Recipes Dinner Stews Chili Crockpot Chili 1.0 (1) 4 Reviews This classic chili recipe features a combination of ground sirloin, diced tomatoes, and red beans. By Anna Painter Anna Painter Anna Painter is a trained culinary professional who has been testing, developing, and writing recipes for a decade. She was an associate editor at Food & Wine. Anna has worked on such freelance projects as The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and Gluten-Free Girl Everyday. She is currently the culinary manager at Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 1, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Remember when we said you have nowhere to be? This spicy chili really benefits from being simmered low and slow — for six hours. Photo: Abby Hocking / Food & Wine Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins Yield: 6 to 8 servings Jump to recipe It’s not game day without a good bowl of chili. While there’s a number of ways to riff on the classic recipe, this one is a classic version. This beefy Crockpot chili recipe starts with a base of ground sirloin, which is sautéed until brown before it simmers with the rest of the ingredients. Chili really benefits from being simmered low and slow. And if you want to use dried beans instead of canned, it's an effortless swap in this slow-cooker recipe. Add them with the ground beef, tomatoes, and spices, and just six hours later, you have perfectly tender beans and a rich, meaty chili. For a spicier dish, add a minced, seeded poblano chile or two minced, seeded chipotle chiles in adobo in addition to the jalapeños. Frequently asked questions Do I need to brown the meat before making chili? You can skip this step, but browning the meat in a skillet before adding it to a slow cooker helps bring out its rich, savory flavors. To brown the meat, cook it in a teaspoon of neutral oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat, stirring periodically until it’s evenly browned. What is the secret to making good chili? The longer you cook chili — and the more spices you add to it — the more flavorful it will be. In this recipe, we call for a combination of ground spices such as cumin, chili powder, and oregano, plus garlic, jalapeño peppers, and cilantro. Make ahead Chili cooked in a slow cooker is naturally a make-ahead recipe. Prep it in the morning and let it slowly simmer until dinner time. If you want to get ahead of schedule, the chili can be prepared and then refrigerated for up to four days. Reheat it in a slow-cooker or a pot on the stove over low heat. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 pounds ground sirloin Kosher salt Black pepper 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 pound dried small red beans 1 small bunch of cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped (1 cup), plus whole leaves for garnish 4 jalapeños, seeded and minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons dried oregano Sliced scallions, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and sour cream, for serving Directions In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until nearly smoking. Add the ground sirloin, 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes and their juices along with the beans, onions, chopped cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and 6 1/2 cups of water. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours, until the beans are tender. Skim any fat from the surface of the chili and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with scallions, cheddar, and sour cream. Rate It Print