Everything about Quigley’s Pint and Plate restaurant and brewpub in Pawleys Island says homemade, right down to the brew itself, which is handcrafted on premises by brewmaster and owner Josh Quigley. And nothing goes better with a great pint of handcrafted brew than a bowl of handcrafted chili. While it rarely shows up on the specials board, Chef Joey Johnson’s award-winning Bloody Mary Chili has been turning heads since 2007, the year he unveiled his creation to the public.

First inspired by a recipe for Bloody Mary Chicken Wings, the chili made its debut at the Surfrider Foundation Chilympics fundraising event in Murrells Inlet in 2007. The spicy, flavorful concoction is built on a foundation of Bush’s chili beans, andouille sausage, chicken, Bloody Mary mix, and a bit of vodka. “We sold 18 gallons of Bloody Mary Chili that day,” said Chef Johnson. The secret, he says, is the Demitri’s Bloody Mary Seasoning, and Bush’s chili beans – don’t use kidney beans, “they’re too waxy.” The chili took first-place honors that year, and proves that great recipes are limited only by our imaginations.