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–+ servings
A red-handled pot filled with hearty chili made of ground meat, beans, and tomatoes sits on a dark countertop with a black spoon inside. A bunch of parsley and a checkered cloth are nearby.
This thick, meaty chili packs layers of flavor from a mixture of sausage and beef, roasted peppers, and a special blend of cocoa and cinnamon—an unexpected flavor that compliments the chili flavor in every bite.

Chili with a Secret Twist (It's Not What You Think!)

Ingredients 

  • 2 Anaheim peppers roasted, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
  • 8 slices of thick cut bacon diced
  • 5 tbsp butter unsalted
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 2 yellow onion diced
  • ½ head of garlic minced
  • 1 can of tomato paste 6oz can
  • 2 cans of tomato sauce 15oz cans
  • ½ can of diced tomato 15oz can
  • 1 ¼ lb ground beef
  • 1 ¼ lb breakfast sausage mild or hot is good
  • 1 beer bottle of lager like Dos Equis, Corona, or Modelo
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 15.5-ounce cans kidney beans with juice
  • 1 15.5-ounce cans pinto beans with juice

Spice Mix

  • 4 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 tsp granulated onion
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder unsweetened
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper

For serving

  • cheddar cheese grated
  • onion diced
  • cilantro chopped
  • sour cream

Instructions

Roast the peppers

  1. Preheat your oven to broil.
  2. Coat the Anaheim peppers in oil. Place on a sheet pan and put in oven until blistered and color has appeared.
    2 Anaheim peppers
  3. Remove from the oven and place the peppers inside a ziplock bag and seal it. Allow the peppers to steam for 10-15 minutes. This will loosen the skin and make them easy to peel.
  4. Remove the peppers from the ziplock and peel the thin layer of skin off the outer layer of the pepper. De-seed, chop, and set aside.

Start the bacon

  1. Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add a drizzle of neutral oil and add the bacon. Cook until browned. Remove bacon from pot, leaving the bacon grease.
    8 slices of thick cut bacon

Saute veggies

  1. Add butter the bacon grease. Toss in roasted peppers, bell pepper, and onion. Stir until coated and cook on medium until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
    5 tbsp butter, 1 red bell pepper, 2 yellow onion
  2. Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir to combine until the tomato paste is coating all of the veggies. Cook for another 2 minutes.
    ½ head of garlic, 1 can of tomato paste
  3. Add spice mix and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
    4 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp granulated garlic, 2 tsp granulated onion, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cocoa powder, ½ tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper
  4. Remove from pot and set aside.

Brown the meat

  1. Add the ground beef and breakfast sausage. Break it up with a masher. Cook until the meat is nicely browned and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes.
    1 ¼ lb ground beef, 1 ¼ lb breakfast sausage

Combine everything

  1. Add the bacon and sauteed veggies to the browned meat. Add tomato sauce, diced tomato, beer, chicken broth, and beans. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.
    2 cans of tomato sauce, ½ can of diced tomato, 1 beer, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 15.5-ounce cans kidney beans, 1 15.5-ounce cans pinto beans
  2. As soon as it begins to boil, lower the heat and simmer about 1 hour. Serve and enjoy!
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