Weeknight Beef Chili
Serves 2
Cooking Time 5 to 6 hours on Low or 3 to 4 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 3½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Most slow-cooker recipes for beef chili make enough to serve a crowd. We wanted to
scale down our chili, but it still had to offer all the rich, long-simmered flavor
and thick, substantial texture we were craving—and it had to be light on prep. The
trio of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste ensured that our chili tasted
bright yet complex and was the right consistency after a few hours of simmering. For
big flavor, even after a stint in the slow cooker, we incorporated generous amounts
of chili powder, garlic, and cumin; minced chipotles added smoky undertones and heat.
We also reached for a test kitchen favorite, soy sauce, to boost the meaty, savory
notes. For the meat, we went with ground beef, but it turned gritty after hours of
slow cooking. The solution was to microwave it briefly so it became firm enough to
break into coarse crumbles that didn’t turn grainy in the slow cooker. Serve with
your favorite chili garnishes. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
1 |
pound 85 percent lean |
|
2 |
tablespoons chili powder |
|
2 |
tablespoons tomato paste |
|
1 |
tablespoon minced garlic |
|
1½ |
teaspoons ground cumin |
|
1 |
(15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed |
|
1 |
(15-ounce) can tomato sauce |
|
1 |
(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes |
|
1½ |
tablespoons soy sauce |
|
1½ |
teaspoons packed brown sugar |
|
1 |
teaspoon minced chipotle chile |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
1. Lightly spray inside of slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Microwave beef, chili powder, tomato paste, garlic, and cumin in bowl, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to prepared slow cooker, breaking up any large pieces of beef. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes and their juice, soy sauce, sugar, chipotle, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
2. 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.