Best Americas Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Weeknight Beef Chili Recipes

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN SLOW COOKER BEEF BURGUNDY

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate. Pour half of bacon fat into small bowl; set skillet with remaining bacon fat aside.
• Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper; place half of beef (uncooked) into the slow cooker.
• Heat skillet containing remaining bacon fat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook remaining beef in single layer until deep brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer browned beef into slow cooker.
• Add reserved bacon fat to now empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chopped onion, carrots and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir until beginning to brown, about 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
• Return now empty skillet to high heat and add 1 1/2 cups wine, chicken broth and soy sauce. Simmer, scraping up brown bits, until pan bottom is clean, about 1 minute. Transfer wine mixture to slow cooker.
• Stir bay leaves and tapioca into slow cooker. Set slow cooker on low, cover and cook until meat is fork-tender, about 9 hours.
• In a skillet mix 1 tbs butter, 1 tbs sugar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 cup of water place frozen pearl onions in the skillet, cover and let it cook on medium heat for 5-10 mins until the onions begin to caramelize, add mushrooms and 1/4 tsp salt cook another 3-5 minuets thoroughly caramelizing the mushrooms and pearl onions. Transfer the pearl onion/mushroom mixture into the slow cooker and cook for another 30 minuets.
• When ready to serve, discard bay leaves and stir in reserved bacon(personally I served the bacon on the side seeing as the hubbs isn't crazy about pieces of bacon in his Beef Burgundy). In large skillet, bring remaining 1 cup wine to boil over high heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir reduced wine and parsley into stew and adjust seasonings. Serve with buttered egg noodles, YUM!

SLOW-COOKED CHILI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. , Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the next 9 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. If desired, top individual servings with cheese and green onions.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking.
• Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using thongs, turn chicken and brown lightly on other side, about 2 minutes.
• While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds for 2 jalapenos and mince flesh.
• In food processor, process half of poblano chilies, Anaheim chilies, and onions until consistency of chunky salsa, ten to twelve 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of workbowl halfway through.
• Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chilies, Anaheim chilies, and onions and combine with first batch (do not wash food processor blade or workbowl).
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from Dutch oven (adding additional vegetable oil if necessary) and reduce heat to medium.
• Add minced poblanos, chili-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat.
• Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to now-empty food processor workbowl.
• Add 1 cup beans and 1 cup broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds.
• Add vegetable-bean mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers 160 degrees (175 degrees if substituting thighs) on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate.
• Stir in remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and chili has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Mince remaining jalapeno, reserving and mincing ribs and seeds and set aside.
• When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.
• Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalapeno (with seeds if desired) into chili and return to simmer.
• Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to serve.

SLOW-COOKER WEEKNIGHT CHILI(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• 1. Toast chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, cayenne, and pepper flakes in large Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer toasted spices to bowl. Add bacon to Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels and pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot. Return pot to medium heat, add onions and bell pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 2. Add beef, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, using wooden spoon to break up beef into 1/2-inch pieces, until just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain beef and vegetables in colander.
• 3. Add tomato puree, diced tomatoes, and toasted spices to empty pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Return drained beef and vegetable mixture and bacon to pot, stir to combine, and bring to simmer. Transfer contents to slow-cooker insert.
• 4. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 hours, stirring in beans during last hour of cooking. (Alternately, cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.) Adjust seasonings and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for several months.).
• Make Ahead: If you'd prefer to just dump the chili ingredients into the slow cooker before running off to work, you can do all the work the night before. Follow the recipe through step 3, but continue to simmer the assembled chili for 10 minutes. Transfer the chili to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, simmer the chili in a Dutch oven for 10 minutes, then transfer it to your slow cooker and proceed with step 4.