Crock Pot Beef and Black Bean Chili (No Browning)

Chili is supposed to simmer all day. The slow cooker lets it do exactly that while I am off doing something else. Two things to know before you start: add the ground beef raw, crumbled straight into the pot, so there is no skillet and nothing to drain. And this is a thinner chili. It is soupy rather than thick and scoopable.

Five things go in: ground beef, three cans of black beans, a can of Rotel, a packet of chili seasoning, and water. The Rotel gives it a little kick, not so much that it will run anybody off.

 

Prep Time	Cook Time	Servings	Prep Level
5 minutes	8 hours	4-6	Beginner +

You Don’t Need To Cook The Beef Ahead Of Time

The beef goes in raw to save a step. That’s it, that’s the whole reason. Eight hours on low cooks it through with time to spare.

Now, the fat does render into the pot, and it stays there. Doesn’t bother me a bit, but it’s easy enough to handle if it bothers you. Grease floats, so you can skim it off the top with a big spoon toward the end. A turkey baster works even better and gets more of it. Or make it a day ahead, refrigerate overnight, and the fat will set into a solid layer you can lift right off.

I’ll be honest about the tradeoff, though. Browning beef in a hot skillet gives you a flavor the slow cooker can’t make on its own. If you want that deep-browned taste, go ahead and brown it. I’d rather skip the pan and let the chili seasoning and the Rotel do the work.

How To Make Beef And Black Bean Chili

Crumble the raw ground beef into a 6-quart slow cooker, breaking it up as you go so it doesn’t cook in one big lump. Next, add the drained black beans.

Next, sprinkle the chili seasoning over the top of the beans and ground beef.

Next, add the Ro-Tel and water to the slow cooker and give it all a good stir. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. I buy the mild Ro-Tel because I am a bit of a spice wimp, but you can choose spicy if that is what your family likes. If you want to add a little more beefiness to the chili, add beef broth instead of water.

What To Serve With Chili

A bowl of chili is perfect alongside a sleeve of saltines, and when I’ve got the time I make my skillet cornbread without buttermilk while the chili finishes up.

Storage, Freezing, And Reheating

To store, let it cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three or four days. It freezes well too, up to about three months.

To reheat the chili, add some to a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat and stir every few minutes until it’s hot all the way through. That’s my preference. It heats more evenly, and you don’t get a scalding bite next to a cold one.

You can also heat it in the microwave. To do that, cover the bowl and go a minute at a time, stirring in between. The beans hold heat, and the broth doesn’t, so it’ll fool you if you don’t stir.

Either way, if it thickens overnight, a splash of water loosens it back up.