Chili: slow cooker beef and black beans
Chili: slow cooker beef and black beans is a hearty batch for six. Small pieces of chuck simmer in tomato while canned beans supply body. Use a 4½- to 5½-quart slow cooker and allow about 8–9 hours on low, plus 15–20 minutes of preparation.
This version uses diced beef rather than ground beef. A long cook softens the connective tissue in chuck; lean steak is not an equivalent shortcut. Chili powder varies in heat, so use a mild seasoning blend and adjust at the end.
Do not replace canned beans with raw dried kidney beans in this method. Dried beans need their own safe preparation and cannot be assumed to cook safely on an arbitrary slow setting.
If the chili is thinner than you prefer, mash a spoonful of beans and stir it back in, or briefly reduce uncovered according to the appliance instructions. Adding flour straight from the bag can leave lumps and a raw taste.
Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Reheat thoroughly for a later meal. The cooker’s warm setting is for suitable hot holding, not for cooking a raw batch from the start.
Recipe and method from beefitswhatsfordinner.com
Ingredients
Step 1
Thaw the beef fully and cut into even small pieces on a clean board. Rinse and drain canned beans. Prepare onion and measure seasonings before loading the crock.
Step 2
Combine beef, beans, tomatoes, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in the cooker. Follow the appliance’s loading limits and keep the lid properly closed.
Step 3
Cook on low for about 8–9 hours or high for about 5½–6 hours. Check a piece of beef: it should yield easily to a fork. If still firm, continue cooking rather than serving merely because the timer ended.
Step 4
Stir in salsa near the end and heat the whole pot thoroughly. Taste and adjust salt or heat gradually. Serve hot in bowls; any cheese, avocado or sour cream is an optional extra.
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