Recipes

Triple Chocolate Beef & Bean Chili

  • Serves

    serves 6-8

YOSSY AREFI

Cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate lend darkness and depth to this hearty chili, rounded out with the complex bitterness of chocolate stout beer.

Ingredients

  • 12 lb. dried pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 12 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1" cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 14 cup olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 large white onions, chopped
  • 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
  • 1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (12-oz.) chocolate stout beer
  • 1 12 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 2 12 cups chicken stock
  • 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp. lime juice
  • Sour cream and roughly chopped cilantro, to garnish

Instructions

Step 1

Put beans and bay leaf into a large pot and cover with 3" water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, and stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, 60-90 minutes. Drain beans, discarding bay leaf; set aside.

Step 2

Heat a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add chiles, and cook, turning once, until toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water; let sit 20 minutes. Drain chiles, reserving ½ cup soaking liquid; transfer chiles and liquid to a blender with cocoa, oregano, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon and puree until smooth. Set sauce aside.

Step 3

Add oil to pan and return to medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper and, working in batches, add beef to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 4–6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a bowl. Add garlic and onions to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring until slightly caramelized, about 2 minutes. Add reserved sauce, cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Return beef to pot, plus tomatoes, beer, sugar, and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until beef is very tender, 1-1 ½ hours. Stir in reserved beans, along with chocolate, juice, salt, and pepper. Serve ladled into bowls with sour cream and cilantro.

Continue to Next Story

Want more SAVEUR?

Get our favorite recipes, stories, and more delivered to your inbox.