How to Make Crock-Pot Chili

Do you need a great chili recipe? Crockpot chili is a quick and easy way to prepare this Tex-Mex staple. Read on to learn how to make crockpot chili that will be ready when you are.

Crockpot chili can be customized to your taste by adding or subtracting spices as you like. You may also want to experiment with different beans and meats to vary the recipe. The most difficult part of this recipe is chopping the vegetables; after they are prepared the chili takes just minutes to assemble. Start the crock pot chili in the morning, and dinner will be ready in the evening without any additional effort. You could use the time you've saved to whip up some homemade cornbread to serve with the chili.

Assemble the following ingredients to make crock pot chili for 4-6 people.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 16 ounce can tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste

Although you don't need to brown the beef, it improves the flavor of the chili and reduces the fat content, so its worth taking the extra time to brown the meat. If you're pressed for time in the morning, consider browning the beef the night before.

1. Brown the beef.
2. Drain fat and place beef in crock pot.
3. Add remaining ingredients and cover.
4. Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 10-12 hours on low.

There are many ways you can customize crockpot chili to suit your personal tastes.

1. Substitute ground chicken, turkey, or sausage for all or part of the beef.
2. Substitute jalapeno peppers for 1/2 cup of the green peppers.
3. Add 1/2 cup of beer to the chili mixture.
4. Adjust chili powder up or down as desired.