SERVES: 4
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 8 hours
The slow cooker chilli recipe couldn’t be easier to make and is packed full of flavour. Prepare in the morning, pop the lid on and it will be ready by tea time!
Ingredients:
- 10 round shallots
- 500g diced chuck beef
- 1tbsp plain flour
- 2tsp smoked paprika
- Sea salt & cracked black pepper
- 1tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2tsp cocoa powder
- 1tsp ground cumin
- 1tsp cayenne pepper
- 1tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1 pint beef stock, hot
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin kidney beans
- 1 cinnamon stick
Method:
- Place the shallots in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Allow the shallot skins to soften in the water for 10 minutes before easily peeling – keep the shallots whole.
- In the meantime, place the beef in a large bowl along with the flour, 1 teaspoon of paprika and salt and pepper. Thoroughly coat the beef in the flour mixture.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and in batches brown the meat well until just caramelised. Once browned, place the meat into the slow cooker along with the prepared shallots.
- In a large jug dissolve the cocoa powder in 20ml of hot water. Add the cumin, cayenne pepper and sweet chilli sauce to create a thick paste. Stir in the hot stock before pouring it all into the slow cooker. Add the chopped tomato, kidney beans and cinnamon along with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Stir all the ingredients together and put on the lid.
- Cook on ‘low’ for 7-8 hours (3.5-4 hours on ‘high’) until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Half an hour before serving, if the sauce needs reducing further, pour the chilli into the pan and simmer over a medium heat until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
Cook’s Notes:
Not a fan of slow cookers? Simply follow the method until stage 5, placing in a large pan or casserole dish with lid. Simmer gently on the hob over a low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Alternatively place in the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3 for 3 hours.