Dale Talde is chef and co-owner of Talde and Pork Slope in Brooklyn, New York.
Recipe: Pork Slope Chili Con Carne
I love chili in all its forms, but the one we serve at Pork Slope is definitely one of my favorites. It's full of pork--obviously--but we don't use beans like an American style chili. Instead it's literally chile con carne: just meat with chiles. It also has a bit of cinnamon in it, which gives it this unique, beautiful aroma--it doesn't make it sweet but it gives that hint to your taste buds, which helps balance out the savoriness of the dish. 90% of taste is smell receptors, so that's a cool way to trick your brain even though there's not a pinch of sugar in there. It's a chili that's no frills, but pure flavor.
Serve with: Chili and cornbread is a match you can't improve on. I like my cornbread a little sweet, but balanced--with some salted honey butter, and maybe some bacon and chile to even it out. I think it should be a bit of everything--a little sweet and a little savory.
Pro tip: When we make chili con carne at the restaurant, we put a gallon of beer in it--and at home, beer is the perfect pairing. I like to use Negro Modelo--some of it goes in the pot, and the rest is for drinking.
