Slow Cooker Weeknight Chili Cooks Country Recipes

THE ULTIMATE SLOW COOKED CHILI

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir beef, onion, and garlic in the hot oil until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes; drain and discard grease. Season beef mixture with salt and pepper.
• Mix ground beef mixture, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, pinto beans, ranch-style beans, white kidney beans, tomato sauce, Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style hot tomato sauce, green bell pepper, celery, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, cumin, parsley, basil, and brown sugar together in a slow cooker.
• Cook on High for 4 hours; stir in red wine and continue cooking for 2 more hours. (Cook on Low for 8 hours.)

SLOW-COOKER WEEKNIGHT CHILI(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• 1. Toast chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, cayenne, and pepper flakes in large Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer toasted spices to bowl. Add bacon to Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels and pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot. Return pot to medium heat, add onions and bell pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 2. Add beef, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, using wooden spoon to break up beef into 1/2-inch pieces, until just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain beef and vegetables in colander.
• 3. Add tomato puree, diced tomatoes, and toasted spices to empty pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Return drained beef and vegetable mixture and bacon to pot, stir to combine, and bring to simmer. Transfer contents to slow-cooker insert.
• 4. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 hours, stirring in beans during last hour of cooking. (Alternately, cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.) Adjust seasonings and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for several months.).
• Make Ahead: If you'd prefer to just dump the chili ingredients into the slow cooker before running off to work, you can do all the work the night before. Follow the recipe through step 3, but continue to simmer the assembled chili for 10 minutes. Transfer the chili to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, simmer the chili in a Dutch oven for 10 minutes, then transfer it to your slow cooker and proceed with step 4.

COOK'S COUNTRY SLOW-COOKER WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Puree 1 can of beans, hominy, broth, and 3/4 tsp salt in blender until completely smooth.
• Pour into slow cooker.
• Brown chicken and pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
• Cook thighs, skin-side down, until skin is well-browned and fat has rendered, about 5 minutes.
• Remove and discard skin, then add thighs to slow cooker.
• Pour off all about 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.
• Cook onions, chiles, and 1/2 tsp salt until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Add garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer half of onion mixture to slow cooker and reserve remaining mixture in refrigerator.
• Add remaining beans to slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 4 hours.
• Transfer chicken to bowl.
• When cool enough to handle, discard bones and shred chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Stir in cilantro, pickled jalapenos, shredded chicken, and reserved onion mixture into slow cooker and let warm. Serve.

SLOW-COOKER BLACK BEAN CHILI(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• 1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate. Cook onions, peppers, and jalapeños in bacon fat until softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer half of sautéed vegetables to medium bowl, wrap with plastic, and reserve in refrigerator. Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano to pot with remaining vegetables and cook until deeply fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, broth, 2 teaspoons salt, dried beans, ham, and crisp bacon. Bring to boil and let simmer 15 minutes.
• 2. Transfer bean mixture to slow cooker and arrange piece of aluminum foil on surface of liquid. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender, 7 to 9 hours (or cook on high 4 to 6 hours).
• 3. Remove lid, discard foil, and transfer ham to cutting board. Stir tomatoes into slow cooker, cover, and cook on high until tomatoes soften, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer canned beans to bowl and mash with potato masher until rough paste forms. Chop (or shred) ham into bite-sized pieces. Stir mashed beans, ham, lime juice, and refrigerated vegetables into slow cooker. Cook, covered, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Serve.