Crockpot Chili

Ok y’all, I was born and raised in Texas, but my head is spinning around the beans/no beans debate. You can check out some interesting opinions on Huffington Post and Lifehacker. All I know is this recipe is my husband’s specialty (who was also born and raised in Texas) and it contains beans and meat and it’s delicious and so super easy to make.

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, medium dice
• 1 medium red bell pepper, medium dice
• 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Pickled jalapeños, for garnish
• Shredded cheese, for garnish
• Sour cream, for garnish

STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and bell pepper, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.

STEP 2
Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and salt. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.

STEP 3
Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, add the diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, and beans, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate if preparing in advanced. (If you do steps 1-3 the night before, all you need to do is turn the crockpot on the next morning and run out the door.)

STEP 4
Cover and cook until the chili thickens and the flavors meld, about 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

STEP 5
Taste and season with salt as needed, and garnish with cheese, sour cream and jalapeños. Serve with cornbread (if you’re from the south, ask your grandma for her cast-iron skillet recipe).

(Make it up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.)

So, tell me, where do you fall in the beans/no beans chili debate? Leave me a comment below!