Steakhouse Slowcooker Chili

It is March, almost April and is still cold, oh wait, freezing in Kentucky. As much as this upsets me I decided to take advantage of the extended winter season and make a large pot of chili. Chili is definitely a seasonal food for me. I don't enjoy chili, or any soup for that matter, near as much when it's warm out.

 My husband is typically the "chili maker" in our home. He rarely cooks, so when he volunteers to help out in the kitchen I gladly step aside. I wouldn't dare tread on what he has going on, so I make sure I create something that tastes and is made completely different than his chili. If you have checked out any of my earlier blogs you have probably gathered that I like putting my own twist on things anyhow. Ergo, my steakhouse slow cooker chili! This chili has a little twang, a little heat and is made in the crock pot. What's not to love?

I start by cutting a few slices of thick bacon into bite size pieces. Bacon makes everything better, including chili! Look it up - this is clearly stated in the bible and dictionary. 

  

While I am cutting up the bacon I begin heating a skillet over medium heat. Once I have finished chopping the bacon I add it to the warm skillet. I saute the bacon pieces for about a minute or until the slices start to render fat. This basically means when I see grease floating around in the bottom of the skillet I know it is time to add the ground beef.  

 

I often cook with healthier meats, but chili is one of those meals that I just can't do that with. I do, however, make sure that I buy a high quality ground beef for the steak house chili. No regular ol' chuck or round will do. Spend the extra couple bucks and buy some good quality, low fat beef. It is worth it. I add the beef to the pan and saute until it is cooked through. This takes about 7-8 minutes.

 

I typically drain off the excess fat/grease when I am cooking with ground beef, but because I purchased a higher quality, lower fat beef I am not going to do that. The bacon grease adds such a wonderful flavor that it would be a shame to let it go to waste, right?



I pour the browned ground beef and bacon directly into my crock pot.



 I use a combination of your "basic" chili ingredients and a few extras to make the rest of the chili.

I scoot the meat mixture to one side of the crock pot and add one can of tomato sauce to the other side. To the sauce I add a heaping handful of brown sugar. I have found that if I don't mix the brown sugar into the tomato sauce first it won't get well incorporated and you end up with chunks of sugar in your chili. I can eat sugar straight from the jar, but I don't want a big bite of it when I am eating my chili. It's like getting surprise big bite of jalapeno or garlic in something. Just not what you are expecting, so it's not pleasant.



To the sauce I also add a couple big glugs of Worcestershire sauce and a couple splashes of hot sauce. I actually add about 5 or 6 splashes of hot sauce, but I really enjoy a little heat in my dishes. A couple is plenty if you don't like things very spicy. We have a friend that can barely eat ketchup without breaking into a sweat, so leave it out if the chili powder in chili is typically enough heat for you.



I use a whisk to make sure I have the sauce well mixed and then I begin adding the other ingredients.

To the slow cooker I add two cans of drained and rinsed kidney beans. I like a light and dark mix, so I always add one can of each.

I also add one additional can of tomato sauce and two cans of diced tomatoes.



I give the pot a good mix and then add my fresh ingredients. A couple cloves of garlic...

...a chopped green bell pepper and a couple chopped onions.

I give the pot another good stir! Looks rather tasty already.



Lastly, I add a heaping handful of chili powder and pop the lid on the slow cooker.



After 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low I have a beautiful pot of flavorful chili. I wish I had smell-o-vision for you folks because.....Mmmmmmm! 



Just like I think everything is better with bacon I also think near everything is better with a topping, especially soup! This chili can be topped a number of different ways. I put some jalapenos and sour cream on top of mine. Aaron and Addi ate their chili with cheese on top. You can't go wrong with a topping...cheese, sour cream, any type of onion, jalapenos, bacon bits, or crackers. Heck, if I had all of the previous listed I would probably add each and every topping! Choose your favorites and sprinkle some a top a giant bowl of goodness. Enjoy! 

Steakhouse Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb Prime or Choice ground beef
4 slices thick cut bacon
2 cans kidney beans, drained
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
5 tablespoons chili powder
Your choice chili toppings: crackers, cheese, sour cream, onions, jalapenos...

1. Begin by heating a skillet over medium high heat.
2. While the pan is heating, chop the bacon into bite size pieces.
3. Add the bacon to the pan and saute for about 1 minute or until the bacon has rendered about 1-2 tablespoons fat.
4. Add the ground beef the the pan and cook until there is longer any pink meat. This takes about 7-8 minutes.
5. Add the meat mixture to a large crock pot. Scoot the meat mixture to one side of the crock pot and add 1 can tomato sauce to the other side.
6. To the sauce add the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.
7. Add the remaining can of sauce, drained kidney beans, diced tomatoes, onion, green pepper and garlic to the pot. Stir to combine.
8. Add the chili powder and give the pot another good stir.
9. Place the lid on the crock pot and cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
10. Top the chili with your favorite steak house toppings! Yummy!