Will a potato draw out the heat in chili?

Yes, a potato can help absorb some of the heat from chili. The starch in the potato tends to mellow out the spiciness by diluting the capsaicin, the compound responsible for heat. However, while it can help reduce the overall spiciness, it won't eliminate it completely. To use this method, you can add a peeled potato to the chili while it cooks and remove it before serving.