Description
Classic slow cooker chili delight merges robust beef, fire-roasted tomatoes, and complex spices into a comforting meal. Rich Mexican-inspired flavors simmer effortlessly, promising warmth that satisfies hunger and nourishes souls.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ lbs (0.68 kg) lean ground beef
- 1 (14.5 oz / 411 g) can kidney beans, mashed
- 1 (14.5 oz / 411 g) can chili beans
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 (14.5 oz / 411 g) can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 diced red bell pepper
- 1 diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup sweet corn (optional)
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper until caramelized and deeply colored.
- Aromatic Base: In the same skillet, sauté onions and garlic until translucent, then introduce tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano, toasting spices briefly to enhance their flavor profile.
- Liquid Integration: Deglaze skillet with beef broth, scraping up flavorful browned bits, then transfer the entire mixture to the slow cooker with the browned meat.
- Vegetable Incorporation: Add red and green peppers, chili beans, and diced tomatoes to the slow cooker, stirring to ensure even distribution of ingredients.
- Slow Cooking Process: Set slow cooker to LOW for 7-8 hours, allowing flavors to develop and ingredients to tenderize completely.
- Final Enhancement: During the last 30 minutes, stir in mashed kidney beans and corn kernels, then increase temperature to HIGH to intensify flavors and create a rich, cohesive texture.
- Serving Finale: Ladle chili into serving bowls and top with optional garnishes like sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, or chopped green onions for a personalized touch.
Notes
- Beef Browning Technique: Caramelize ground beef thoroughly for deep, rich flavor development by using medium-high heat and allowing proper surface contact.
- Spice Blooming Secret: Toast spices briefly in the skillet before adding liquids to unlock their full aromatic potential and enhance overall taste complexity.
- Slow Cooker Timing Precision: Maintain LOW temperature for 8 hours to ensure tender meat and deeply melded flavors, with a final 15-minute HIGH heat boost for flavor integration.
- Texture Enhancement Trick: Incorporate mashed kidney beans near the end to naturally thicken the chili and create a more luxurious, creamy consistency without additional thickeners.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours and 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg