Spring Chili with Stout

Though it’s nearing the end of May, Chicago’s weather patterns have been running hot and cold...literally.  Following several beautiful, warm days last week, it turned cool and periodically rainy over the weekend.  We’d invited over a good friend of DeAunn’s for dinner on Saturday, but the forecast precluded grilling.  Given the precipitously low temperatures and lblanket of clouds early in the day, I thought a late-season chili would work out well.

Having been tantalized by Sean Paxton’s Four Ale Nachos on Episode 33 of Brewing TV, I used his lamb chili as a base in place of my normal Pedernales River Chili recipe.  Questing out to Whole Foods for ingredients, I went with a range of organic, vegetarian-fed, antibiotic- and hormone-free, humanely raised meats; this is how I try to get my meat regularly, both for the flavour and my peace of mind.  The Black Forest bacon is particularly tasty.  Looking over the stout options at Binny’s, I went with the Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout, which had a wonderfully dark flavour that went well with the Ghirardelli 60% cacao I added.  Already having grated/powdered spices at home kept me from getting the whole seeds and roasting them myself, though that sounds like a whole lot of awesome.  To finish, I picked up a small chunk of aged cheddar for grating over top, and DeAunn scored some oyster crackers that worked out perfectly (her vegetarian choice was a Frontera Grill pre-made chili with extra black beans).

Of course, as soon as we arrived back home, the sky opened up and it turned out to be a perfect grilling day.  We went on with the chili, though, and were not disappointed in the least.  The spice level was present without being overpowering, and the mix of meats was really wonderful.  And it only got better over the next couple days.  I meant to get a picture of a bowl of the chili itself, but it never lasted long enough to get out the camera.  This chili already has me looking forward to fall, when this will make sense to make again, and there are precious few things that bring me to that.

5-Meat Stout Chili


8 oz Lean Ground Bison
8 oz Ground Lamb
8 oz Ground Pork
8 oz Beef Stew Chunks
4 oz Black Forest Bacon, chopped

1 Ancho chili
1 Fresno chili
½ Poblano chili

1 28-oz can peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1 Roasted red pepper, sliced
1 Yellow onion, chopped
1 Red onion, chopped
4-6 cloves Garlic

1 tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Paprika
2 tbsp Oregano

1/4 cup 60% cacao
1 bottle Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout

Cook down the bacon in a pan, then transfer it to the cookpot, leaving behind the grease.  Brown other the meat in the pan with the bacon grease, then transfer it to pot, again leaving behind the grease.  Saute the onions and garlic in the pan with grease at medium heat until onions become translucent; then add roasted the red pepper and continue to saute for 4-5 minutes.  Transfer all of it to the pot.

Chop all the chilies and remove the seeds, then add them to the pan; sear on high for 3-4 minutes.  Cut off the heat, add spices and tomatoes, then resume the heat; mash tomatoes and reduce for a few minutes.  Transfer all of it to the pot, then deglaze the pan with the stout; add rest of the stout to the pot.

Bring it to a boil, then add the cacao.  Reduce heat and simmer; serve when it reaches your desired consistency.  Garnish with grated cheddar and crackers of your choice.