Description

A rich, smoky, and comforting slow cooker beef chili made with dark stout beer, chipotle peppers, and ground beef. This easy, weather-proof meal is perfect for fall weeknights and freezes beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds (900g) 80/20 ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz (355ml) dark stout or porter beer
2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
2 tablespoons pure chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
1 oz semi-sweet dark chocolate square
Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

Prep ingredients by chopping the onion, mincing the garlic, and draining the beans and corn.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef until no pink remains, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Drain excess grease if necessary, then transfer beef to the slow cooker.
In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
Add the tomato sauce, kidney beans, corn, and dark beer to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Add the minced chipotle peppers (and adobo sauce to taste), chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until flavors meld and beef is tender.
Once cooked, stir in the square of dark chocolate until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning. If too thin, cook uncovered on HIGH for 30 minutes to reduce.
Serve hot, topped with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced onions.

Notes

For best flavor, brown the beef well to create fond. Use fresh spices for maximum impact. The chili tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. If not drinking alcohol, substitute beer with beef broth and a teaspoon of molasses. For a smoother texture, blend half the chili with an immersion blender before serving.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 380
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 650
Fat: 18
Saturated Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 28
Fiber: 6
Protein: 22

Keywords: crockpot chili, beef chili, slow cooker recipes, chipotle beer chili, fall comfort food, easy dinner, smoky chili, dark beer recipes