Slow Cooker Texas Red Chili

Adapted from a few recipes… trying to keep it red, spicy, and beer-infused.

NOTE 1: “I’m in a hurry” instructions: Skip step 1 – browning the beef – and put it straight into the crock. Saute the onions and toast the spices, then rinse the pan out with beer and pour everything in the slow cooker. Skip the second batch of spices, but make sure to add extra salt if it’s needed when you taste for seasoning. You won’t get the same depth of flavor, but you cut a lot of the active time out of the cooking.

NOTE 2: Use a Mexican or American lager with lime flavour (e.g. Modelo, Bud lime), if not using lime juice in the recipe. Trust me.

Slow Cooker Texas Red Chili

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

Beef

• 5 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2.5 kg stewing beef or roast, cut to pieces
• 3 Tbsp pepper
• 2 onions medium, minced
• 6 cloves garlic minced

1st batch spices

• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp ground corianer
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 cans chipotle en adobo About 185g, finely sliced - not whole chilis.
• 3 habanero (or other strong pepper) diced
• 2 jalapeno sliced
• 30 grams 75% dark chocolate

Liquids

• 470 ml beer Scottish dark ale
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp boullion "Better than Boullion" (beef)

Finishers

• 1 juice of fresh lime
• 5 Tbl flour roux

Notes

1. Brown the beef
   Heat the vegetable oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Split the beef into multiple batches, and put them in the fry pan in a single, loose layer. Stir and toss the beef in the fry pan until it is well browned (caramel glazed) on most sides, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned beef into the slow cooker pot.
2. Saute the aromatics and toast the spices
   Add the onions, garlic, and tomato paste to the fry pan, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, and saute until the onions soften and the tomato paste darkens, about 5 minutes. Make a hole in the middle of the onions and add the first batch of spices. Cook until you smell the spices toasting, about 1 minute, then stir the spices into the onions. Add the onions and spices to the crock pot, and stir to coat the beef. Put the fry pan back on the stove, turn the heat to high, and pour in the beer. Bring the beer to a simmer and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits loose from the bottom of the pan (deglaze). Pour the beer into the slow cooker crock, add the broth, chilis and chocolate, and stir.
3. Slow cook the chili
   Cover the slow cooker and cook the chili on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 5 hours.
4. Finish the chili
   1/2 hour before serving the chili, stir in the finishers. Put the lid back on and let the spices simmer. When the chili is done, taste for seasoning, and add more salt or lime juice if needed. Serve.