A slow cooker is the way to go

Makes approx. 4-6 serves depending on what you serve with it!

Ingredients:

I love lots of onion!

• 1 kilogram topside/bolar roast, cut into bitesize cubes (and trimmed of fat)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 spring onions, sliced (keeping green parts for later)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 chilli, finely diced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chopped chipotle chilli in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 x 400 gram tin of chopped tomato
• 1 cup beef stock
• 3 x 400 gram tins of red kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (best for this is oregano, parsley and coriander)
• Juice of ½ lime

Choose a nice lean piece of beef for a lovely tender Chilli Con Carne

Method:

In a large frying pan brown the meat in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a crack of black pepper (being careful not to overcrowd the pan)..  This can be done in batches so you get a good even brownness and so the meat doesn’t stew.

Lovingly brown meat is a good start for any casserole

Once browned, place the beef into a slow cooker.  In the same pan add either a little more olive oil or as I do a little bit of water before adding the onion, white of the spring onion and the garlic.  Cook over a medium heat until onion is lightly sautéed but not browned.  Add the chilli, spices and chipotle chilli, stirring through and cooking for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.

All the flavours of chilli, onion, garlic and spices

Add the tomatoes along with about ½ tin of water, stirring to combine all the ingredients and scrapping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the good bits as there is a lot of flavour in those good bits!

Tip the pan ingredients along with the stock and the kidney beans into the slow cooker and stir through so everything is combined.  Turn the slow cooker on high for 1 hour then turn down to low for 4 hours.

Lots of liquid but it will cook out in the long slow cooking process

Remove the lid and give the chilli a good stir then check the tenderness of the meat (it should be fork tender).  Add the fresh herbs and green parts of the spring onion and salt if needed.  Stir through and cook on high for ½ hour (or up to 1 hour if needed).

Add the lime juice and stir through just before serving.

Make a meal of it with some green vegetables, a baked potato and some warm cornbread

There are numerous ways to enjoy.  You can eat the chilli straight from a bowl topped with some grated cheddar cheese and finely chopped red onion.  You can make a meal of it with a baked potato, cornbread, corn and green beans.  Or you can shred the meat further and top your hotdogs with it to make a great chilli dog!

You can’t eat Chilli without toppings of cheese and onion

Enjoy!

Hints:

As with any meal like this it is a matter of taste so you need to add more chilli if you want it hotter or more herbs and spices if you find it too bland.  This is a good starting point for you to put your own touches on it.

Each time I make this (or any stew/casserole) I find I need to adjust my seasonings accordingly.  Also, if I am having friends or family over I make it so it isn’t too hot but if it is for just Wayne and I, well nothing wrong with a bit more heat!

When I first started making chilli con carne I would use the packet of chilli seasoning you get at the grocery store.  Over the years I acquired a spice grinder and my cupboards are full of spices so I thought ‘Why buy something which has extra additives I don’t want in my food’.  So I experimented and came up with this recipe.

You can also change the type of beans you use.  I have used black beans as well as a mixture of beans but I don’t like chickpeas as I find the texture doesn’t work for me.

A good thing with a slow cooker is you can set and forget.  I can’t do this as I have to check the seasoning and moisture every now and again.  You can do this if you so desire or you can just leave it.  But I do suggest that you keep an eye on the moisture and the tenderness of the beef.  Different cuts of beef can take different times to get to the correct point of tenderness.

My recipes, as I have said before, are a guide, to be adjusted, played with and changed to your liking.  They work just as given but are always better if you add your own imagination and touches.

Cook, eat, enjoy and have fun doing it.