Texas chili is made with pieces of beef not ground beef and that is about where my similarity with it ends but I do like the fall apart chunks of meat when cooked in the slow cooker. Slow cooking also makes for a tastier gravy. Towards the end of cooking I skimmed any fat off the surface. When I say chili, I don’t mean a fiery chili but more of a mellow flavor. Along with the chili powder, I added some harissa sauce. The base was onions, canned tomatoes and black beans and then I thought a red pepper would be a nice addition. The onions and meat need to be browned before adding to the slow cooker.
2 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. onion – chopped
2 large garlic cloves – grated
1 1/2 pounds of stewing beef – cubed
1 red pepper – seeded and cut into small pieces
1 can of black beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. mild harissa sauce
1 cup of beef broth
Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and when sizzling add the onion and let soften and brown. When it is just turning brown spoon in the garlic and cook for a few minutes longer, then tip into the slow cooker.
Pour the remaining tbsp. of oil into the frying pan and when nicely hot sear the beef cubes on all sides before tipping in to the slow cooker.
Add the black beans, diced tomatoes and red pepper.
Mix the tomato paste, chili powder, harissa and a little of the broth together until smooth.
Pour in to the slow cooker then add the rest of the broth and stir well.
Cook for 6 hours in the slow cooker on high and skim off any fat about half an hour before the end of cooking.
