Probably just keep driving, maybe find a cheap motel to crash at for a night.

Your buddy is a genius. We're all out here creating extra work for ourselves like we're on a cooking show. Next they'll tell us we need to toast the spices in a separate pan before adding them to the slow cooker. What's a recipe where it matters? Maybe a quick pan sauce, but for chili that simmers for eight hours? That beef is going to forget it ever saw a skillet.

Just imagine that foam laughing at you the whole time.