This slow-cooker chili doesn’t mess around—tender, fall-apart beef, smoky fire-roasted tomatoes, and bold spices all come together thanks to the magic of low-and-slow cooking. You do almost nothing, and it tastes like you worked all day. We used a slow cooker with a Sauté function to brown the beef and onions right in the pot. If yours doesn’t have this feature, simply use a skillet for this step. In a rush? You can skip the browning, but trust us, taking the time to do it adds a depth of flavor that’s totally worth it.
2-½poundsbeef chuck roasttrimmed and cut into ½-inch chunks
1-½teaspoonstable salt
1medium yellow onionchopped
5-6garlic clovesminced
4tablespoonsground chili powder
1cupbeef or chicken broth
1tablespoonbrown sugar
1tablespoonground cumin
1teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
1can28 oz. fire-roasted whole tomatoes
1can10 oz. Ro*Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies
1can15.5 oz. red, pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
Salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
If you have a Sauté function on your slow-cooker, set it to Sauté and heat some oil. Alternatively, heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle the beef pieces with salt. Add ½ of the beef and sear on all sides until it develops a rich, brown color, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the second ½ of the beef.
Add the chopped onion and the garlic to the slow cooker or skillet and saute until softened but not brown. Stir in the sugar and spices and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the beef broth and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. (If you are using a skillet for the browning, pour the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker after this step).
Add the fire roasted tomatoes to the slow cooker (juice and all) and break up the tomatoes with (clean hands) or a potato masher. Stir in the can of Ro*Tel tomatoes/chilies.
Return the browned beef to the slow cooker and add the beans.
Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
When the cooking cycle has finished, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed
To Serve, ladle the chili into bowls and provide condiment toppings of sour cream, green onions, cheese, tortilla or chips,
Notes
If you’re short on time, feel free to skip browning the beef and sautéing the onions. Just toss everything into the slow cooker, give it a good stir, and hit the cook button. It’ll still turn out delicious, though browning does add extra depth of flavor if you have the time!
Feel free to adjust the chili powder and smoked paprika to suit your heat tolerance.
Use your favorite beans… red kidney, pinto, or black beans all work great here. Or mix it up for variety!
If you prefer a thicker chili, leave the lid slightly ajar during the last hour of cooking to let some of the liquid evaporate.