The fact of the matter is, I have never made chili before. Before this, I was only vaguely aware of the rules surrounding the dish—beans vs. no beans, what cut of meat to use, what variety of chili pepper….and so on. I arrived at this recipe the same way any self-respecting nerd would have: I read everything I could get my hands on. I read J. Kenji López-Alt’s “How To Make The Best Chili Ever,” where I learned that there are a plethora of chili peppers, but not all are created equally when it comes to chili brewing. I read Smittenkitchen’s handful of recipes on the subject, and learned that adding a little cocoa powder helps deepen the flavor. Finally, I asked my Aunt Martha (of Cranberry Cake fame). She told me to sauté the aromatics in rendered bacon fat and suggested I throw some lamb into the mix. She also recommended the goat-cheddar topping, which suits the chili marvelously. Here are some things I learned on my own: using canned beans does not make you a bad person. Also, chili splatters when heated. Maybe this doesn’t surprise you? If you are cooking with no pants on, it is possible you will get burned, and then feel like an idiot. You’ve been warned.

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