I’m all in this business of making a vat of …
Slow Cooker Chili!
So this is what all day in the kitchen should look like. 😉 Just throw your ingredients into that slow cooker of yours in the morning, set the timer and applaud yourself when dinnertime rolls around.
As much as I love to cook, there are plenty of days that I reluctantly step foot in my kitchen. Those are the days that my slow cooker is my heroic side-kick.
When it comes to chili, I lean on two ingredients regardless of what style of chili I’m making. Those ingredients are ground cumin and dried oregano. If not for the ground cumin, you might as well not call it a chili but simply a stew. Cumin and oregano separate chili’s from all other soups and stews and is what gives it the smell and taste that we all love about chili.
This is more of a Texas style chili because I’m using gorgeous chunks of beef rather than ground meat. If not for this blog of mine, my chili recipe {plus all of my other recipes} and directions would never get written down and the taste and general ingredients would vary greatly. So this blogging thing is doing my friends and family a huge favor! Ha.
Chili is perfect for a hearty meal anytime – especially during football season, after a night of trick or treating or simply when you want a cozy meal.
[bctt tweet=”Try out this Texas style Slow Cooker Chili – easy to make and taste gorgeous!”]
Slow Cooker Chili
Ingredients
Tbls Olive Oil
- 1 lb Stewing Beef boneless chuck steak cut into bite size pieces
- 1 Tbls Flour
- 2 15 oz cans Black beans, drained
- 1 28 oz can whole, peeled Tomatoes with liquid
- 1 ½ cups Beef Broth
- 2 small or 1 medium Yellow Onion chopped
- 1 ½ - 2 cups Zucchini chopped
- 1 oz Dark Chocolate chopped
- 1 heaping Tbls Cumin ground
- 2 tsp dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- ½ - 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper optional and seasoned to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Mexican Blend or Monterrey Jack Cheese grated
- Fresh Cilantro chopped
- Red Chilies chopped fine
- Tortilla Chips or Crackers of choice
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat Olive Oil over medium high heat. Add the Stewing Beef and brown. Remove from heat and toss in the Flour and stir until all the meat is coated.
- In a slow cooker set to low, add in the browned Beef, Beans, Tomatoes, Beef Broth, Onion, Zucchini, Dark Chocolate, Cumin, Oregano, Salt & Pepper and if using add the Cayenne Pepper.
- Stir it all together until well blended.
- Pop on the slow cooker lid, set the timer for 6 - 8 hours. Go play (or work if you must).
- During the last 30 - 45 minutes, taste and adjust any seasoning if needed.
- Serve and garnish as desired.
