Crock Pot Chili
Dinners, Soups
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken or a combination
1 lb. dry kidney, pinto, or black beans (about 2 1/2 lbs. cooked)
2 bulbs Roasted Garlic, smashed (*1)
6 cups tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes etc., blended
1 quart Vegetable, beef, or chicken broth, or water
2-3 tablespoons chili powder
2-3 tsp. ground cumin
2-3 tsp. salt
2 T. unsweetened cocoa (optional)
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Sugar, if needed
Crock pot
Description
Chili con carne, “chili with meat”.
Make things easier on yourself, don't try to make chili in one day (unless you are using canned beans). Besides, chili actually tastes better when the flavors have more time to meld.
Directions
Put the beans in a crock pot with plenty of water to cover and cook on high until just soft, about 3 hours. Drain and rinse. Rinse out your crock. If you want to stop at this point, put your beans in a jar or container with just enough clean water to cover, cover, and refrigerate until you are ready to continue. Drain.
Put the cooked beans in the crock pot with the tomatoes and broth. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic. Set the crock pot to low so it can start warming.
Put the ground meat in a pan over medium heat, salt and pepper it lightly, and cook until just done. Drain, then add to the crock pot.
Set the crock pot on high and set a timer for 1 hour.
When the timer goes off you can turn the crock pot to low and continue now or you can let the chili cool, cover and refrigerate, then continue the next day.
Cook on low for 1-3 hours. Check flavor periodically and adjust as needed. Check the liquid level periodically and add water if needed. If the chili is thinner than you'd like, spoon 1/2-1 cup of the liquid into a bowl. Whisk in 2-4 tablespoons of corn starch, then pour back into the crock pot.
Once everything is cooked to your satisfaction, set the crock pot to warm until ready to serve, up to 5 hours.
Additions:
Chop fresh tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, or other chilis and add them to the ground meat when you cook it.
Add in 2-3 cups of cooked elbow macaroni.
Top with shredded cheese or sour cream and serve with crackers, corn bread, or tortilla chips.
Variations:
Texas chili.
Use Cubed beef roast; omit the beans and broth or water.
Cincinatti chili.
Typically uses just meat, omits the beans (and broth or water), and is served over spaghetti, but there are variations.
2-way is spaghetti and chili.
3-way is spaghetti, chili, and shredded cheese.
4-way is spaghetti, chili, onions OR beans, and cheese.
5-way is spaghetti, chili, onions, beans, and cheese.
5-way is a great way to use up leftover chili.
After you cook your spaghetti stir a small amount of oil into the pasta to keep your noodles from sticking together.
Chili or coney dog.
Use the ground meat, use 1 cup less tomatoes, and omit the beans and broth or water. Cook on high for the entire cook time and leave the lid slightly askew. Let the chili get thick.
At the 3-4 hour mark, if it looks like it will not be thick enough, put 1/2 cup of the chili in a bowl. Mix it thoroughly with 2 tablespoons of corn starch, then stir back into the crock pot. Cook for another 30-60 minutes.
Top hot dogs with mustard, the chili, chopped onions and cheese.
Notes
*1 You can use 1/2-1 bulb of minced, raw garlic instead. Raw garlic has a strong, almost harsh flavor to it. Roasted garlic has a mellower, almost sweet flavor.