Beef and Three-Bean Chili
Serves 6 to 8
Cooking Time 6 to 7 hours on Low or 4 to 5 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For a super easy, family-friendly slow-cooker chili, we started by choosing only
the essential aromatics: onions, chili powder, and oregano. Ground beef was convenient,
but it had a tendency to turn gritty after hours of slow cooking. We found that the
solution was to microwave it for a few minutes first so that it became firm enough
to break into coarse crumbles that did not turn grainy during cooking. Canned tomatoes
and beans (we chose a mix of black, pinto, and kidney beans for more complex flavor
and visual appeal) eliminated prep work and were full of flavor after hours of gentle
simmering with the spices and aromatics. Along with the ground beef, we quickly microwaved
the onions and spices before adding them to the slow cooker to ensure that the onions
cooked through in time and to bring out the flavor of the chili powder and oregano.
Serve with your favorite chili garnishes. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
2 |
pounds 85 percent lean ground beef |
|
2 |
cups chopped onions |
|
¼ |
cup chili powder |
|
1 |
teaspoon dried oregano |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
1 |
(15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed |
|
1 |
(15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed |
|
1 |
(15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed |
|
2 |
(28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes |
|
2 |
tablespoons packed brown sugar |
1. Microwave ground beef, onions, chili powder, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
2. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, breaking up any large pieces of beef. Stir in beans, tomatoes, and sugar. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
3. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of chili. Break up any remaining large pieces of beef with spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.