The first snow and colder weather make me instantly dream of chili. Or is it reading “Zoomer’s First Snow Storm” too often? Yes, on a really cold day there is nothing like a hot cup of chili. Making it in a slow cooker is easier, since you do a little prep in the morning, mix the ingredients and let it cook – ready when your work day is over. I was using a basic CrockPot slow cooker (5-Quart Round Manual Stainless Steel Crockpot) to make this Winter Day Chili. So this chili con carne recipe includes 2 kinds of meat. Whenever using ground meat (unless it’s a burger), I like to mix a few types of meat. I find that this makes the recipe more flavorful. Here, I’m combining ground beef and ground pork. Feel free to experiment with other combinations – I know I will! I also like to use a variety of beans, it adds another dimension to the chili. For ease of cooking, I’m adding Ro*tel – it saves a step with tomatoes and adds a little kick of a heat. I’m using the original Ro*tel, but it’s still a bit spicy. Enjoy this Winter day chili with a kick!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 0.5 to 1 pound ground pork
- 1 onion chopped small
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 24-ounce can of Ro*tel diced tomatoes and green chiles (don’t drain it)
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 cup chicken stock (add at the end if needed)
Directions:
1. Brown the onion in a large skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil. Use Vidalia onion if you can – it’s a nice balance for the heat of the spices you’ll add.
2. Add minced garlic, mix and cook a bit more – don’t overcook or the garlic will burn!
3. Now add the ground beef and pork to the skillet. Cook stirring frequently, breaking the meat.
4. Mix your spice blend in a separate cup: cayenne, chili, salt, brown sugar and cumin, stir.
5. Turn off the heat under your skillet and drain. Mix in your spice blend and stir.
6. Place the meat mixture on the bottom of your slow cooker. Add Ro*tel (with juice) and all the beans. Stir. Avoid too much liquid in the chili, since it doesn’t evaporate from the slow cooker and it may turn more into a soup. For this reason, I drain the beans and only add the chicken stock at the end if you feel your chili needs more liquid.
7. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. I like to stir the ingredients gently before covering with the lid, but you don’t have to, the flavors will still blend together.
8. Almost 8 hours in, stir the chili and taste. If you feel it needs more liquid, add the cup of chicken stock and let it simmer another 15 minutes on low.
9. Serve warm with grated cheese and onions and crackers or over rice. This chili is perfect on a cold day!
