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Best Slow Cooker Football Chili – Easy Tailgate Recipe

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This slow cooker chili is the ultimate game day dish—rich, smoky, and packed with flavor. It’s easy to make with simple ingredients and always disappears first from the table.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if desired.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the beef. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Bloom the spices. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), oregano, salt, and pepper over the meat and vegetables. Stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast the spices.
  4. Add the tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute until it darkens slightly.
  5. Deglaze the pan. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the beef broth and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it simmer for a minute until reduced slightly.
  6. Transfer to the slow cooker. Pour the entire contents of the skillet into a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
  7. Add the remaining ingredients. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, drained kidney beans, drained black beans, remaining beef broth, and brown sugar (if using). Stir to combine.
  8. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Low and slow is recommended for best flavor.
  9. Taste and adjust. About 30 minutes before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or cayenne. Cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes if a thicker chili is desired.
  10. Serve and enjoy. Ladle into bowls and top with desired garnishes.

Notes

For best flavor, brown the meat and toast the spices. Chili tastes even better the next day. To thicken, mash some beans against the side of the slow cooker or let it cook uncovered. Use low-sodium broth and beans to control salt.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chili, football chili, tailgate chili, game day chili, easy chili recipe, ground beef chili

Find it online: https://grubella.com/best-slow-cooker-football-chili-easy-tailgate-recipe/