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Spicy and Sweet Slow Cooker Chili

This slow cooker chili gets a nice boost of flavor by using a combination of spicy and sweet pork sausage, rather than plain ground beef.
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Course Main Course

Equipment

  • 1 Slow cooker (Crock pot)
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound spicy bulk pork sausage crumbled
  • 1 pound sweet bulk pork sausage crumbled
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock plus additional, if needed
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 med white or yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 15 oz cans white beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 15 oz red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 28 oz cans tomato puree (tomato sauce)
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 28 oz can petit cut (diced) tomatoes undrained
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp oregano dried
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 cup black coffee (or water) if needed
  • salt to taste

Garnish

  • 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded
  • 3/4 cup red onion finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeño peppers (sliced) fresh or pickled

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, brown pork sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain excess fat from pan. Transfer browned sausage to slow cooker crock.
  • Return skillet to burner over medium-high heat. Deglaze pan with chicken or vegetable stock, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a spatula. 
  • Add olive oil, garlic, and onion to pan and cook, stirring frequently, about 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add celery and carrot and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour skillet contents into slow cooker. 
  • Add white beans, red beans, tomato puree, tomato paste, petite-cut tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper to slow cooker. Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly. If desired, add water or black coffee to thin mixture before cooking. 
  • Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. When finished, stir and add salt to taste. Adjust other seasonings, as desired. 
  • Spoon into bowls and top with shredded cheese, chopped onions and/or sliced jalapeno peppers. Serve immediately. Freeze or refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. 
Keyword Chili