Beanless Chocolate Chili

For years, I wouldn’t eat chili. Just not my thing.

I suppose it’s because it was normally brothy, had chunky veggies, meat AND beans. Ugh. Beans. Back in my younger days, that would make me really turn my nose up, put the hand out and say NO THANK YOU.

Then I made it my way. Without beans. And without alot of chunky stuff swimming in brothy stuff. This chili is thick and it’s beanless and minimal veggies. Just how a chili should be in my opinion!

AND it freezes great! I’m thrilled because I got smart the last time and froze this in 8 oz containers so we can pull out and bake some potatoes and have chili topped taters when we have the crazy cold snow days!

Let’s get cooking!

1 tbs avocado oil (or olive oil)
1/2 large onion, diced (I used my handy dandy chopper)
2 tbs fresh chopped garlic
2 pounds of ground beef
2 tbs chili powder
2 tbs oregano
1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa (I use Hershey’s baking cocoa)
1 tsp all spice
1 can of tomato paste
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 carton beef broth or stock

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add your oil. Toss the onions in and saute them until just translucent. Add the garlic, give a quick stir and then add your ground beef.

Cook the beef breaking it up as it cooks. Once cooked, you can drain the excess fat if you prefer.

Mix up all your spices in a small bowl, and yes, that includes the chocolate! Once the beef is cooked, add the seasonings and stir to combine, allowing to cook for about 3 minutes.

Add your tomato paste and mix in, allow to cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes (juice and all) along with your broth, stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a splatter guard (or lid offset on pot) and walk away for an hour or so.

Feel free to pop in and give a little stir but DO NOT TASTE just yet! Allow that chili to reduce and thicken up a bit.

Once the chili is a thicker consistency you can turn off the heat and serve up! Or you can allow it to cool, put in fridge and enjoy it even more so tomorrow!

*As a side note, Sis likes beans so she gets a separate pan that I add half a can of chili beans to – just in case you have a family that likes beans as well*

Note2: back in the day, hubby hated chunky tomatoes so I would run that can of fire roasted tomatoes through the Vitamix to eliminate the chunks.

Enjoy!

And, as always, for certain family members: tbs = tablespoon and tsp = teaspoon

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