Let's Lunch: Chili Smackdown

When my LetsLunch group suggested “chili” as the theme for January, truth be told, I wanted to hide out, take cover, then crawl back out in February. The closest experience I had had with chili was watching Top Chef: Texas, a mere three weeks ago. The dish was never a staple in my home—we did, however, eat pulled BBQ venison, grilled elk, and rabbit cacciatore on a regular basis—so all I knew was what came across the television: a group of floundering chefs attempting to stay up all night in hopes of impressing the Top Chef judges, because chili must be cooked forever.  Oh, and it’s pretty much a law that chili must be sans beans.

“Look up beanless chili recipe” sat on my to-do list for a while. I was scared, intimidated, and anxious—the fiery taste just never grew on my palette, so chili was one dish I avoided while at friend’s homes, family dinners, etc. But alas, it’s a new year, a new chance to grow. So here I am, posting about my experience behind the oven, making chili.

I knew that if I were to make a giant vat of meat, simmering in spices for an entire day, I might as well make it interesting. Hence “look up beanless chili recipes with a twist” crept up on the to-do list.

Enter: The Kitchn’s Cincinnati Chili, bringing together two things my husband and I both adore: red meat and cocoa. Okay, maybe I don’t adore red meat, but I am in love with chocolate.

I’ll post the recipe here, but warning: as much as I wanted it to (I really did), this dish did not convert me. It may have even (gasp) given my three-decade-long avoidance some type of credibility. Like, “see, this is why you don’t each chili. Because it’s spicy hot, hot, hot!”

I may be a chili novice, but be sure to check out my fellow Let’s Lunchers, who are experts in the dish. They know what they’re talking about. Me, I’ll go hide out and eat a chocolate bar. 

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Cheryl's Keema Chili

Cathy's Cowboy Chili

Charissa's Frenchified Cassoulet

Ellise's Chicken Tinga Chili

Emma's Dave's Chili

Felicia's Low-Concept Vegetarian Chili

Grace's Chinese New Year Chili

Joe's Texas Bowl o' Red

Karen's Hawaiian Chili 

Linda's Smokin' Hot Vegan Vaquero Chili

Lucy's Full of Beans Chili

Pat's Miso Chili Con Carne

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Cincinnati Chili

serves 2-4

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 small dried red peppers
2 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa 
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken or beef broth
1/2 cup water

Film a large, heavy frying pan with olive oil. Heat over medium high heat and when hot add the beef, minced onion and garlic, and chili powder. Crumble in the dried red peppers. Cook for about eight minutes or until the meat is browned.

 In a separate bowl combine the cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cumin, chipotle pepper, and salt. Add and stir fry for another couple minutes until fragrant.

Add the bay leaves, Worcestshire sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce, broth and water. Turn heat to low and simmer for an hour.

Serve over spaghetti with minced onion, hot kidney beans, and cheddar cheese.

Comments

[linda @spiceboxtravels]

This looks so good! It so happens that I remade my vegan chili last night and added an ounce of dark chocolate, just to get a mole-like flavor, and loved it. See you at next month's #LetsLunch.