Game Day Chili

The bit of bittersweet chocolate in this chili is optional, but try it-it keeps the heat of the chili seasoning in check and adds richness.

Game Day Chili
Photo: Andy Lyons
Prep Time:
40 mins
Slow Cook Time:
6 hrs
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Chili Seasoning Puree

  • 1 ½ pound ground beef chuck

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 1 stalk celery, sliced

  • 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

  • 1 14 ounce can beef broth

  • 1 ½ cup pitted dried plums, chopped

  • 1 ½ cup water

  • 1 6 ounce can tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoon smoked paprika

  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Chili Seasoning Puree

  • 2 dried ancho, mulato, or pasilla chile peppers

  • ¾ cup beef broth

  • 5 pitted dried plums (prunes)

  • 1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions

  1. Prepare Chili Seasoning Puree; set aside. In a 6-quart Dutch oven cook ground beef, onion, and celery over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onion is tender, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat.

  2. Transfer meat mixture to a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in Chili Seasoning Puree, tomatoes, broth, plums, the water, tomato paste, paprika, coriander, crushed red pepper, and cloves.

  3. Cook, covered, on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours (or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours). Stir in chocolate if serving immediately.

Chili Seasoning Puree

  1. In a small bowl combine ancho, mulato, or pasilla chile peppers and enough boiling water to cover. Let stand for 30 minutes; drain well. Wearing plastic gloves, remove stems and seeds from peppers. In a food processor or blender combine drained chile peppers; beef broth; dried plums (prunes), and jalapeno chile pepper. Cover, process or blend until smooth.

If making ahead, cool chili slightly. Transfer to refrigerator storage containers, cover, and refrigerate up to 8 hours. Two hours before serving, transfer chili to a slow cooker. Reheat, covered, on high-heat setting for 1 to 2 hours or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Stir in chocolate just before serving.

For easy cleanup:

Line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your chili is finished cooking, spoon the chili out of your slow cooker and dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

343 Calories
14g Fat
38g Carbs
20g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 343
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 702mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 15.4mg 77%
Calcium 70.7mg 5%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 1093mg 23%
Fatty acids, total trans 1g
Folate, total 20.2mcg
Vitamin B-12 1.9mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.7mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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