Tasty & Easy Chile Recipe in a Crock Pot

Here's a super-duper easy chili recipe made in a crock pot. It's adopted from the bazillion chili recipes out there on the web and after some experimentation (and taste testing!), here is what I ended up with. The portions below COMPLETELY fills our crock pot, so simply half the recipe to feed a family of four with some yummy leftovers. As with any Chile recipe, adjust these to your taste as some like more beans and/or different levels of sweet & spicy!

INGREDIENTS - feeds about 12
2+ pounds ground beef
3 large onions
3 cans corn - 15oz (was four - drain liquid first!)
4 cans Italian-style diced tomatoes - 15oz
2 cans diced tomatoes - 15 oz
2 cans tomato sauce - 8oz
1 can Kidney beans - 30oz
1 can Pinto beans - 30oz
6 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
4 tablespoons chili powder
4 tablespoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Cholula
1 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
Note: The original recipe completely fills the crock pot ... so I reduced it a bit

DIRECTIONS
First thing in the morning, open all those cans (it will take a while!) and drain everything (rinse the beans) before tossing in the crock pot. You may want to do the night before and just toss in the fridge. Turn the crock pot to HI (I jump start by placing on the stove) and get it lightly boiling with the lid off. I leave it like this most of the day while periodically stirring as it reduces down.

After that is going, dice & saute the onions and then brown the ground beef. Toss them in the crock pot if room - if not, just wait until it reduces ... but get 'em in there for at least a few hours. You can just let this cook by itself all day - just make sure there is enough liquid, the heat isn't too high, and if you use a lid, allow it to vent. Great to make at a ski house and come back to.

Continue periodically stirring as it thickens and serve when you think it is the right consistency. When serving, add cheese and optionally use tortilla chips. It makes great leftovers. This dish is always a big hit ... as my kids say I'm fond of saying, it's - "frick'in money man! ;-)"

More recipes from Alek Komarnitsky