Halloween is probably one of THE MOST favorite holidays of mine. I love the decorations (especially vintage Halloween), the pumpkin patch (best photo opp), the candy (butterfingers), the costumes (I was a Spice Girl once) and of course the COOKING. Every year its a tradition I make my Chili Con Carne that is a lot like mole because towards the end of the simmering I slip in a bar of 70% dark chocolate (my nod to Mole). It’s award winning too if you count the 3rd place ribbon at my kids school Chili Cook Off.
If you trick or treat at my house you’ll see me perched in my beach chair with a big bowl of it in my lap. Pair it with a good lager beer and Trader Joe’s cornbread mix and you are set.
Chili Con Carne
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Sweet and spicy chili with smoked spices and my secret ingredient dark chocolate.
Chili Con Carne
|
Rate this recipe!
|
Print Recipe
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Sweet and spicy chili with smoked spices and my secret ingredient dark chocolate.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| 8 | 20minutes | 2hours |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 | 20minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 2hours |
Ingredients
- 2 TBL vegetable oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper cut into 1/2cubes
- 5 cloves of garlic minced
- 6 TBL chili powder
- 2 TBL cocoa chili powder optional
- 1 TBL ground coriander
- 1 TBL ground cumin
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp 1cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
- 2 cans kidney beans drained and rinsed 16 oz. cans
- 1 can Diced Tomatoes 28 oz
- 1 can tomato puree 28 oz
- 1 TBL Tomato Paste
- 3 oz dark chocolate preferably 85% or higher
- Salt to taste
Servings:
Units:
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Ingredients
Servings:
Units:
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Instructions
- Heat oil into a heavy bottomed nonreactive dutch oven (I recommend the 5 1/2 QT Le Creuset over medium heat, make sure the oil does not get to smoking point.Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, and all the spices (except salt) stir occasionally until the vegetables start to soften approximately 10 minutes.
- Turn up the heat to med-high and add half the meat. Brown and break up into small pieces about 3-4 minutes. Add remaining beef and break up cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add beans, tomatoes. tomato puree and paste and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer covered for 1 hour.
- Remove cover and add 3-4 oz. of dark chocolate, stir and continue to simmer for another hour, uncovered stirring occasionally. You can add 1/4 cup of water or beef stock if the chili begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Serve with your favorite toppings, I add a squeeze of lime, shredded cheese, sour cream and chives. You can't have enough toppings in my mind. I have also served this as a hot dip with extra large corn chips (Fritos) for dipping.
Happy Halloween Everyone!
OK I hope this question is not as stupid as it sounds, but how I’ma know if I don’ta ask? What does the chocolate do?
Arnebay the chocolate adds a touch of both creaminess and a subtle sweetness to the chili, as soon as you add it you’ll see the difference in color and texture. Chocolate is found in Mole sauce a traditional dish in Mexico, they combine chili cinnamon and chocolate in a variety of dishes, I love Mexican hot chocolate for that very reason, YUM!
As for my recipe, I figured if its good in Mole WHY NOT CHILI and up until today it used to me my “secret” ingredient. Secrets out now I guess. ;D