Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 pounds ground chuck
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 medium green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch dice (optional)
• 1 poblano chili pepper, diced (optional)
• 8 cloves garlic, diced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups (16 ounces) brewed decaffeinated coffee
• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, or 10–12 fresh tomatoes, diced
• One 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• One 15-ounce can cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 squares dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional toppings

• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Corn chips or tortilla chips
• Cornbread
• Lime
• Cilantro
• Sliced green onion
• Black olives
• Avocado

Directions

1. Pour yourself a margarita. This should be fun!
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the ground chuck in batches, stirring until cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the oil in the pot.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Add a little more olive oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
4. Brew the decaffeinated coffee while the onion cooks.
5. Add the bell peppers and poblano, if using, along with a little more salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers begin to soften.
6. Combine the cumin, coriander, brown sugar, marjoram, oregano, and garlic in a small bowl.
7. Add the spice mixture to the softened peppers. Stir continuously and cook for about 2 minutes to release the flavors without burning the spices.
8. Add 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of the coffee and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits. Stir well, then add the remaining 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) of coffee.
9. Add the tomatoes.
10. Add both cans of beans and the browned meat. Stir together and raise the heat to high. When the chili begins to boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the chili becomes too dry.
11. Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Add the dark chocolate and allow it to melt into the chili for about 2 minutes.
12. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
13. Serve with any combination of corn chips, cornbread, sour cream, Greek yogurt, lime, cheddar cheese, cilantro, olives, green onion, avocado, or additional chopped chocolate.