Cooking Lesson #990: Slow Cooker Firehouse Beef & Bean Chili

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? What’s the perfect crowd pleasing dish for your Super Bowl party? Chili, of course!
 
Firehouse Beef & Bean Chili is always at the top of my list when the weather cools. But even when the weather warms, I can always go for a big bowl of chili. My recipe lets the slow cooker do most of the work. Today most Instant Cookers have a slow-mode button, so you don’t have to go out and buy another piece of kitchen equipment.
 
The slower the chili cooks, the heartier the chili is, and you can serve it so many different ways. Leftovers are never a problem, you can smother an omelet, ladle it on hot dogs or burgers, spoon it over baked potatoes or just pile it high in a bowl with toppings of you choosing.
 
I highly recommend browning the beef in a skillet along with the onions and garlic before adding the meat to your slow cooker. The browning process amps up the savory flavors in the chili and gives the spices a chance to bloom, enhancing their flavor. If you don’t have time or don’t want to mess up a clean skillet, you don’t have to. The beef will cook fine in the slow cooker, and it will be completely safe to eat. You’ll miss out on the flavor from browning the beef, onions, garlic, and spices because caramelizing them a bit adds a huge amount of flavor to the chili, and you’ll be disappointed if you skip the step.
 
If you want to get dinner ready before you leave for work, then set the slow cooker to low and let it simmer for 8 hours, and it will be perfect. When you walk in the door the aroma will knock your socks off. Or you start the chili in the afternoon, cook it on high heat, and have it ready in 3 to 4 hours. If you go with this method, stir the chili occasionally so it cooks evenly.
 
When it comes to additions for your chili, you can go completely crazy with   options — fried onion strings, minced raw white onions, Fritos, avocado, pimento cheese… even bacon!
 
If you have the time, make some crispy corn strips to top your chili. I included the recipe below. Once you make them from scratch, you’ll be glad you did. If you’re pressed for time, store-bought corn tortilla chips work just fine! Personally, I like classic chili toppings, like cheese, sour cream, and chives.
 
If you have leftover chili, you’re in luck! Chili is super versatile, and you can use it in so many ways.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  7 to 8 hours
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef (90/10)
1 cup diced white onion
6 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup Stout Beer (I prefer Guinness) or beef stock
1 (4.5-ounce) can green chiles
2 (15-ounce) cans drained and rinsed kidney beans
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup corn chips (I prefer Fritos for the nutty flavor)
 
For the crispy tortillas strips garnish
4 corn tortillas, sliced into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 
For garnish
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese
4 tablespoons green onion tops or chopped chives
 
Directions

1. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once it is hot, add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until beef is brown… 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the onions, garlic and spices and continue to cook for a few minutes to combine the flavors.
3. At the very end of browning, add the beer or stock and use the liquid to scrape up any stuck brown bits from the skillet.
4. Transfer all the skillet ingredients to a slow cooker along with green chiles, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and corn chips.
5. Cover the chili and cook on HIGH for four hours, stirring occasionally, or set to LOW for 8 hours.
6. Season the chili with salt and pepper to taste once it has cooked.
7. Serve it in big bowls garnished with cheese, sour cream, chives and tortilla strips.
8. Chili keeps and reheats beautifully. Personally, I think that chili is actually better on day two or three. It keeps well in the fridge for four to five days and you can freeze it without a worry.

To make the crispy corn strips without frying them

1. Preheat an oven to 375⁰ F.
2. Slice the tortillas into strips and spread them out on a sheet pan.
3. Drizzle the strips with oil and spices and use your hands to mix together.
4. Spread out in an even layer and bake the strips for 5 to 6 minutes. Then stir strips to make sure they are cooking evenly. The ones around the edges will cook faster. Bake for 4-5 minutes and then remove from oven and cool. Tortilla strips will continue to get crispy as they cool.

ChefSecret:  If you would like to substitute chunky steak, you can. Use round steak cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Brown the steak in a skillet seasoned with salt and pepper, just like the ground beef, and then proceed with the recipe as written.

Quip of the Day:  Why hasn’t someone figured out how to slow-cook grapes? Eight-hours later you’d have a bottle of wine.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
 
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