A Super (Bowl) Meal

     In my 3 ring binder of favorite recipes is an entire section just for chili.  There's white chili made with chicken, and a spicy variation called Santa Fe that combines the chicken with cannellini beans, replacing the more traditional red kidney beans.  Another recipe is for Cinncinnati chili that incorporates chocolate and is served over spaghetti.  Other variations include sausage chili as well as ground meat chili.

     But for the Super Bowl I decided to cook up a slow cooker version of Texas chili, using cubed chuck roast and brown sugar as well as diced tomatoes and green chilies, and without any beans at all.  It was a hearty (and spicy) version calling for 3/4 cup of chili powder as the flavors mellowed for 7 hours.  Here's the recipe:

SLOW COOKER TEXAS CHILI

 

2 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut into 2" pieces                   2 cans chopped green chilies, drained

2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar                           1 Tbsp ground cumin

Kosher salt                                                              3/4 cup chili powder

2 Tbsp vegetable oil                                                 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 small onion, finely chopped                                 1 to 2 Tbsp green hot sauce

5 cloves garlic, smashed                                         sliced scallions, fresh cilantro,

                                                                                                      sour cream

 

Toss the beef with 1 Tbsp each brown sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the beef in batches until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes (do not crowd the pan).  Transfer to a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.

 

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, chilies, cumin and chili powder and cook 3 minutes.  Add 1 1/2 cups water and the tomatoes and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

 

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp brown sugar and the hot sauce to the chili. Serve with scallions, cilantro and/or sour cream for topping.