Name: Slow Cooker Beef and Black Bean Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 7 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup dried black beans, picked over and rinsed; 1 pound beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch (2-cm) chunks; One (15-ounce) can tomato puree; 1 red onion (about 5 1/2 oz), finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons chili powder; 2 cups hot water; Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; Sour cream; Diced jalapeño; Chopped avocado; Grated Cheddar cheese or crumbled queso fresco

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot, add enough water to cover with several inches of water, and refrigerate, covered, overnight. (Alternatively, to quick soak the beans, place them in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 1 hour.) Drain the beans.

Preheat a 5-to 6-quart slow cooker on low until warm.

To the slow cooker, add the drained beans, beef, tomato puree, onion (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish), garlic, chili powder, the hot water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the chili has thickened and the beans are tender, about 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Serve topped with sour cream, reserved onion, jalapeño, avocado, and cheese.

Recipe Testers' Reviews

Mary Joan L.

Oh, that’s good chili, different from our usual but very good, and very easy with no fussing. A quick overnight soak of the beans and then everything went into the slow cooker. I gave it a stir and 6 hours later we had a competition-worthy chili. The beans and the beef were both tender. I took off the lid and let it cook a little longer to thicken the chili a little. We enjoyed the flavors so much we forgot to put on any toppings.

There were only the two of us so we’re looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow.

Larry Noak

This is a GREAT high-quality chili recipe for any chili lover. All in all, the recipe took just about 6 hours on low in my 6-quart cooker. I ended up with about 6 normal servings of this LUSCIOUS, dark, rustic affair or, in my case, 4 awesome fat guy servings.

On its own, this chili is hearty but it’s really a blank canvas, making it ideal for everyone at the table to make it their very own. One could easily add exotic hot sauces, spices, peppers or, most anything that will calm the inner beast. I will certainly make this again. GREAT STUFF!

Slow Cooker Beef and Black Bean Chili