Spicy pork and black bean chili with sage and white cheddar from Dinner: Changing the Game (page 108) by Melissa Clark

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Accompaniments: Coconut rice; Skillet brown-butter cornbread

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • jess_sv0kou on November 29, 2025

    This was really good. I used an Anaheim pepper and some addit cayenne bc my shop was out of poblanos. And I used a full bottle of modelo. Will definitely make this again.

  • chawkins on April 13, 2025

    I used half of a green bell pepper and five home canned jalapeños with the seeds because that was what I had in the house and it was just a little bit spicy. I could taste the lager even in the leftovers, I used Stella Artois. I think it was just okay, personally prefer a regular beef chile, but my husband seemed to enjoy it.

  • shep0012 on April 07, 2025

    I made this exactly as written except for only one teaspoon of sage and more salt/MSG at the end. I went with the poblano instead of the red pepper option. Our chile powder was the New Mexico red from Rancho Gordo. We really liked it, especially the slightly bitter edge from the beer. It’s the first chili we’ve made that rivals our favorite, Cynthia Chen McTernan’s chili in A Common Table. It’s a definite repeat. (I also corrected a mistake I’ve made in the past, getting the wrong Modelo—Negra Modelo is the way.)

  • Hansyhobs on August 18, 2024

    I wanted to use two tins of black beans that have been sitting around for ages, and this recipe fitted the bill. Easy to prepare and a very tasty end result. I don't think it'll replace the usual chilli we make (beef and pork with more spices) but this was very enjoyable. I didn't add the sage as some other comments put me off.

  • Logan92995 on July 05, 2024

    Tasty and easy to make

  • ezwriternc on November 06, 2023

    Kinda average. Nothing special. Mine was not too watery. It was thick but just not that flavorful.

  • Lepa on September 21, 2023

    My family loved the flavors here. We did feel it was a bit watery. Next time I might raise the heat so the tomatoes break down more. My husband said the flavor was perfect so I will try again.

  • ldyndiuk on May 28, 2022

    I made this according to the recipe the first time and it was good, but I didn’t love the sage so I’ve left it out since then. Otherwise, it’s a great recipe that seems to make the right amount to have leftovers but not for so many days I get sick of it. I’ve mixed it up with different beans and different meat, though I think I do prefer the pork.

  • TrishaCP on December 21, 2019

    I made this with ground turkey and rebosero beans, and added a jalapeño with the red pepper. (Still wasn't spicy.) My husband really liked it, I thought it was ok. I do think the sage and oregano were nice.

  • ksg518 on October 21, 2019

    This was delicious and may become my new go-to chili recipe. I used green carmen peppers instead of the poblano/red pepper and probably doubled the quantity of peppers. I also used turkey which is a suggested option, although I think pork might be better. I also used fresh oregano instead of dried. I really liked the oregano and sage addition. I agree with others that it's not really spicy. I used Penzey's medium chili powder and, while it had a slight kick, spicy isn't what would come to mind when describing the dish.

  • sosayi on November 27, 2017

    I'm not sure I should review this, as I made so many substitutions, but it was delicious... so... why not? Substitutions: one fresh chorizo link and two slices of bacon for the ground pork (freezer cleanout) and Dried Chili Paste (frozen in Tbl blocks) in place of red pepper/poblano. My chili paste is fairly spicy, so I actually decreased the Chili Powder (using Chile con Carne seasoning from Penzeys), as I was attempting to feed a toddler. Unfortunately, it was still too spicy for him and just mouth-warming for the rest of us. I'd use the whole amount in the future, and just make him something else. This was a good base to build-off of, incredibly quick to prep, and used mostly pantry goods. I'd make this again, for sure, with the assumption that it's easy to tweak and use things that I already have up.

  • clcorbi on August 28, 2017

    Agree that this is a mild chili--not sure why "spicy" is in the title. That being said, the flavor was nice. I used a red bell pepper because that's what I had, but I think the poblano would have been better here. We definitely enjoyed this and I'm happy to have the leftovers, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering, and there are still other chili recipes I want to try. So, alas, not repeat-worthy.

  • averythingcooks on August 19, 2017

    This is bubbling away on the stove right now and early tastings confirm - it is good! Sage is not always my favorite flavour but I went with it and I am glad I did. I did add a jalapeño and used my hottest chili powder to amp it up based on the "mild" comments I have read (which does beg questions re the word "spicy" in the title). The only other change is that I subbed corn in place of the 2nd can of black beans........because I like all things "corn and black bean".

  • FJT on June 24, 2017

    I made this a day in advance so the flavours had a chance to develop. It is quite mild, so I added an extra poblano pepper; next time I might go for jalapeños. I used a mix of black beans and Santa Maria Pinquitos because that's what I had in the freezer. Very tasty and disappeared quickly!

  • megaelim on April 02, 2017

    This is a nice, mild chili - very easy to make. Good base flavor. I'd probably amp up the chili powder if I made this again, but if you're making this for someone that hates heat, it'd be fine as is.

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