This hearty Garlic Festival Chili is a showstopper for potlucks and family gatherings. Built on a foundation of six pounds of tender pork butt, it features an impressive sixty cloves of garlic that mellow into a savory, aromatic base rather than biting heat. The secret weapon here is unsweetened chocolate, which adds a luxurious depth and richness that balances the smoky chili powder and cumin. Slow-simmered with dark beer and tomatoes, the meat becomes fork-tender while the flavors meld into a complex, robust sauce. It’s a comforting, protein-packed meal that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for batch cooking and freezing. Serve it hot with sour cream and fresh cilantro for a classic American comfort food experience.
Garlic Festival Chili 95
Description
This hearty Garlic Festival Chili is a showstopper for potlucks and family gatherings. Built on a foundation of six pounds of tender pork butt, it features an impressive sixty cloves of garlic that mellow into a savory, aromatic base rather than biting heat. The secret weapon here is unsweetened chocolate, which adds a luxurious depth and richness that balances the smoky chili powder and cumin. Slow-simmered with dark beer and tomatoes, the meat becomes fork-tender while the flavors meld into a complex, robust sauce. It's a comforting, protein-packed meal that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for batch cooking and freezing. Serve it hot with sour cream and fresh cilantro for a classic American comfort food experience.Directions
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Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat.
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Brown the pork cubes in batches until crispy and most of the fat has rendered.
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Remove the browned pork with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander lined with paper towels.
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Leave 1/4 cup of the drippings in the Dutch oven; refrigerate the remaining fat for later use.
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Reduce heat to medium-low and add the chopped onions, garlic, and jalapeño peppers to the Dutch oven.
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Sauté the vegetables until soft, about 10 minutes.
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Stir in the brown sugar and cook for a few more minutes.
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Remove from heat and stir in the crushed tomatoes, molasses, and melted chocolate.
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Stir in the chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, mustard, coriander, black pepper, ground cloves, and the reserved pork.
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Cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight.
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The next day, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and place it over low heat.
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Retrieve the refrigerated drippings and remove the solidified top layer of fat.
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Add the bottom liquid layer of the drippings to the chili mixture.
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Stir in the dark beer, boiling water, cider vinegar (or wine), soy sauce, and salt.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
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Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender and flavors have melded, about 1.5 hours.
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Stir in the habanero sauce to taste.
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Continue to simmer covered for an additional 30 minutes.
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Serve hot, garnished with sour cream and fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4 cups
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 1676.4kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 95.5g147%
- Saturated Fat 34.1g171%
- Cholesterol 544.8mg182%
- Sodium 425.1mg18%
- Total Carbohydrate 6.5g3%
- Dietary Fiber 1.4g6%
- Sugars 3.5g
- Protein 184.7g370%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
