Chipolte-Cocoa Chili

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb cubed sirloin
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, diced
1 Anaheim chile, diced
1 onion, diced
1 shallot, minced
7 oz chipotles in adobe, minced (with sauce)
30 oz fire roasted (canned) tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon canela
1 teaspoon cocoa
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Spray a skillet with nonstick spray. Quickly saute the meat and vegetables until the meat is just barely cooked on all sides. Add to a 4 quart slow cooker. Stir. In a small bowl, stir together the chipotles in adobe, tomatoes and spices. Pour over the meat mixture. Stir to evenly combine. Cook on low 7-8 hrs and then high until ready to serve (up to 2 hours). Stir prior to serving.

My thoughts:

For some reason, I’ve been in a chili mood lately. It isn’t something I eat or want to eat all the time but then I do want to, I want it now! When I saw a good deal on beef at the store I figured it was a sign. I brought it home and prepped the veggies so I could just pop in a a pan and then the slow cooker the next day. I can make chili on the stovetop but between working on a new big (top secret!) project and my husband taking up kung fu, I’ve been using the slow cooker more and more lately so I don’t have to start cooking (often, again) so late in the day. Luckily, since writing 300 slow cooker recipes for my first book, I think I could make something for the slow cooker in my sleep. Or possibly as a zombie. I do think the slow cooker makes good chili. Cooking large chunks of beef takes forever on the stovetop and honestly, I think I get better results in the slow cooker. The meat always ends up falling apart tender and I don’t have to keep stirring to keep it from burning.

For this chili I used up some chiles I had on hand and a can of chipotles in adobe. I was going to put beans in it but I realize we did not have any beans in the house besides chickpeas (and we had a million of those. No clue why. We never eat them) and I thought that would be weird. I don’t think I’ve ever been without beans before. Normally I stockpile them like crazy but I guess I used up my last can without noticing. Despite the crazy amount of chipotle in the chili, it actually isn’t very spicy, just very well and deeply flavored.

One Comment

  1. Cupcake and Talk

    The men in my life will love this recipe. I am vegetarian but always look for meat recipes to make for my family. Thank you for the recipe.