This recipe is heavy on the chili. It’s not overly hot but the flavours are really big. There’s lots of chili flavour here. Lots. New Mexican red and chipotle are the dominant flavours. Ancho, tomato, cumin and jalapeño are the supporting flavours. It’s definitely on the side of Mex. It’s about layering great ingredients for depth. Pure chili powders, beef and pork, fire roasted tomatoes, and rendered fat. Don’t be scared of the rendered fat. It replaces the oil you would otherwise use. But it’s tastier. Every bit counts when you’re making chili. The key technique in this black bean chili is lifted from Indian cooking. Almost every curry starts with a masala. Onion, garlic, oil and spices are fried together. The spices bloom. The flavours meld. Magic happens. It’s exactly the same here. The spices are different but the chemistry is the same.
