Maverick Chili

This is chili built like a Texas tall tale. Two kinds of meat (chunky beef brisket and pork pulled off neck bones) get browned with onions, bell peppers, and four jalapeños, then simmered in a wild combination of tomato sauce, beer, strong coffee, and a tablespoon of chocolate syrup.

If that lineup sounds strange, that’s the point. The bitter coffee and chocolate deepen the meat’s roasted notes, the beer adds malt and tang, and the cumin goes in twice (most at the start, the last tablespoon stirred in right before serving) so you get both stewed depth and a bright top note.

Pro Tips

• Pick the meat off the pork neck bones once they’re cool enough to handle. Chopping it coarsely keeps real meat texture in the bowl rather than soup.
• Don’t skip the second cumin addition. Stirring it in at the end is what gives the chili that fresh, aromatic kick on top of the deep stewed flavor.
• Refrigerate overnight and reheat the next day. The note in the original directions is right: this chili is dramatically better on day two.
• Skim the fat off the top after chilling. The brisket and neck bones throw a lot of fat, and a defatted reheat tastes cleaner without losing richness.

Variations

• Stir in a can of drained pinto or black beans at the end if you want a hybrid Texas-Cincinnati style.
• Swap the chocolate syrup for a square of unsweetened dark chocolate for a less sweet, more bitter depth.
• Top with diced avocado, pickled red onions, and crumbled cotija for a brighter modern serve.