Favorite Crockpot Chili

This is set-it-and-forget-it chili, the kind that perfumes the whole house while it cooks itself low and slow. Instead of ground beef, it leans on cubed beef chuck, which breaks down over the long simmer into tender, almost shreddy bites with real chew.

One step you can’t skip: the dried pinto beans get a head start on the stove first. Parboiling softens them so they finish creamy in the crock, and keeping the cooking water unsalted lets the skins soften instead of toughening up.

After that, it is all assembly. Beef, pinto beans, tomatoes, onion, sweet red pepper, garlic, cumin, and chili powder go into the pot in order, one stir, lid on. By the time the lid comes off, the beef is fork-tender and the flavors have melded into something deep and warming.

Ladle it over rice, pile it onto cornbread, or load it up with cheese and onions.

Pro Tips

• Don’t salt the beans while they parboil; salt firms the skins and they stay chalky.
• Brown the beef chuck first if you have ten extra minutes; the seared crust adds depth.
• Stir in a spoonful of masa or cornmeal near the end to thicken a thin chili.

Variations

• Swap pinto for kidney or black beans, or use a mix.
• Add a chopped chipotle in adobo or a diced jalapeno for smoky heat.
• Stir in a square of dark chocolate or a spoon of cocoa for deeper chili-con-carne richness.