Keeping with the theme of Got to be Good recipe posts: no history lessons on chili, family stories about gathering around the slow cooker for a religious experience, or anything like that. This is just a chili recipe. No need to “jump to the recipe” – it is right below.
The “secret” to my chili is flame grilling the veggies. It helps give the chili an amazing flavor! I use my Camp Chef Pellet Grill to give the veggies a smokey, grilled flavor. Every time I make this and have guests over, they rave about it. I hope you like it too.
My “Secret” Chili Recipe
Ingredients:
Produce:
1 medium sweet onion
1 bell pepper (any color or combo of colors)
Jalapeno(s) – See tips below
Optional: Serrano pepper(s) – see tips below.
2 Tbsp minced garlic (I use a bulk jar of garlic, but a few cloves of fresh garlic is great too)
Pantry:
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
½ tsp (or better) of Beef bouillon or ½ cup of beef broth (I use Better Than Bullion: Roasted Beef Base)
Avocado cooking oil spray
Spices:
2 Tbsp chili powder, divided
1.5 tsp cumin, plus a pinch more
1.5 tsp coriander, plus a pinch more
1.5 tsp sea salt, plus a pinch more
Ground pepper to taste
Meat:
1.5 lbs of lean ground beef, 85/15, or lower
Directions:
Heat the pellet grill to “grill” (high setting).
Cut the bell pepper in half; remove stems, ribs, and seeds. Cut the onion in half; remove the outer layer, and cut off the ends. Cut jalapeno(s) in half; remove stems, ribs, and seeds (See tips below). Spray the halved peppers, onions, and jalapenos with avocado oil cooking spray. Cook on the pellet grill for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until skins of the veggies just start to char. Reduce the heat to “high smoke” and cook for another 5 minutes. When the veggies are done cooking, set aside and let cool.
While veggies are cooking:
Add canned tomatoes to the slow cooker (use tomatoes and the juice; no need to strain). Rinse the pinto beans and black beans. Add beans to the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high.
Preheat a pan to medium-high heat. Spray pan with avocado oil cooking spray. Cook ground beef until browned, adding a dash of salt and ground pepper. Add cooked ground beef to the slow cooker.
Add the following spices to the slow cooker: 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1.5 tsp coriander, 1.5 tsp sea salt, and the garlic.
Check that the onions, peppers, and jalapenos are cool enough to touch.
Cut the jalapeno in small pieces; add to the slow cooker.
Cut the onions and bell peppers into 1-inch pieces. Add the onions and pepper to a food processor or Ninja Blender. Pulse about 5 times until veggies are evenly chopped into small pieces. Tip: Do not over process; a few chunks are okay. Add the onions and peppers to the slow cooker.
Add ½ cup of beef broth, or ½ cup of water with about ½ tsp or better of beef bullion, prepared, to the slow cooker.
If using serrano pepper(s), slice the pepper(s) into thin slices. Add to the slow cooker.
Stir the chili so all the ingredients are combined well. Continue to cook covered on high heat for 4-5 hours, or reduce to low heat and cook for 8-10 hours.
About 15 minutes before serving, add 1 Tbsp of Chili Powder, a dash of coriander, a dash of cumin, and a dash of sea salt, and stir.
Serve and enjoy!
Tips:
Jalapenos – I recommend using at least one fresh jalapeno. With the ribs and seeds removed, the spice level will be mild. You can add more as desired. When cooking for the family, I use two jalapenos with ribs and seeds removed, and it’s not too spicy for my kids.
When removing ribs and seeds from Jalapenos, you may want to use gloves, and maybe even glasses. I actually had Jalapeno juice splash into my eye one time – not fun. I usually don’t use gloves, but I use a spoon to scrape the ribs and seeds out, trying to minimize skin contact with the ribs. I then wash my hands immediately.
Serranos – If you like your chili on the spicy side, add 1 to 3 serrano peppers, keeping the ribs and seeds.
For a semi-spicy chili, I use 2 jalapenos with ribs and seeds removed, and 2 serranos with ribs and seeds in place. This version has a palatable spice level without detracting from the flavor.
Option: If you prefer a chunkier chili, you can skip using a processor to chop up the onions and peppers. I personally like the consistency this way, and it helps avoid kids saying, “Ew, does this have onions? I don’t like onions. Can I have it without onions?”
Option: Use fresh tomatoes. I have done this recipe with tomatoes from the garden. I will fire roast the tomatoes along with the other veggies, and then put the tomatoes (after cooled) in the food processor and pulse a few times before adding to the slow cooker.