Slow Cooker Classic Beef Chilli Recipe

Name: Classic Beef Chili - My #1 Winter Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium-large onion, diced; 5 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 450 g lean beef mince; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 400 g tin crushed tomatoes; 400 g tin fire roasted diced tomatoes; 400 g tin great northern beans, drained and rinsed; 400 g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed; 300 ml chicken stock; 2 tbsp chilli powder blend; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp paprika; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; cayenne pepper; 1 tsp maple syrup; grated cheese

Source video by A Simple Palate on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

This is Bethany's go-to weekly chilli, a simple classic with no unusual additions. Beef mince is browned with onion and garlic, then simmered with crushed and diced fire roasted tomatoes, two kinds of beans and a chilli powder led spice blend. Originally a 25 minute hob simmer, it adapts beautifully to a slow cooker where the flavours have time to deepen. Serve topped with grated cheese and a hunk of cornbread or sourdough on the side.

Slow cooker notes: Original recipe is a 25 minute hob simmer in a Dutch oven. Browning the onion, garlic, beef and tomato paste is retained because slow cookers do not develop that depth of flavour. Stock reduced slightly is not needed here as the original quantity (1.25 cups / about 300 ml) is modest, but the lid stays on so liquid will not reduce. If a thicker chilli is preferred, cook the final 30 minutes uncovered on High. Optional maple syrup added at the end as in the source.

Ingredients

Base

2 tbspolive oil
1 medium-largeonion, diced
5 clovesgarlic cloves, minced
450 glean beef mince
2 tbsptomato paste

Tomatoes and beans

400 g tincrushed tomatoes
400 g tinfire roasted diced tomatoes
400 g tingreat northern beans, drained and rinsed
400 g tinkidney beans, drained and rinsed
300 mlchicken stock

Spices

2 tbspchilli powder blend
2 tspground cumin
1 tsppaprika
2 tspgarlic powder
1 tspdried oregano
1 tspsalt
0.25 tspblack pepper
cayenne pepper

Finishing

1 tspmaple syrup (add late)

To serve

grated cheese (add late)

Method

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft but not browned.
~5 min
Add the minced garlic and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.
~1 min
Add the beef mince, season generously with salt, and brown it, breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains.
~7 min
Stir in the tomato paste and cook with the beef for 1 to 2 minutes to deepen its flavour.
~2 min
Tip the beef mixture into the slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained northern beans, drained kidney beans and chicken stock.
~3 min
Stir in the chilli powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, black pepper and the optional pinch of cayenne. Mix well.
~2 min
Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours, stirring once or twice if you are around.
~360 min
Taste and, if the tomatoes are still a touch acidic, stir in 1 teaspoon of maple syrup. Adjust salt and pepper.
~2 min
Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese, soured cream or coriander as you like. Serve with cornbread, sourdough or a rosemary garlic bread on the side.
~3 min

Frequently asked

Do I have to brown the beef and onions first?

Yes, this step is worth the extra pan. Slow cookers steam rather than brown, so searing the beef and softening the onions, garlic and tomato paste on the hob is where most of the chilli's depth of flavour comes from.

Can I swap the beef for something else?

Absolutely. Ground turkey, chicken or even elk all work in this recipe. Use the same weight and brown it the same way before adding to the slow cooker.

Which beans work best?

The recipe uses great northern beans and kidney beans, but chilli is forgiving. Cannellini, pinto or borlotti are all good swaps. Always drain and rinse tinned beans before adding.

My chilli looks a bit thin, how do I thicken it?

Take the lid off for the final 30 to 45 minutes on High and let some of the liquid evaporate. The tomato paste also helps thicken as it cooks.

Can I make this ahead or freeze it?

Yes, chilli is even better the next day once the spices have settled. Cool completely, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of stock.

Extraction notes (transparency): Source is a hob recipe adapted to slow cooker. All ingredients and quantities are explicit in the transcript. Cayenne is mentioned as on the recipe card but the cook skipped it; listed as optional. Maple syrup listed as optional per the cook's note. Slow cooker timings inferred from standard practice for a chilli of this volume.