Chiarello Chocolate Chili Con Carne

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Rated 4 stars out of 5
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  • Read 59 Reviews
Total Time:
2 hr 40 min
Prep
40 min
Cook
2 hr 0 min
Yield:
10 to 12 servings
Level:
Intermediate
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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef chuck
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Gray salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus 1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus 2 teaspoons
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder, plus 2 tablespoons
  • Masa harina (Mexican corn flour)
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lard (Manteca)
  • 4 red onions, peeled and minced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 jalapeno peppers, sliced thin with seeds, stems removed
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 to 3 (12-ounce) bottles beer
  • 1 (12-ounce) can diced tomato in juices
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 3 (12-ounce) cans black beans
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into large chunks

Directions

Cut the chuck into ¾-inch pieces, or, to save time, have your butcher do this for you. Place the chuck in a large bowl. Season liberally with pepper (about 20 turns of the pepper grinder) and grey salt to taste– remember half of this will come off in the pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of the cumin, and 2 tablespoons of the chili powder. Mix this well and coat the meat with the masa harina (this is a ground hominy flour common to Mexican cuisine and easily found in the Mexican food sections of many grocery stores). The flour will thicken the sauce and give it a specific, Mexican taste.

Preheat a cast iron Dutch oven on the stove over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and then the coated meat, spreading it evenly so it covers the bottom of the Dutch oven in 1 layer. Leave it alone, without turning it, so the meat will brown and caramelize. Meanwhile, add the lard. The meat has a lot of moisture in it, so a good amount of steam will come from the pan before it is caramelized. As it browns, slowly turn each piece with tongs. Once all sides are caramelized, remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a cookie sheet to cool, leaving juices in the Dutch oven to saute vegetables. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat until they start to caramelize and get soft. Add the jalapenos and allow to cook for 2 more minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste. Some of the same spices as were used on the meat will be used in the sauce. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of the cumin, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, the oregano, and 2 heaping tablespoons of the chili powder. Add beer. Stir to incorporate everything. Add diced tomatoes, and stir. Then add the reserved meat. Add chicken stock. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours until meat is wonderfully tender. Strain juice from the black beans, add the beans to the chili pot and bring up to simmer. Then add chunks of bittersweet chocolate. Stir until it melts. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 59 reviews

  • on October 24, 2012

    Flag

    This is a fantastic chili...and I'm not even a big fan of chili. I loved the use of cubed chuck instead of ground and the chocolate is key. I made a couple modifications though. First off, I have no idea where 12 oz cans of vegetables come from. I've only every seen 14.5 or 15 oz cans, so obviously I used a few ounces more of tomatoes. Also, while I guarantee the Masa Harina gives an authentic Mexican flavor, I just couldn't justify buying a 3 lbs bag of it when I will NEVER use it again, so I just dusted with a little cornstarch and it worked fine. When I tasted the finished product, it was good, but it just felt like it was missing something. The something was a touch of sweetness (possibly due to the lack of Masa Harina but I added just a little brown sugar and it was PERFECT!!! I'd say about 1/4 cup for the whole pot. Didn't need any of the usual chili "fixins". It was great how it was...and it's gone :

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  • on August 11, 2012

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    This is a great Mexican Chili Con Carne. I have made it several times for large groups of people and there are never any leftovers. Do NOT skip the Masa Harina (Corn Flouror the Bittersweet Chocolate at the end. They are major flavor components. I have subsituted ground beef for the beef chuck and it has worked really well too, especially when feeding a larger group. Friends really enjoyed topping it with FRITOS, cheese, and green onions. YUMMMM!

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  • on December 30, 2011

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    I have made this recipe twice,once with venison and once with elk.
    very very good AAA+++

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