Chocolate Chili

My long-time chili recipe, full of spices and flavor and a touch of chocolate. Often served with mashed potatoes, an old Iowa farmwife technique to make meat go further when feeding farmhands.

There must be a dozen chili recipes in my box. I searched for the perfect recipe for several years and along the way tried many variations. I even entered a chili contest once – the judges were unimpressed to learn my entry included a can of tomato soup!

My first chili experiment used a recipe from a great cook from Texas. It featured two cups (cups!) of beef suet and one-half cup (cup!) of chili powder. Whew – greasy and spicy!

The search yield many good chili recipes that still get made but Chocolate Chili is a must when the yen for “real” chili hits.

Like many chilis, this recipe is best made a day ahead so the flavors can meld. This way you can also skim off additional excess fat.

Don’t be turned off by the spice/chocolate combination – it softens and deepens the warmth from the chili powder and Tabasco.

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. How is chili served at your house? Forward a favorite preparation our way. Send to e-mail.

CHOCOLATE CHILI

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total preparation time: 2 hours
Makes 12 cups
  • 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1-1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes (15 oz can)
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 quart water (or less for a thicker chili)
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco
  • 1 – 3 tablespoons chili powder (start with 1 tablespoon, add to taste)
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 bay leaf

Cook ground beef and onion until meat is cooked. Drain fat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, vinegar and Tabasco. Stir spices, salt and cocoa powder together in small dish. Stir into chili and add bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-1/2 - 2 hours. Remove bay leaf.

Serve plain or over hot spaghetti, a baked potato or mashed potatoes.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Cup: 111Cal; 13g Protein; 4g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 7g Carb; 2g Fiber; 633mg Sodium; 51mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points
LATER NOTES

While many chilis are somewhat sweet, this recipe falls into the not-sweet camp. The spices are warm and wonderful. Try not to break up the ground beef too small while it's cooking. Ground elk works just as well as ground beef in this chili recipe. Go ahead, add beans if you like! Yum! This chili tastes great with Mashed Potatoes & Carrots! Originally published in print in 2002, first published online in 2008.

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Chili with chocolate -- now you are speaking my language! It wasn't until I traveled in Mexico and had really good mole that I discovered how beautifully cocoa enhances the earthy flavor of beans.
Blogger Lydia on 1/04/2008
 
I love a good chocolate chili; Moosewood has a good vegetarian version that can be googled. I also love the idea of a plop of cheesy mashed potatoes in the middle of the bowl. That's awesome.
Anonymous Sally Parrott Ashbrook on 1/04/2008
 
Quess whats for dinner this weekend. Your chocolate chili!
Sounds so good and were having our worst storm in years. Perfect timing!!!
Blogger Megan on 1/04/2008
 
So you must be of the "chili as a gravy" camp as opposed to the "chili as a soup" one? I'm in the later group myself so I'd just add more water. I think the spices listed here sound beautiful together. I'll have to give this a try. Thanks Alanna!
Blogger Sally on 1/05/2008
 
Lydia ~ I've yet to have a beautiful mole but am quite confident that when I first discovered this recipe, I had no earthly idea that chocolate with chili was anything except a novelty.

Sally ~ Mashed potatoes with chili are just the best!

Megan ~ Stay warm! Let me know how the chili (and cornbread!) work out!

Sally ~ Funny. I thought the chili camps were "beans and no beans". This chili is meaty but still quite thin on the first day. It definitely thickens up over a couple of days, though, so that's when I start adding water.
Blogger Alanna on 1/05/2008
 
Wow...this sounds and looks delicious!! This is going on the "to try" list....thanks!
Blogger Dani Spies on 1/05/2008
 
Darling, we are surfing the same wavelength! I made a chocolate stew this week; and I am blogging it this weekend. Too funny.

I like your ground beef chili version- with all those yummy flavors co-mingling, how can you go wrong? ;)
Blogger Karina on 1/05/2008
 
chili is one of the things on my must-make-this-year list :)

Happy new year to you and the family hon.
Blogger Cynthia on 1/05/2008
 
I learned earlier this year that the secret to silky coq au vin was cocoa. I'm making chili today - thanks for the reminder!
Blogger katiez on 1/06/2008
 
I never would have thought to put cocoa powder into chili---I'm excited to try it, thanks!

--steph
Blogger Crockpot Lady on 1/06/2008
 
You are spot-on, Alanna. Finding a good chili recipe is like shopping for that perfect pair of jeans. I baked a batch of red chili brownies last year and was pleasantly surprised. Too hot for all tastes, but the flavor combo was that all-elusive "perfect." Happy New Year!
Blogger Susan on 1/07/2008
 
I haven't yet put chocolate into our chili but we have made fantastic chocolate/morita chicken enchiladas (based on a recipe for 'rabbit enchiladas with red mole' in SAVEUR Nov 2006). It is one of our favourites now with corn tortillas.

Since that time, we've often added a little cocoa powder to chicken gravy. It's wonderful how it enhances the other flavours without announcing its presence as chocolate.

-Elizabeth

P.S. When I make chili, the first thing I do is blacken a couple of whole dried cayenne chillies before browning the meat. I can't recommend this method enough. The chilis take on a toasty flavour. (And yes, I also add chili powder) Next time, I will HAVE to add a bit of cocoa.
Blogger ejm on 1/07/2008
 
The chili was excellent! My family said this was there new favorite chili! I loved it!
Anonymous Megan on 1/07/2008
 
Morning Alanna - Holy cow! Was that chili good!!! I had to twist DH's arm to even try it, but he wants me to make it again! LOL (I should have never told him the name.) Thanks so much for the recipe. I can't wait until our next chili cook-off. This should be a winner for sure!
Anonymous Sally on 1/10/2008
 
Chocolate is one of my favorite food substances, but in chili? I don't see why not really, but only 1/2t of cocoa powder? I would be tempted to use more like 1/2 cup! Does the flavor of chocolate actually show up? Interesting for sure, I'll have to add some cocoa powder to my next chili batch.

- The Peanut Butter Boy
Blogger Nick on 2/28/2008
 
Hi Alanna,

Would this work with balsamic vinegar instead of the white kind? I used the last of the later to clean my humidifiers! :) Thanks!
Blogger ~M on 7/17/2008
 
~M - of course! The vinegar adds an astringency that helps balance the flavors.
Blogger Alanna on 7/18/2008
 
Hi, I'm making this for a church gathering tomorrow but i don't have any coriander, Is there anything I can substitute in its place?
Anonymous Katie on 10/03/2008
 
Alan here my spouse made this and it was so good and because it was just the two of us it lasted a long time.
Blogger Babyalan on 10/27/2009
 
just bought all the ingredients, and i'm trying it right now - can't wait to see/taste the results!!!!
Anonymous Jerry on 2/24/2011
 

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna