Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne
User Reviews
5
Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne
Description
The recipe begins by mixing chili seasoning ingredients including chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, chipotle chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper to create a fragrant spice blend. Bacon is fried until crisp and crumbled, reserving the fat to brown well-seasoned beef chuck roast steaks cut into cubes. The browned meat and softened onions from the pan transfer to the slow cooker.
The slow cooker combines these with bacon pieces, diced fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles, chicken broth, drained kidney beans, minced garlic, and the chili seasoning. Cooking on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours produces tender beef that falls apart easily and a chili thickened by the beans and meat juices. The chipotle powder adds smokiness and moderate heat, adjustable by starting with less and adding later.
Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, scallions, fresh cilantro, and corn chips for texture contrast. The chili serves about eight generous portions, suitable for hearty meals.
Leftovers store well chilled for up to four days. The recipe notes the option to substitute chipotle powder with cayenne or omit it, use different beans, and adjust canned tomato choice based on availability.
Ingredients
For the chili seasoning:
- 1/4 cup chili powder or to taste
- 2 tablespoons cumin ground
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 2 teaspoons thyme dried
- 1-2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
For the chili:
- 8 lices Bacon
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 1 1/2-inch thick steaks (see note 2, boneless
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes undrained (see note 3, fire-roasted with green chiles
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 (15 ounce) can Kidney Beans drained and rinsed (see note 4)
- 8 cloves garlic minced
To serve:
- cheese shredded
- sour cream
- scallions thinly sliced
- cilantro fresh
- corn chips such as Fritos brand
Instructions
- To make the homemade chili seasoning, in a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, chipotle chili powder (if using), coriander, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, fry bacon until crisp. Transfer to a plate and crumble when cool. Reserve bacon fat for cooking beef and keep hot.
- Season each side of the beef steaks generously with salt and pepper. Working with one steak at a time, fry in reserved bacon fat until well-browned on each side.
- Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with remaining steaks. Cut each browned steak into 1-inch to 2-inch cubes and transfer to slow cooker.
- Add onion to pot with bacon fat and beef juice. Stir until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add the crumbled bacon, tomatoes with chiles, chicken broth or water, beans, garlic, and chili seasoning.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The beef should be falling apart and tender. Strain excess fat off the top if desired. Shred the beef gently with tongs or two forks.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, and corn chips.
Notes
- Store leftover chili covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Start with 1 teaspoon or less chipotle chili powder if uncertain, and add more after cooking for preferred heat.
- Searing the beef adds flavor but can be skipped; cut into thick slabs to sear all sides evenly.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles add deeper flavor; substitute regular canned tomatoes plus a can of diced green chiles if needed.
- You can substitute canned kidney beans with about 3 cups cooked beans of any type.
- This recipe yields about 12 cups of chili, roughly 8 servings of 1.5 cups each.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings (1 1/2 cups each)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 617 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1.5 cups | |
| Calories | 617kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 51g | 102% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 181mg | 60% |
| Sodium | 781mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 1202mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 2507IU | 50% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 131mg | 13% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
