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Advice / Succeeding at Work / Break Room

Your Winter Warmup: Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Chili

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Brrr, it’s cold out! When the weather turns frigid and the day gets dark at 4 PM, the only thing I’m craving for dinner is soup, stew, or chili—a big bowl of something warm and comforting that I can curl up on the couch with (cozied up in a blanket with a good book or holiday movie, of course!).

This chili recipe definitely fits the bill. With a minimal amount of prep work required and the slow cooker doing most of the work, it’s the perfect dinner to come home to after a long, wintery day.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs beef roast
  • 1 packet chili seasoning (taco seasoning will do just as well!)
  • 6 oz beer (I used Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale)
  • Juice and zest of 1/2 orange
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, liquid drained
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 12 oz can pinto beans, drained
  • 1 12 oz can white beans, drained
  • 4 tbsp salsa (try to find one that is not super chunky)
  • 1 tsp salt, plus extra for seasoning
  • 1 tsp pepper, plus extra for seasoning
  • Serve With

    • Sharp Cheddar cheese
    • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
    • Chopped onions
    • Chopped avocado
    • Directions

      First, season the beef roast with salt and pepper. Then, rub the chili seasoning all over the roast so it’s fully coated.

      Slow Cooker Beef ChiliHeat up a large skillet, and sear every side of the beef roast in a little bit of olive oil. If time doesn’t permit, just omit this step—the end result will still be delicious!

      Set up your slow cooker, add the beef roast, and pour the beer, the zest, and the juice of half an orange over the top, plus whatever additional chili seasoning you have left.

      Add the chopped onion, red and yellow peppers, and the additional salt and pepper, then cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

      Slow Cooker Beef Chili

      When the 8 hours are up, take a couple of forks, and use them to pull the beef apart so it’s shredded into bite-sized pieces. It’s easier if you remove the beef from the slow cooker and then shred it on a separate plate, and then put it back into the slow cooker once it’s shredded.

      Add the two cans of beans and the salsa, then give everything a good toss in the liquid. Test to make sure your seasonings are just right, then spoon out big bowls of chili and top with mounds of grated sharp Cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek Yogurt, chopped red onion, and chopped avocado.

      5

      This recipe will serve four people, and leftovers will freeze splendidly. Also, if you don’t have a slow cooker, not to fear! This recipe is just as good made with ground beef, turkey, pork, or chicken using a pot on the stove.

      Photos courtesy of Niki Lowry.