Chocolate (Chili) for Dinner

Ok let’s all be real for a minute- if we could eat chocolate for every meal and not be looked down upon, we totally would. Well good news everyone! I have a recipe to share with you that involves chocolate in a very unconventional but delicious way. CHOCOLATE. CHILI.

My mom is a fantastic cook- she always has been. I remember her having to plan meals for our family around four different dietary requirements and knocking it out of the park every time. That being said, she’s an even better baker than she is a cook. The woman is magic with a piping bag and I can’t WAIT to see what she whips up for my birthday this week (keep an eye on my Instagram for a photo of the masterpiece)! Therefore, this chocolate chili is something RIGHT up her alley. She actually won first place at a chili cook-off at our church with this recipe one year! I asked her for her recipe and she said she used this one for Ed’s Chicago Cocoa Chili. I’ve written my own directions from my experience cooking it, but you should definitely check out the original for Ed’s tips and tricks. He did write it, after all.

Just a heads up- this is a pretty involved recipe. If you’re looking for something fast and easy, this is not it. It’s not hard, per se, but it does involve a lot of chopping and a lot of mixing. The complexity of the flavors at the end make your hard work totally worth it though, I promise!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried cilantro
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1/2 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper (color doesn’t matter), chopped
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 oz tomato paste
• 1 ounce dark chocolate
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1/8 cup lime juice

Directions:

1. Ok I know that was a lot of ingredients, but it’s worth it! What I did first was to assemble my spice mixture. I put all the spices from the salt to the cocoa powder together in a bowl. Keep the brown sugar separate though, so you can adjust the sweetness of your chili.
2. Next, chop all your veggies! Do the onion, garlic, and jalepeno first and put them in a bowl together. Next do the celery, carrot, and bell pepper. If you want to be extra prepared, you can go ahead and prep your juices and open your tomato cans at this point.
3. Heat a large pot (Ed recommends 7-quart for double this recipe) on high and brown the beef to medium rare. Season slightly with salt and pepper.
4. If you have lots of visible meat fat, you might want to remove a little bit of it. I didn’t have that much the last time I made this recipe, so I didn’t drain any away.
5. Push the browned meat to one side of the pot and add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno mixture to the other side. Reduce the heat to medium/high and saute for about one minute.
6. Add the rest of the veggies and saute for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add your tomato paste. Let it heat up for a little bit and then stir into the chili mix.
8. Add the crushed tomatoes, a little more salt, your spice mix, and about half the brown sugar. Stir together on a simmer.
9. Add your lemon, lime, and orange juices and the chocolate pieces.
10. Once your chocolate has melted, taste your chili. If it needs something, add it!
11. Turn the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 5-10 minutes.
12. Serve either plain or topped with cheddar cheese- whatever tickles your fancy!

And there you have it- chocolate chili. This is a kind of hot chocolate I can get behind, especially as the weather outside starts to turn a little colder. What do you think- are you willing to take a walk on the wild side and try a chocolate chili? If you do, let me know what you think! I know for sure that this is one of my favorite chili recipes ever, even though it has no beans!

xoxo Katie