Chunky Beef and Three Bean Slow Cooker Chili

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Chicago’s bone chilling cold inspired me to make this hearty chunky beef and 3 bean chili. Instead of using ground beef, I went to the butcher at Mariano’s and got finely diced beef so I could make a chunkier chili. I loved the tender pieces of beef – they were much more flavorful than ground beef. The poblano peppers added a smoky spiciness. Perhaps the secret to a perfect chili is diced beef, poblano peppers, and a few slices of bacon. This is one of my favorite recipes and I am sure I will be making it often since it is so easy to prepare.

The preparation time for this meal is just a few minutes, and it is easy to make in large batches. I made this on a Sunday to give myself a head start on meals for the week. Chili recipes are easy to personalize. Add more tomatoes if you love them. Use different beans if you want. You could even use diced chicken and chicken broth and make a chicken chili.

1 1/2 pounds Beef (finely diced, or ground)
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Paste
1 can Black Beans
1 can Pinto Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1 jar Salsa
2 Poblano Peppers, chopped
2 Bell Peppers, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon Chili Powder (and more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper (and more to taste)
Beef Broth (2-3 cups)
3 slices of Bacon, chopped

** I have a 6 Quart Slow Cooker. You may need to adjust the recipe if you have a smaller slow cooker.

Step 1:

Pour the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and salsa into the slow cooker.

Step 2:

Drain and rinse the beans. Rinsing the beans reduces the amount of sodium.

Step 3:

Add all the other ingredients, except the beef broth to the slow cooker.

Step 4:

Pour enough beef broth into the slow cooker to submerge the ingredients in liquid, about 2-3 cups. Stir.

Step 5:

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Step 6:

Taste the chili and add more chili powder and red pepper 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until the desired spiciness is reached.