks (81/19)
1/4 cup Cattleman’s Grill Road House
2 cups yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, small dice
1/2 cup celery, small dice
1/2 cup poblano pepper, diced
1/4 cup jalapeños, diced
1 tbsp garlic, microplaned
2 qt beef stock
1 bottle (12 oz each) SHINER BOCK beer
1 (28 oz) can Ciao Italian Peeled Tomatoes
8 oz sharp cheddar, grated

For the Johnny Cakes:

2 cups Marsh Hen Mill Johnny Cakes Mix
2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp Tapped Maple Syrup
Cornhusker Spray Duck Fat

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Directions

Soak the beans overnight, covered in water, in a sealed container. Drain and rinse beans.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 500ºF, set up for direct grilling with a Yoder Smokers Cast Iron Griddle on the right side of the grill.
Place a Lodge Dutch Oven on the grill grates on the left side of the grill.
Brown the beef in the dutch oven over direct flame, seasoning with Cattleman’s Grill Road House, until cooked through and lightly seared, about 15 minutes
Remove from the grill with a slotted spoon, leaving the beef fat behind.
Cook the onion, carrot, celery and peppers in the beef fat until softened, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, beans, beef stock. Bring to a simmer, covered and cook until the beans are tender, about 90 minutes.
Return the beef to the dutch oven. Add beer and tomatoes. Cook to desired consistency. Keep covered and warm.
Move the griddle over the flame.
Mix the Johnny Cakes with a whisk. Spray the griddle with duck fat. Scoop out a quarter cup at a time onto the griddle and cook until browned on each side.
Serve the chili atop the Johnny Cakes, covered in grated cheese.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Do I really need to soak the beans overnight, or can I use canned?
Overnight soaking is worth it. Rancho Gordo Domingo Rojo beans are a heritage variety with a creamier texture and earthier flavor than standard canned beans — soaking and cooking them from dry lets them absorb the beef fat and aromatics as they simmer. Canned kidney or pinto beans can substitute in a pinch, but add them in the last 20–30 minutes rather than at the start to avoid turning them to mush.

What can I substitute for Creekstone Farms Brisket Blend?
Any 80/20 ground beef works well. The brisket blend brings extra richness from the higher fat content and brisket flavor, but a standard ground chuck at 80/20 produces a very similar result. Avoid leaner blends — you need the fat rendered into the Dutch oven to sauté the vegetables in before adding the stock.

What does the Shiner Bock add, and can I substitute it?
The dark lager adds a malty, slightly sweet depth that complements the beef and balances the jalapeño heat without the bitterness of a stout. Any amber lager or dark beer works as a substitute. Beef broth is the non-alcoholic swap — add an extra cup to compensate for the liquid volume.

Can I make the chili ahead of time?
Yes — the chili is better the next day. Make it up to 2 days ahead, store covered in the refrigerator, and reheat gently on the stovetop before serving. Make the Johnny Cakes fresh just before serving — they don't reheat well and take only a few minutes on the griddle.

Can I make this indoors?
4 out of 5 — Great in the kitchen, better on the grill. The chili translates perfectly to a stovetop Dutch oven, and the Johnny Cakes cook just as well on a cast iron skillet or griddle on the stove. The YS640s adds mild ambient smoke to the chili while it simmers on the grill — you'll miss that layer indoors, but the dish is fully at home in either setting.

Recipe Highlights

Brown the beef first, then sauté the vegetables in the rendered fat: Removing the browned brisket blend with a slotted spoon and cooking the onion, carrot, celery, and peppers directly in the leftover beef fat is the flavor foundation of this chili. That fat carries the seasoning and builds the base — don't discard it or substitute oil.
Add beans and stock before the beer and tomatoes: The bean simmer step — 90 minutes covered in beef stock — cooks the beans to tenderness before the acid from the tomatoes and beer goes in. Adding acid too early prevents the beans from softening properly; this order matters.
Duck fat on the griddle, not butter or oil: Cornhusker Duck Fat Spray has a high smoke point and a subtle richness that gives the Johnny Cakes their characteristic crispy exterior without burning. Butter will brown too fast at griddle temperatures; neutral oils work but don't add flavor.
Quarter-cup portions on the griddle, flip once: Scooping a consistent quarter-cup per cake gives you even thickness and predictable cook time. Wait until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set before flipping — one clean flip produces better browning than checking repeatedly.