Nothing beats the cold weather off like a simmering pot of chili. This slow cooker chili is made in a crock-pot with chunks of chuck eye steak and ground beef, beans, tomatoes, fresh ground chili sauce with Spanish seasoning and even some coffee for extra richness.
I’m excited to share The Mountain Kitchen’s slow cooker chili recipe with you!
How To Make The Mountain Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Chili
THE CHILIES:
Safety first! When handling chilies put on a pair of rubber gloves. (Read more HERE)
You can skip this step if you like heat. If not, open up the chili lengthwise with kitchen scissors, then remove the stems, seeds and any light-colored veins inside the chilies. This step will remove most of the heat from the fruit. If you like spicy food, set aside some of the seeds to add a little extra heat. You can add a lot or just a little of the seeds to make things hotter.
Toast the chilies in a dry pan or skillet for 30 to 40 seconds on each side.
Place the chilies into a bowl and soak the chilies in very hot water for about 30 minutes.
If the chilies float too much use a clean heavy object to hold them down into the hot water. This will ensure that both sides of the chili become pliable.
Remove the chilies from the soaking water. Ensure that stems are removed and add the chilies plus some of the soaking water to a blender and puree. Make between ½ to 1 cup of chili sauce by adding a little of the soaking water at a time.
Strain the sauce to catch any large bits of skin or seeds that did not grind up into the slow cooker.
THE MEAT:
Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onions over medium-high heat in a large skillet, with 1 tablespoon of cumin. Once the meat has browned, drain grease and add the hamburger and onions to the slow cooker.
Next, add the steak cubes to the pan and brown to sear the meat the same pan. The beef doesn’t need to cook through, but it needs to sear as much as possible, to seal in the juices of the meat. Remove seared steak cubes and add to the slow cooker.
NOTE: To really kick up this chili, substitute 1-pound of smoked beef brisket in place of the chuck-eye steaks!
SLOW COOKING:
Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir well to incorporate. Cook on high heat for 4 hours or on low heat for 6 to 8 hours. Stir occasionally.
When the chili is ready, taste it and adjust the salt and pepper accordingly.
SERVING THE SLOW COOKER CHILI:
Serve warm with cheese, scallions and sour cream or any toppings of your choice.
This slow cooker chili was so good! I cannot believe the difference the chili sauce makes versus the powder. I chose to use the slow cooker so that I would not have to monitor it so much on the stove while it cooked. We enjoyed a nice local Virginia Rosé and Cornbread Muffins.
I hope you’ll give this slow cooker chili a try. You will not be disappointed!!
The Mountain Kitchen's Slow Cooker Chili
Ingredients
- 4 New Mexico chilies
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 pound check-eye steaks cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 teaspoons cumin divided
- 1 large onion
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2 small poblano chili peppers roasted, seeded, deveined and diced
- 1 large chipotle pepper chopped + teaspoon of adobo sauce
- 28 ounce whole tomatoes canned
- 10.75 ounces can tomato puree
- 15.5 ounces kidney beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 tablespoon coffee brewed (can be left over from your morning java)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Suggested Toppings: cheese, scallions and sour cream
Instructions
- When handling chilies put on a pair of rubber gloves.
- You can skip this step if you like heat. If not, open up the chili lengthwise with kitchen scissors, then remove the stems, seeds and any light-colored veins inside the chilies. This step will remove most of the heat from the fruit. If you like spicy food, set aside some of the seeds to add a little extra heat. You can add a lot or just a little of the seeds to make things hotter.
- Toast the chilies in a dry pan or skillet for 30 to 40 seconds on each side.
- Place the chilies into a bowl and soak the chilies in very hot water for about 30 minutes.
- If the chilies float too much use a clean heavy object to hold them down into the hot water. This will ensure that both sides of the chili become pliable.
- While the chilies are soaking, brown ground beef and onions over medium-high heat in a large skillet, with 1 tablespoon of cumin. Once the meat has browned, drain grease and add the hamburger and onions to the slow cooker.
- Next, add the steak cubes to the pan and brown to sear the meat the same pan. The beef doesn’t need to cook through, but it needs to sear as much as possible, to seal in the juices of the meat. Remove seared steak cubes and add to the slow cooker.
- Remove the chilies from the soaking water. Ensure that stems are removed and add the chilies plus some of the soaking water to a blender and puree. Make between 1/2 - 1 cup of chili sauce by adding a little of the soaking water at a time.
- Strain the sauce to catch any large bits of skin or seeds that did not grind up into the slow cooker.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir well to incorporate. Cook on high heat for 4 hours or on low heat for 6-8 hours. Stir occasionally.
- When the chili is ready, give it a taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly.
- Serve warm with cheese, scallions and sour cream or any toppings of your choice.
DesignsbyJeanneR says
Oh wow, I can only imagine how delicious this would be – thanks for posting!
Dana Fashina says
Damn! That looks good as all hell! Bookmarking this page too, yes sir
Debbie Spivey says
To die for kind of good! 😉
Dana Fashina says
I believe it.
dogear6 says
That looks really good – a lot of work, but it looks worth it.
Nancy
Debbie Spivey says
Nancy it is so worth it! Not that much work really… If you like chili give it a try! 🙂
David says
Yum! Perfect for this time of year 🙂
Debbie Spivey says
Definitely!
Chitra Jagadish says
Wow that looks damn good Debbie. .. 🙂 🙂
Debbie Spivey says
It was!!!! 😉
"Cheffie Cooks" says
That’ll warm you guys up on a chilly night for sure! I hear cold weather’s about to slap everyone NE and Midwest? Grab the coats, mittens, gloves, scarves Y’All. staying warm here still.
Debbie Spivey says
Yep. Could see some snowflakes tomorrow.
"Cheffie Cooks" says
OOh, let me know if you get any snow?!
Liz says
What a lovely meal. Please save a bowl for me….it looks delicious!
Debbie Spivey says
Thank you, Liz! It was delicious!
spasture says
Wow. This looks like something I could eat every day AND it has coffee which makes it even more terrific.
Debbie Spivey says
Thanks so much for your comment! This chili was amazingly good. A little more prep work but so worth it!