Crock Pot Recipe: Gloria's Five-Alarm Chili

This recipe is the answer to our June 1st Crock Pot Game on the Carolina Sauce Company Facebook page. It's a great recipe for Father's Day if Dad is a chilehead or fiery-foods fanatic.

Yes, my 5-Alarm Chili is VERY HOT, so you may want to serve it with some sour cream (or nonfat plain Greek yogurt), shredded cheese, avocado chunks or guacamole, or other heat-quencher. It pairs nicely with cornbread or tortilla chips -- in fact, it's shown here with my healthy homemade tortilla chips -- or served over rice, and, of course, with Dad's favorite frosty beverage.

If you want to tone down the heat a little, use less of the spicy ingredients and/or substitute paprika or cayenne for part of the habanero powder. And if you or Dad want to make my five-alarm chili even hotter, simply add more of the hot ingredients, or even a splash or two of hot sauce. Leftovers refrigerate and freeze well, and the flavors will continue to develop and improve by the next day (while the initial heat will also subside a bit after 24 hours).

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs ground meat (beef, venison, turkey or combo)
1 to 2 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 mini sweet peppers, seeded & chopped
4 large spring onions, e.g., baby Vidalia or other immature onions with green tops, chopped (reserve some of the green tops as a garnish if desired)
1 28oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 15.5 oz can great white northern beans, drained
1 15.5 oz can red kidney beans, drained
1 15.5 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 12oz bottle of beer (I use dark)
1/4 cup diced pickled jalapenos (or Texas Longhorn Jalapeno Dip)
1/4 cup Mexican-style rub or spice blend, or chili powder (Jim's Own Pincho Rub works)
1 Tbs Mexican chipotle & adobo paste*
1 tsp habanero powder (or smoked habanero powder)
1 tsp cayenne powder
Optional: Salt to taste

*Chipotle-adobo paste or sauce is often sold in Mexican or Latino markets and Mexican/Hispanic sections of larger supermarkets.  If you can't find it, you can make it by blending or processing canned chipotles in adobo sauce to make a thick, paste-like sauce. In a pinch, you can substitute Simply Chili Select Chipotle Puree.

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet and saute the garlic, sweet peppers & onions until just tender.

Add meat and brown over medium-high heat, stirring regularly.

Remove from heat and transfer into crock pot -- if using beef instead of venison or turkey, you may want to pour off the excess fat from browning (usually this isn't an issue with venison or turkey because they're much leaner). Add remaining ingredients except salt and any reserved chopped green onion tops. Stir to combine, cover, turn on crock pot and cook until done:  I start this chili in the morning and let it cook all day, i.e., 6 or more hours on AutoShift (alternates between Low and High), stirring only a couple of times. If you have less time, set crock pot on High and cook for about 4 hours, stirring once. If you start earlier in the day, you can set on Low and cook for 8-10 hours or longer, stirring a few times. Below is a photo at around the 4-hour mark:

When ready to serve, taste for balance and add salt if needed. Serve with your favorite chili toppings: Chopped green onion tops or chopped chives, a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, avocado chunks or a dollop of guacamole, etc.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  Looking for a hot & spicy gift for Father's Day? Browse our selection of BBQ Sauce & Hot Sauce Gift Boxes & Gift Sets, where you'll find something for every taste preference and price point, as well as specially-themed gift boxes. We also have Collector's Hot Sauces including limited-edition and autographed hot sauces.