Gourmet Chili

This is a chili with ambition. It earns the ‘gourmet’ name with a deep, layered spice blend and one secret-weapon ingredient: a couple of tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. It won’t make the chili taste like chocolate, but it adds a dark, mole-like richness that rounds out the heat and gives the whole pot a brooding depth.

The spice load is serious, with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic and a real hit of cayenne, so this lands firmly on the spicy, robust end. Browning the beef in suet is an old-school move that builds extra richness, and a long, slow simmer lets all those flavors marry.

Smartly, the pinto beans are cooked separately. That settles the eternal chili debate on your terms: stir them in for a hearty bowl, or serve them on the side for a Texas-style, bean-free pot.

Tomato juice lets you dial the consistency from thick to soupy. Finish each bowl with a cool dollop of sour cream.

Kitchen Tips

• Bloom the spices by letting them cook with the meat a minute or two before any liquid goes in. The heat wakes up their flavor.
• Cocoa is the sleeper here. Start with the suggested amount, since too much turns the chili bitter.
• Cook the beans separately and add them at the end so they keep their shape instead of breaking down into the meat.

Variations

• Use a neutral oil instead of suet for a lighter, more modern version.
• Dial the heat down by cutting the cayenne, or up with extra chilies or hot sauce.
• Make it a day ahead. Chili always tastes deeper after a night in the fridge.