THE BEST Chili con Carne with Chocolate - Himmlisches Chili con Carne mit Schokolade Recipe

 Chili Con Carne with Bittersweet Chocolate
Serves 4

1 1/2 lb beef chunks or ground beef
1 big onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lard or shortening
2 Tbsp jalapeno peppers finely chopped (you can use very hot ones or mild as you please)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 big can whole tomatoes
1 big can kidney beans
1 can black beans (or dried)
2 Tbsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin + 2 tbsp
1/2 tsp cinnamon + 2 tbsp
1 Shot tabasco or red pepper sauce
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate
250 ml of beef stock
salt; pepper
1 cup dark beer
a bit corn flour (Masa harina)


Cut the chuck into 3/4-inch pieces, or, to save time, have your butcher do this for you. Place the chuck in a large bowl. Season liberally with pepper and 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 corn flour or even better Masa harina. 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 turns 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 stock. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours until meat is wonderfully tender. Strain juice from the black beans and kidney 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.

Chili con Carne mit Zartbitter - Schokolade

500 g Rindfleisch, (Hack oder Gulasch)
1 Gemüsezwiebel(n)
2 Zehe/n Knoblauch, (geräuchert)
1 EL Olivenöl
2 TL Chilischote(n), fein gehackt (ohne Samen)
2 EL Tomatenmark
450 gr. Dose/n Tomate(n), ganze
450 gr. Dose/n Kidneybohnen
2 TL Oregano, (frisch noch besser)
1 TL Kreuzkümmel, (Cumin)
1 Schuss Tabasco
etwas Cayennepfeffer
etwas Chilipulver, (nach Geschmack)
1 Rippe/n Schokolade, zartbitter, hochwertige oder:
1 EL Kakaopulver
250 ml Rinderfond

In einem großen Topf das Rindfleisch in Olivenöl anbraten - bis es gut angebräunt ist. Anschließend Zwiebeln, Knoblauch und Chilis hinzufügen und 3 min simmern lassen. Nun das Tomatenmarkt, die ganzen Tomaten und den Fond hinzufügen und einreduzieren lassen - 20-30 Min bei mittlerer Hitze. Jetzt die Kidneybohnen abtropfen und durchspülen und mit den Gewürzen und der Schokolade hinzufügen. 10 Min weiter köcheln. Abschmecken mit Salz und Pfeffer und eventuell mehr Schärfe reinbringen.

Schmeckt lecker zu knusprigen, warmen Nacho Chips, Tortillas, Baguette oder Reis.

Lässt sich vorbereiten - einfach einfrieren oder in den Kühlschrank und wieder aufwärmen.