Embark on a culinary journey to master the art of slow cooker chili, a dish that tantalizes taste buds and warms the soul. This comprehensive guide, inspired by the highly acclaimed recipe from Cooking Classy, will lead you through every step of the process, providing expert tips and detailed instructions to ensure a delectable outcome.
The Ingredients: A Symphony of Flavors
- 2 lbs lean ground beef (85% lean recommended)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions: A Step-by-Step Culinary Adventure
Step 1: Sautéing the Aromatics
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds, releasing its fragrant aroma.
- Transfer the sautéed aromatics to a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker.
Step 2: Browning the Beef
- Return the skillet to medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.
- Drain most of the excess fat from the beef, leaving about 2 tablespoons for added flavor.
- Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Creating the Flavorful Base
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, sugar, coriander, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen.
Step 4: Adding the Beans
- Once the chili has cooked for the desired time, stir in the drained and rinsed dark red kidney beans and light red kidney beans.
- Cook for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the beans to heat through.
Step 5: Serving the Culinary Masterpiece
- Serve the slow cooker chili hot with your preferred toppings, such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocados, tortilla chips, or saltine crackers.
Tips for Culinary Excellence
- Enhance the Flavor: Bloom the spices by sautéing them with the onions during the last minute of cooking to release their full aromatic potential.
- Achieve the Perfect Consistency: If you prefer a thicker chili, omit the beef broth. For a thinner consistency, add more beef broth as needed.
- Customize to Your Taste: Adjust the seasonings to suit your preferences. Add more chili powder for a spicier kick or more cocoa powder for a richer depth of flavor.
- Freeze for Future Enjoyment: This chili freezes well, making it an excellent option for meal preparation. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
The Best Ways to Eat Chili
Here’s what I love about chili y’all. It’s easily the most versatile main dish EVER. Think about this for a second:
- Chili is great on it’s own, served in a bowl or bread bowl.
- It can top hot dogs and burgers and take them to new delicious heights.
- It’s great in a nacho bar or served atop baked potatoes.
There are so many options, in fact, that I secretly wish there would be leftovers so I wouldn’t have to be as inventive the next day.
I’ll be making this crockpot chili once more this weekend. Every year, it is a staple for our Super Bowl party, and my family enjoys having it. The fact that this chili recipe is so simple to prepare makes me eager to try it.
This Crockpot Chili recipe is a weeknight go-to for us. It’s filling, delicious, and comes together so quickly. The full printable recipe with detailed instructions can be found as usual in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:
- lean ground beef and/or Italian sausage – any combination will do, you’ll need two pounds.
- yellow onion – diced
- red bell pepper – seeded and chopped. You could also use green bell pepper or another color.
- garlic cloves – minced.
- beans – I like to use a combination of kidney beans and pinto beans but black beans are also delicious.
- tomatoes – canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce as well as tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce – adds depth of flavor.
- beef broth – creates the consistency we want the chili to have.
- hot sauce – use your favorite flavor.
- spices and seasonings – chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper
- brown sugar or granulated sugar – you won’t taste it, it just helps with the acidity of all those tomatoes.
- Brown the beef (and sausage if you want to use that as well) in a skillet.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant.
- Transfer mixture to your favorite 6 quart crockpot or slow cooker.
- Top with the tomato trio: diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
- Add the spices and seasonings to really bring complexity and depth of flavor to the chili.
- Give it a good stir and place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook for at least 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. It only gets better the more time it has.
- Serve with your favorite toppings! See my suggestions below.
As a general rule, it can go on chili if you put it on your tacos or in your burritos. I don’t follow the rules, so I don’t expect you to either. Don’t merely stick to these topping options when making chili Do what feels right .
- Cheese – sharp cheddar is my favorite
- Corn Chips or Tortilla Chips – this extra bit of saltiness is sublime
- Avocados – you can go sliced, diced, or guacamole
- Jalapeños – pickled or fresh
- Green Onions – adds a bright, fresh flavor
- Cilantro – the same as green onions, and my personal favorite
- Bacon – we love to add bacon to this recipe on occasion. It adds a lovely smokiness to the chili. If you don’t want to do that, maybe as a topping? Make it nice and crispy!
How Long Can I Leave Chili In A Crock Pot?
In general, food should be kept in a slow cooker on warm for two to four hours. It must be refrigerated after being put in the refrigerator.
Mexico’s favorite dish is chili con carne, which is made with chicken and meat. Food will be stored at room temperature in a crockpot if there is no electricity in it. Food poisoning can occur if you consume such bacteria-infested foods. Every year, one in every six Americans is affected. Every year, approximately 3000 people die as a result of it. If you don’t have electricity to cook your chili, you can’t keep it for more than two hours inside a crock pot. Some new crockpot models include an option that automatically turns the cooker to warm mode. When the temperature is set to warm, it rises to between 145 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature of the chili must be set to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in order to keep it fresh.
You can make something else with any leftover chili that you have in your pantry or refrigerator. However, you should store your chili properly if you don’t want to come into contact with bacteria. The leftover chili should be thrown out after two hours; it can stay in the fridge for three to four days, but if it stays longer, it should be thrown out. If chili is properly stored, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days.
When making a lot of chili, you can cook it in a crockpot for up to 10 hours. Over time, the beef and beans will degrade, and the chili will mush up.
Can You Slow Cook Chili For 12 Hours?
You can cook ground beef with other ingredients in a crockpot with a 312 to 4 quart capacity. For small crock pots, cut the recipe into half. It’s as simple as that. For 10 to 12 hours, cover the slow cooker and place it there.
The amount of time it takes to cook a dish as compared to an uncooked dish is one of the most obvious differences. The slow cooker chili recipe can be made the night before and consumed the following day. The beans and beef will become mushy if they are removed from the oven for longer than eight hours. Slow-cooked chili is best served for about six hours. Slow cookers can be used for lengthy periods of time; when is the ideal time to add chili? Even if a slow cooker is not in use, it is still secure to use it.
Cook chili carefully and slowly so that all of the flavors can meld together for the best results. Make chili a day in advance if you’re short on time. As the liquid is layered over time, the flavors will emerge more readily. To be completely honest, chili is exactly the type of recipe that you should prepare ahead of time because it gets better as it sits in the refrigerator. Making a large pot of chili is a good idea if you’re feeding a large group of people. You’ll get along with people better if you feed more of them. toppings such as shredded cheese and sour cream, as well as green onions.
You can make a delicious and hearty chili in slow-cooked form. Depending on how long you cook it, you can cook it on low for six to eight hours or high for three to four hours. If you don’t have time to cook it for a long time, leave it simmering all day.
Crockpot Chili Recipe: Slow Cooker Chili | Slow Cooker Recipes
FAQ
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