
Chef Bobby Flay is undoubtedly a perfectionist, and he’s known for taking comfort food to unforeseen levels! So, when I read about his chili recipe, I knew I had to try it.
And you know what? That’s a laborious recipe, but it works!
I then decided to recreate Chef Flay’s chili recipe on my terms and made a few adjustments to make the recipe a bit easier. The good news? The result is equally tasty.
This hotpot is all about the meat. I use round and slice it instead of cutting it into cubes. You’ll also need a flavorful base. That means sautéing onions, garlic, and jalapeno peppers and deglazing the pan with dark beer for a flavorful chili to build on top of.
Then comes the spices, and here’s where I disagree with chef Flay. He uses half a dozen of different hot peppers, which is unrealistic for most home cooks. And they all kind of do the same thing, give some heat to the chili.
I stick with the jalapeno and add some dried chili powder — if it’s made with several dried chiles, even better.
There are other unique ingredients here, including chocolate and brown sugar. A little sweetness contrasts the chili’s heat and rounds the dish beautifully.
Try the recipe below and see what you think. This is by far the most sophisticated bowl of chili you’ll make unless, of course, you follow the original recipe. You’ll still love this one, though!
Dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the jalapeno and chop the milk chocolate. Set aside individually.
In a mixing bowl, toss the beef with salt and pepper.
In a pot or Dutch oven, add a few tablespoons of canola oil and sear the steak until brown on all sides. Work in batches. Set aside.
Deglaze the pan with dark beer, let it reduce to a few tablespoons. Sauté the onions and garlic until the garlic is toasted and fragrant and the onions are translucent.
Stir in the jalapeno, cook for 2-3 minutes, and add the chicken stock and tomato puree. Cook to a boil.
Incorporate the brown sugar and chocolate. Return the meat to the pot.
Taste, season with chili pepper powder, salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with sour cream and corn tortillas.