Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound beef chuck roast, cut into bite-size pieces (or pre-cut beef stew meat)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (use fire-roasted if you can find them)
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (see recipe notes)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- Toppings: shredded cheese, chopped onion, cilantro, avocado, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, salsa or hot sauce
Preparation
Step 1
Instructions
Add vegetable oil to a heavy 12" skillet and place over MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT. If using pre-cut beef you may want to cut beef cubes a bit smaller. Add beef cubes to skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté over medium-high heat for several minutes, or until nicely browned. Transfer the browned beef cubes to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add ground beef to the skillet with the beef drippings and cook, stirring to break up until beef is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink. Season with a little salt and pepper while cooking. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked ground beef to the slow cooker with the beef cubes.
Add next 9 ingredients, from onion through crushed red pepper, to slow cooker (reserve bay leaf and beans). Stir well to combine and tuck the bay leaf into the mixture. Cover and cook until beef cubes are very tender; on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Add kidney and pinto beans, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until beans are warmed through.
Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Made as written this will be a mildly spicy chili. Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper up or down to suit your taste.