October is National Chili Month - Steak Chili Recipe

Steak Chili Recipe with Coffee and Dark Chocolate

October is one of our favorite month's of the year. It's harvest time and the cooler air makes the GrillJunkie team dream of comfort foods and memorable times with friends and family. As food lovers we are in our glory during October due to the fact that the month is filled with food festivals across the country while also hosting several national food holidays including cookie, apple, dessert, pretzel, and two of our favorites...pizza and chili!

We tackled grilled pizza in a recent blog, now we set our taste buds on chili. There's nothing quite like the aroma, texture and taste of a great bowl of heart and soul warming chili!

A bit of history. Chili is believed to have originated in Mexico and literally translates to “chili pepper” in Spanish. However, it didn't take very long at all long for the U.S. to adapt this versatile and irresistible new dish. American settlers combined dried beef, suet, dried peppers, and salt and then boiled it in pots along the trail.

Chili quickly gained popularity through the U.S and restaurants started branding their unique blends of meat, spices and herbs as their own “secret recipe.” This is what makes chili so unique. Chili's inherent quality of individual customization is what makes it wildly popular for food competitions, festivals and enjoyment at home.

While there are thousands of variations, one of our favorite chili recipes includes hearty steak, spicy jalapeños, chipotle and two extra special ingredients...coffee and dark chocolate. 

Chocolate gives the chili additional depth of flavor while Coffee is the perfect ingredient to round out the dish and add some depth. In fact the bitterness of coffee will help bring out the sweetness of the meat.

Steak Chili Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Vidalia or sweet white onion, diced
• 2 jalapeños minced (or for a smokier flavor, you can substitute with chipotle peppers)
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cans (15 oz or 200 mg each) crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of beer, pilsner or lager
• 2 Tbsp. chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (if available, otherwise use an additional teaspoon red chile powder)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar or lime juice
• 3 cups of  cooked kidney beans or other beans of your choice (canned beans work just fine)
• 2 oz. (55mg) dark chocolate with chili (we prefer Lindt Excellence Chili Dark Chocolate Bar
• 1/2 cup coffee (traditional dark roast or house blend, avoid flavored coffees)
• Grated cheese of your choice (we prefer sharp cheddar)
• Fresh sour cream (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground peppercorns

Directions

1. Salt and pepper the 3/4" cubes of steak. Bring a grill or heavy pan to high heat, oil the pan with cooking oil and then quickly sear the sirloin meat approximately 1-2 minutes, making sure to give it time to get some good caramelized color.
2. Move the steak to one side of the pan and sauté the onions and jalapeños (or chipotle) for 1-2 minutes, followed by garlic. Be sure not to burn the garlic.
3. De-glaze the pan with the wine and let it cook down for about a minute, then mix in your tomatoes, beans and the two chili powders. Sprinkle in the basil, cumin, paprika and brown sugar.
4. Add the beer at this point, enough to make the mix soupy and cover most of the ingredients. Add the cider vinegar or lime juice. If there is not enough liquid covering everything at this point, add some fresh, clean water. Do not add more beer.
5. Simmer for at least two hours. This gives the steak a chance to break down and evolve into scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth pieces. Sample the meat as you get near the two hour mark to check for tenderness.
6. When the meat is tender, add the coffee, chocolate, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors, then serve.
7. Top individual servings with grated cheddar and sour cream if desired.
8. Now ladle yourself a big bowl, admire the creamy beans, robust chunks of steak and deep red concoction you've just created. Notice the depth of intense and elegant flavors, and lingering tastes that the coffee and dark chili chocolate add to this dish.
9. Last step, enjoy.