When two people cook a 4-pound spoon roast, there's bound to be leftovers. And when that particular spoon roast has been cooked in chocolate stout, those leftovers are destined for chili. We know that chili is all about creating layers of flavor and letting them simmer together, so we set out to do just that with chipotles, spices, tomatoes, dark cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate, beef, beans and of course, the most important ingredient - Thomas Hooker Brewery Chocolate Truffle Stout. The fact that the beef had been cooked in the stout was just another added layer of flavor. It was a blustery cold weeknight, and the result was a chocolatey, deeply dark brown, and very spicy chili that made our noses run and our brows sweat. Can't stand that much heat? Leave out one (or both) of the chipotles.
Chocolate Stout Chili
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
1 28-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked beef, cut into bite-sized pieces (we used leftover spoon roast cooked in the chocolate stout)
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups chocolate stout (divided)
1/2 cup tomato puree
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute onion, garlic and chipotle peppers for 2-3 minutes stirring often, until onions start to brown and garlic becomes fragrant. Add chili powder, cumin, tomato paste, salt and pepper, and continuing to stir, cook for another 2 minutes so spices bloom. Stir in stewed tomatoes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan well. Add the cocoa powder, beans and beef. Stir in the unsweetened chocolate until it melts. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate stout, turn heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 2 hours. After 2 hours, stir in the additional 1/2 cup of chocolate stout and the tomato puree. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer another 1/2 hour and serve hot with a pint of chocolate stout to cool off with.