Award Winning Chili Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Ground beef and spicy chorizo meld with a spectrum of spices simmered low and slow until rich burgundy hues emerge. Adjust proportions slightly for balance, swap kidney for black beans for depth, and toss in a surprising dash of cocoa powder. Cooking cues hinge on smell, texture, and color rather than clocks. Excess moisture drained to avoid watery disappointments. Garnishes optional but cheddar and tangy crackers bring crunch and creaminess. Learned this from trial, error, and tweaks over years. The perfect chili isn’t rushed, smells tell it all, patience rewarded.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
33 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
12 servings
#chili
#beef
#chorizo
#slow cooked
#spicy
#Mexican american
#cocoa powder
It starts with meat cracking in a hot pot, sizzling fat releasing that primal aroma. Beef and chorizo — a change from usual Italian sausage — add layers of boldness. Spices need blooming in fat, bringing the kitchen alive with dry, smoky fragrances. Simmering is the least glamorous but most vital stage. The slow bubble tells stories, darkening the chili to a deep burgundy, thickening until it clings to your spoon like a promise. Some folks chase timing; I chase color, sound, texture — those signals you only learn by messing up a bunch. From draining grey meaty water before build to adding cocoa powder for that bittersweet twist, balance is everything. Serve with cheddar, salty crackers, and sour cream. The last spoonful tells you what worked, what didn’t, and what next time should be.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1.25 pounds ground beef (80/20 for flavor and fat)
- 1.25 pounds fresh chorizo sausage (instead of Italian links, adds smoky heat)
- 2 cups diced yellow onion (about 1 large)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained (swap for kidney beans if preferred)
- 1½ cups crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (preferably fresh ground)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (a twist, deepens flavor)
- Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- Cheddar cheese shredded, for serving
- Garlic Dill Oyster Crackers, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
About the ingredients
Slightly tweak quantities for balance — 1¼ pounds meat each helps prevent dryness or sogginess. Chorizo swaps in for Italian sausage for smoky heat but spicy Italian or smoked sausage works. Draining excess meat liquid is key to avoid watery chili, a mistake I’ve learned to dread. Black beans replace kidney here for a softer bite and earthier flavor; swap if preferred, just rinse well to avoid cloudiness. Adding cocoa powder gives complexity without messing up the chili vibe, just a teaspoon is enough to enrich without overpowering. Fresh spices, not old dusty ones, bring noticeable differences in aroma and taste. If out of fire-roasted tomatoes, add smoked paprika or chipotle powder to fill the smoky void. Common traps: not blooming spices or rushing simmer — flavor needs time to develop. Onion and garlic diced finely integrate more smoothly but chunkier can add rustic texture if you like.
Method
Brown and Render Meat
- Heat vegetable oil in a sturdy, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Throw in ground beef and chorizo right away. Don’t crowd the pot; break it up with a wooden spoon. Hear that sizzle? That’s flavor locking in. Cook until meat loses its pink but isn’t browned to death yet. Drain all the grayish liquid and grease thoroughly. You want fat for flavor but watery chili kills texture. Return meat to the pot.
Add Flavor and Texture
- Mix in diced onions and garlic. Toss in all dry spices — chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne — and sprinkle the cocoa powder here. Stir well. The magic happens when spices bloom in fat and heat. Listen for a change — the raw onion sharpness dulls, garlic toasty aroma surfaces, and the pot smells like a deep campfire. Now pour in crushed roasted tomatoes, beef broth, and black beans.
Simmer Slowly for Depth
- Turn heat down as low as it can go without cooling off entirely. Cover partially — let the chili breathe. The surface should jiggle gently with occasional bubbles. That slow lull is when flavors start thickening and marrying. Watch as the red darkens to a rich burgundy shade and bubbles slow to a lazy rhythm. Give it a stir every 15 minutes to prevent sticking, scrape bottom with a wooden spoon to catch any browning bits. If chili looks dry, splash a little water, don't overfill; too thin ruins texture.
Final Adjustments and Serve
- After 30-35 minutes of careful bubbling, scrape around the edges to check thickness. The chili should cling to the back of your spoon; no runny juice pooling is good. Taste now. Add salt, pepper, or extra cayenne as needed — don’t be timid with seasoning, it builds up with resting. Let the pot sit off heat a few minutes covered. Serve hot topped with shredded cheddar, a pile of crisp Garlic Dill Oyster Crackers for crunch, and a dollop of sour cream to cool heat.
Troubleshooting and Tips
- Dry meat too quick? Add splash broth early and reduce later. Too thin after simmer? Uncover the pot last 5 minutes to reduce faster. Burn marks? Stir more often, use heavy pot. No chorizo? Spicy Italian sausage or smoked sausage works. No fire-roasted tomatoes? Regular canned will do but may lose smoky edge — add smoked paprika to compensate. Beans firmer than liked? Add earlier or soften separately before adding. Don’t rush — that deep color and thick texture tell you when done.
Cooking tips
Start by heating oil and browning meat. Breaking meat down fully helps even cooking but don’t overwork or it will steam. Drain juices promptly to keep chili thick later. Add onions and garlic right after meat returns to pot so they soften in residual heat and mingle with spices. Stir spices in well — smell changes here signal readiness. Pour tomatoes, beans, and broth next. Simmer on lowest flame so bubbles slow and sporadic, patience here is key. Stir every 15 minutes minimum — helps stop burning and incorporates flavors. Thickness changes visually — chili clings to spoon and darkens in color when ready. If texture too runny near end, uncover pot for last 5 minutes to reduce. Taste often near finish, seasoning can go up but not down, so cautious additions advised. Cooling slightly off heat helps flavors settle — serve warm with bold garnishes. These steps prevent watery, bland chili — learn to read your pot like a book.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start hot for browning beef and chorizo; don’t crowd pot or meat steams. Drain gray juices fully to avoid watery base. Fat stays for flavor but too much kills texture. Use wooden spoon to break meat evenly; chunks too big mean uneven cooking.
- 💡 Spices bloom in fat, smell must shift from raw to toasted. Add cocoa powder with spices; only a teaspoon or it dominates. If no fire-roasted tomatoes swap regular then crank smoked paprika up to fill the smoky gap.
- 💡 Low and slow simmer. Surface must jiggle with slow occasional bubbles, not boil. Stir every 15 minutes minimum. Scrape brown bits from bottom to keep rich flavor. If chili dries, splash water but keep it thick. Overfill ruins texture easy.
- 💡 Check thickness by spoon test: chili clings, no runny juice pooling. Taste often near end for salt, pepper, cayenne. Season cautiously, flavors build while resting. Uncover last 5 min if too runny to reduce fast but watch closely.
- 💡 Drain beans well to avoid cloudiness; black beans softer than kidney—switch if you want. If beans too firm, soften separately or add early. Shredded cheddar and crispy garlic crackers add texture contrast. Sour cream cools heat but optional.
Common questions
How to fix watery chili?
Drain meat liquid early. Add broth sparingly. Simmer low, stir often. Uncover last 5 mins to reduce if needed. Thick chili clings to spoon; watery means skipped steps or too much liquid.
Can I swap chorizo?
Use spicy Italian or smoked sausage if no chorizo. Flavor changes but similar smoky, spicy notes. Adjust spices to balance different sausage fat and salt levels. Watch cooking times; some sausages need less browning.
Why add cocoa powder?
Adds depth without sweetness. Just a teaspoon to enrich flavor, not overpower. Cocoa blends with chili spices after simmering; it brings bittersweet layer, smooths out harsh acidity from tomatoes.
How to store leftovers?
Chill in airtight container. Reheat gently, add splash broth if thickened too much in fridge. Freezes well up to 3 months. Defrost slow in fridge. Flavors often deepen after resting overnight.
