Profrontation's Chili Con Carne - Mexican

This chili takes its time and rewards every minute. Three pounds of ground beef get browned in bacon fat with a flour-and-chili-powder paste that coats the meat before anything else goes in. That step builds a thick, clinging sauce from the start instead of a thin, watery broth.

After the tomatoes simmer down for 20 minutes, in go the bay leaves, oregano, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar. That vinegar-sugar combo is the move that lifts this chili above the ordinary. The acid brightens everything, and the brown sugar rounds out the chili powder’s bite without making it sweet.

Two more hours of low, slow cooking and the kidney beans go in, followed by a whole pint of black olives right at the end. The olives are the wildcard. They add a briny, meaty depth that’s unexpected but absolutely works.

Kitchen Tips

• Mix the chili powder with flour before adding to the fat. This creates a roux-like paste that thickens the chili from the very beginning.
• Brown the onions and garlic first, remove them, then build the chili base in that same flavored fat. Layering matters here.
• Add the olives in the last 15-20 minutes. Too long and they turn mushy and lose their bite.
• This chili is better the next day. The flavors meld and deepen overnight in the fridge.

Variations

• Swap ground beef for chunks of chuck roast for a Texas-style, fork-tender version.
• Add a can of chipotle peppers in adobo for a smoky, deeper heat.
• Skip the olives and stir in roasted poblano strips for a New Mexico-inspired take.