The Secret That Changes Everything
Picture this: you’re standing at a chili cook-off with hundreds of entries, and judges are tasting spoonful after spoonful of what seems like identical red stews. Then they hit yours, and their eyes light up. Something’s different. Something’s magical. That something is often a single ingredient that most home cooks never think to add.
Adding chocolate to chili might seem like an odd choice, but the combination of chocolate and chilis is actually quite old. Both chili peppers and chocolate are native to Mexico and Central America – and they were often combined, as they are in Mexican mole sauce. Adding chocolate to chili lends depth and richness to the spicy dish, making it both more savory and more satisfying.
Why Coffee Makes Your Chili Championship-Worthy
A cup of strong, brewed coffee will work wonders for your pot of chili, imparting a deep, roasted flavor that will make the chili taste like it simmered away all day long. This isn’t some trendy Instagram hack – it’s a time-tested secret that’s been winning competitions for decades.
Coffee grounds. Yes, not brewed coffee but actual coffee grounds. The coffee grounds really add richness and depth of flavor. I promise you if you add the half tablespoon of sugar your chili will not be bitter or coffee-flavored at all. The earthy undertones complement the heat perfectly, creating a complexity that judges can’t quite identify but absolutely love.
The Dark Chocolate Game-Changer
Added in the form of cocoa powder or unsweetened baking chocolate, this secret ingredient adds another subtle bass note, but you can also try dark chocolate that contains some sugar for a twin touch of sweetness, or even sandy Mexican chocolate (with dark sugar and cinnamon already added) to complement the spicy, acidic, and umami flavors.
Think about it like this: chocolate doesn’t make your chili taste like dessert any more than vanilla makes your cookies taste like ice cream. Dark chocolate lovers know that the bitter, deeply robust flavor of this chocolate lends itself well to many savory dishes. Chili is only one of several major recipes that incorporate it and with a typical chili’s acidic tomato, hearty stock base, and beefy meat flavor, dark chocolate seamlessly melts into the whole pot without even a hint that it was ever there. All that’s left behind is a depth of flavor that’s prevalent, but tough for many to put their fingers on.
The Science Behind the Magic
Here’s where things get fascinating from a culinary science perspective. Adding a small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate help offset the acidity of the tomatoes and peppers and enhances the chili’s overall flavor profile by giving it rich, earthy tones. This is also why some people think of chocolate as “the secret ingredient” in the best chili recipes.
Both coffee and chocolate contain compounds that naturally enhance umami – that fifth taste that makes food deeply satisfying. When you add either to chili, you’re not masking flavors, you’re amplifying them. The bitterness balances sweetness, the earthiness grounds the heat, and the richness makes every bite more memorable.
Champion-Tested Results
It’s like no other chili recipe you’ve ever tried before thanks to not one but two secret ingredients. First up on the secret ingredient list: chocolate. It blends it to the background and gives the chili an earthiness that makes it feel so hearty. Real competition winners aren’t shy about sharing what works.
The bacon imparts an incredible flavor and is the secret ingredient that makes this chili the best chili recipe and an award winner. But beyond bacon, as of this writing it’s also won over two dozen Chili Cook-offs! While I’ve never entered it into a cook-off myself, so many of you who have tried this chili recipe have commented or e-mailed me that it’s taken home first place.
The Perfect Amount Makes All the Difference
Here’s where most people mess up: they get excited and dump in too much. Adding just a teaspoon or two of unsweetened cocoa powder like we do in our Instant Pot Chili will make your go-to recipe rich and flavorful. Start small and taste often.
For coffee, think about roughly one cup of strong brewed coffee per large pot of chili. Espresso powder: This is the epitome of a secret ingredient that you just can’t put your finger on. If you’re using espresso powder, start with just a tablespoon. Remember, subtlety wins competitions.
Why Most Home Cooks Never Try This
The biggest obstacle isn’t availability or cost – it’s mental. People think chocolate belongs in desserts and coffee belongs in mugs. But spicy chocolate began in Mexico with the Mayans, who were drinking the original hot chocolate, which was made of cocoa, water, cornmeal, and chili peppers. Cocoa is rich in the plant chemicals polyphenols, which are antioxidants linked to many health benefits. Polyphenols help reduce inflammation, support circulation, lower blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels.
Once you break through that mental barrier, you’ll realize these ingredients have been natural partners for centuries. The hesitation is purely cultural, not culinary.
Beyond the Obvious Suspects
Bloody Mary Mix. That’s right, you read it correctly. Bloody Mary Mix adds a delicious layer of flavors., AND they are prefect flavors for chili. Some competition winners swear by even more unusual additions.
He shared with us a few key ingredients that make his chili a winner, including the use of special water from Farmers Branch, Texas and also two Sunsweet pitted prunes, which he claims gives the chili a little sweetness and the gravy a beautiful gloss. This came from a back-to-back world champion, so clearly thinking outside the box pays off.
The Competition Circuit Secrets
Cindy Reed Wilkins has won multiple chili cook-offs, reportedly competing against Bobby Flay on chili cooking shows and reportedly winning at the Terlingua International Chili Championships. Her Cin Chili, made in three separate batches and then combined at the end, is the stuff of legend, and part of its secret, she said, is that “the timing of adding the spices is important.”
What separates weekend warriors from serious competitors isn’t just ingredients – it’s understanding that the secret to making award-winning chili is knowing how to layer spices and concentrate flavors. This recipe relies on good seasoning, smoke, and time. The chocolate or coffee becomes part of that layering strategy.
Making It Work in Your Kitchen
You don’t need to compete to benefit from competition secrets. This recipe, from my good friend Marty, is a more traditional style, and the secret ingredient is a can of beer that adds a significant and surprising flavor boost. This chili recipe features a secret ingredient for an exciting flavor boost and a pro tip for achieving deep, spicy flavors.
Start with your regular chili recipe and add just one secret ingredient at a time. Make notes. Taste everything. The goal isn’t to create something weird – it’s to create something memorable. The next time you’re making your usual bomb batch of chili, stop and add one of these secret ingredients to your pot. I guarantee that anyone who tries it will have an impossible time trying to pin down what you added to your stew to make it taste so damn good.
The Judge’s Perspective
Her advice is to keep things simple and control the heat. “The biggest mistake is trying to put everything imaginable into the dish,” she said. “It’s also not a strategic idea to make the chili overwhelmingly spicy. This comes from someone who tastes hundreds of entries.
The secret isn’t about adding everything – it’s about adding the right thing. When it comes to chili, DO NOT make the chili too spicy hot! Because not everyone will like it and then most won’t eat it. When I finally got that through my thick skull, I learned that it doesn’t have to be spicy-hot to win, and I did time and time again.
