The Best Chili Recipe I’ve Ever Made (Slow Cooker)

The best chili recipe ever to come from my kitchen, guys! I know, I know, it’s a huge claim. I think I’m picky about chili. This recipe has 2 things that make it unique: tender, fall-apart shredded beef instead of ground beef, and Mexican Masa Harina. The smell of this chili simmering may actually knock you out.

One of my food blog friends Denise from Sweet Peas and Saffron mentioned on Instagram the other day that she’s been practicing intermittent fasting, and has seen great results. She lost all her baby weight! She eats ice cream every day!

I still haven’t lost all my baby weight, and the baby is now two. Is this the part where you tell me that my baby is not a baby anymore, and also my baby weight is now just weight? Like, the regular kind??

So intermittent fasting sounds like a great idea, right?? I mean it’s all down to calorie intake. Just don’t eat past 8pm, and don’t eat before noon. Easy peasy! I’m not a huge breakfast person anyway, and usually end up eating a very late brunch-ish meal once the kids are off to school anyway.

Well let me tell you, guys. There is NOTHING that will make you hungrier in the morning for some bacon and eggs and maybe some pancakes too, than telling yourself that you can’t eat until noon every day.

The inevitable and unfortunate result of denying myself breakfast is that by 10am the first thing of the day I am craving is not bacon and eggs. It’s the leftover cookies from my photo shoot yesterday. (What? No, you’re addicted to sugar.) They are killing me, guys. (It’s a new recipe; well, a riff on an old recipe. I added white chocolate and cranberries to these Texas Cowboy Cookies. I am SUPER excited to share them with you!)

Maybe if I had this chili waiting for me every day, I could wait until noon? YES. See this chili is solving all of my life’s problems.

How to make chili

There are two things that make the best chili recipe especially unique: we are using super tender, fall apart, melt-in-your-mouth beef. This chili is too good for ground beef. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a girl who loves her ground beef. I’m low brow like that. (How about this Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe made with ground beef?  Or these Cheeseburger Egg Rolls?? YUM.) But I’m telling you, shredded tender beef makes for some AMAZING chili. It lends the perfect beefy flavor and after simmering in the slow cooker all day it is super tender and completely irresistible:

Just look at all that beefy beefiness.

The second thing that makes this the best chili recipe is that we are stirring in some Masa Harina. Masa Harina is very finely ground corn flour, infused with lime. It’s what they use to make corn tortillas. I LOVE adding it to Mexican soups and chilis. (Like this Chicken Enchilada Soup. I need to reshoot that recipe and share it again! The world needs to know! Seriously, if you buy Masa Harina to make this chilli, add this soup to your menu, you will not regret it.)

Technically you can skip the Masa Harina. It will still be great chili. But that corny flavor lends itself so well to beefy chili (why do you think we all love cornbread with our chili?) that I highly recommend adding it. (How many more times do you think I can work in the words beefy and corny?

How to make chili in a crock pot

One way to turn a regular chili recipe into the best chili recipe is to SIMMER. Long hours over low heat brings out all that flavor and gives the ingredients time to marry. That means it is perfect for the slow cooker, and perfect even for making ahead of time. If you make it a few days before you need it and let it sit in the fridge, the flavor is only going to intensify and be even more delicious. Obviously it’s also amazing straight out of the crock pot after 8 hours on low. This is also a great meal to freeze for later, just toss it in a ziplock.

What goes with Chili

I know Cornbread is a classic side dish that goes with chili, but here are some other ideas to serve with your chili:

• Garlic and Rosemary Skillet Bread
• Ultra Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
• Sweet Corn Casserole
• Literally the Best Mac and Cheese I’ve Ever Had
• One Hour Yeast Rolls
• Apple Gorgonzola Salad, for something fresh!

Also, my husband told me recently that on Fridays in the cafeteria at his elementary school, they always served chili and cinnamon rolls. Like, apparently that’s a thing?? Have you heard of this?? Here’s a One Hour Cinnamon Rolls recipe you could try, if you’re into Montana school lunches.

Do you guys make chili around Halloween every year? My church always has a harvest festival with a chili and cornbread cook off. It’s just classic! It is the perfect meal for Halloween night. A valiant attempt to fill yourself up with some stick-to-your-ribs food before you make yourself sick eating your kids candy. (What? Only me??)

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One year ago: Apple Cider Roasted Carrots with Plums
Four years ago: 10 Crock Pot Recipes for Halloween Night
Seven years ago: Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Pecan Frosting

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The Best Chili Recipe I've Ever Made (Slow Cooker)

Serves 10-12     adjust servings

The best chili recipe ever to come from my kitchen, guys! I know, I know, it's a huge claim. I think I'm picky about chili. This recipe has 2 things that make it unique: tender, fall-apart shredded beef instead of ground beef, and Mexican Masa Harina. The smell of this chili simmering may actually knock you out. 

Ingredients

For the chili

• 3-4 pounds stew beef (roughly chopped chuck roast)
• generous salt
• generous pepper
• oil, for browning meat
• 2 very large onions, chopped*
• 2 cups celery (about 4 stalks), chopped well
• 6 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons cumin seed**
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 cups beef broth***
• 1/4 cup masa harina****
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (28 ounce can) crushed tomatoes
• 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans
• 3 bay leaves

To garnish

• sour cream
• shredded cheddar cheese
• finely chopped onions
• cilantro, chopped
• tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Begin by browning the meat. Dry off the beef with paper towels if it is very wet. Sprinkle all over with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large, high sided skillet over medium high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. 
3. Brown the meat in batches. Place each piece in the skillet with about an inch of space around it. Do not crowd the meat or they will steam each other, which will not give you that sear you are going for. Sear=flavor! After 1-2 minutes, when it is nice and brown on the bottom, use tongs to flip each piece of beef. Sear the other side for another 1 minute or so, until brown.
4. Remove the beef to a large crock pot. Continue searing the rest of the beef, adding more oil to the pan as necessary. Adjust the heat lower if the pan starts to get black on the bottom, but keep it above medium. 
5. Once all the beef is seared, add more oil to the pan if there is not enough, you need about a tablespoon. Add the chopped onion and celery. (Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat if your veggies are not chopped yet. 
6. Saute the onions and celery over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. They should be all brown and delicious looking, picking up all that beef flavor. 
7. Add 6 cloves of minced garlic and 2 chopped jalapenos. 
8. Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin seed (or powder), oregano, garlic powder, and brown sugar.
9. Stir it all together and let the spices toast into the veggies for a couple minutes.
10. Add the beef broth and scrape up the bottom of the pan. 
11. Slowly pour in 1/4 cup of masa harina, stirring constantly. Break up any lumps right away. 
12. Pour the mixture into the crock pot.
13. Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, the can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cans of drained kidney beans, and 3 bay leaves to the crock pot. Stir it all together.
14. Put the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8-10 hours. The longer you leave it in, the better, because the beef will just get more tender and delicious. 
15. When it's time to eat, use a wooden spoon to break up the chunks of beef. Or you could remove it to a plate and shred with a fork, then return to the pot. 
16. Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, finely chopped onions, and cilantro.

by The Food Charlatan

Recipe Notes

*Use 3 medium onions if you're not sure you can find ones that are very big. Don't skimp on onions, they are everything in chili!!

**This was my first time using cumin seed. It's really good! But ground cumin will also work great, use the same amount. I found cumin seeds in the produce section of my grocery store, where they have a Latin spices section (much cheaper!)

***As usual, I used 4 cups water and 4 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base.

****Masa Harina is a finely ground corn flour, used to make corn tortillas. It adds the best corny flavor! It is optional, but I highly recommend it. 

I adapted this recipe from my girl Natalie at Perry's Plate, who adapted it from Emeril LaGasse.

All images and text © The Food Charlatan

If you make this recipe, share it on Instagram using the hashtag #TheFoodCharlatan so I can see it!

You will love these other easy dinner ideas!

Chili Mac and Cheese recipe (30 minute dinner!) << this is so fast and SO GOOD!!

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili << this is an open-the-can-and-dump chili, and it’s delicious. How can you say no to cream cheese??

Chipotle Chili with Steak << another chili recipe with steak instead of ground beef! I’m telling you it’s so good!

Other chili recipes that are to die for!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili from All Mindful Mom
Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos from Reluctant Entertainer
Chili Dip from A Family Feast