Slowcooked Chili for Super Sports Sunday

It’s officially fall. And here in New York it’s finally starting to feel like it.

The MLB playoffs are getting hot, and temperatures are cooling down. We are already into week 8 of NFL, the NHL is into its second month and the NBA is tipping off in just a few days. This might just be my favorite time of year as we start to see if the off-season predictions were on point.

If you are like me, with so many games to catch you don’t want to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen to make game day meals. Thankfully, there is an alternative that will do all the time intensive cooking for us: slow cookers. Not only do they take care of most of the cooking, but they fill your house with a delicious smell which will have you-and your guests-anticipating the tasty warm meal that awaits.

To start the season off, I’ve got a hearty, healthy chili recipe for you-with a twist. You’ll be happy to know that this recipe includes beer as one of the flavorful ingredients. Having just returned from a trip to Canada, I plan on using some imported dark ale from north of the border in my next batch!

Super Sports Sunday Slow-Cooked Chili

Ingredients

2 lbs Ground beef (I prefer organic grass fed beef, but this can also be replaced with ground turkey, bison, or ostrich)

1 Large yellow onion, diced

2 Cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz. can Organic pinto beans, drained

2 11.5 oz. cans Organic diced tomatoes

1/2 Habanero chile, seeded and very finely chopped (use less or more depending on your taste for spice)

1 6 oz can Tomato paste (I prefer to buy my tomato paste in a squeeze tube).

1 4 oz. can Diced green chiles

¾ c. Beer (I prefer dark beer for a deeper flavor)

1/4 cup Chili powder

1 tablespoon Dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons Ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Sea salt to taste

Preparation

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-low to medium heat with the onion and the garlic until no pink remains.

Add the browned meat, garlic, and onions to all the other ingredients in a crockpot or slow cooker. Stir well and then cook on low for 8–9 hours or high for 4–6. (I prefer to cook it on low to bring out the flavors. And it’s even better to make the chili Saturday so that the flavor goodness has had ample time to marinate in itself by Sunday).

Serve topped with an optional fixins such as sour cream (or greek yogurt), shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, diced (red or yellow) onions or crumbled tortilla chips.