There are probably as many ways to make chilli as there are cooks in the world.  This is our family favourite, adapted and modified from this BBC recipe Slow Cooker Chilli .   

I make this recipe in enormous batches because it freezes well.  The quantities here will make enough to feed 6 hearty appetites and leave some leftovers for freezing or midnight snack seeking teenagers.  I serve with creme fraiche (try sour cream or full fat greek yogurt), rice (also good with mashed potatoes or pasta), minced green onions and corn chips.  And the Davinator just reminded me – beer.  Goes great with beer.

Ingredients

• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 bell peppers (colour irrelevant – red, green or yellow – all nice)
• 1 bunch of coriander, chop the stalks fine, keep the leaves for garnish
• 1.25 kilos of beef shin with the bone in (weight includes bone), have your butcher cut the shin in thick slices
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 4 tsp chilli powder – decide how hot you want your chilli and use hot, medium or mild.  I use 3 mild and 1 hot (because the Davinator doesn’t like food so hot it makes him cry)
• 4 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400 gm (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 600 ml beef stock (use 2 bouillon cubes and water)
• 4 x 400 can of beans in water, rinsed and drained ( I use dried black beans and hot soak method so 2 cups dried using this method )
• 2 squares of good quality dark chocolate (optional)

Instructions

Let me make a bold statement here – I don’t brown meat that is going to be slow cooked for 8 hours.  It’s a waste of time and toughens the meat.  I use beef shin on the bone and the bone and connective tissue, I think, adds texture and depth.   This is where my instructions depart significantly from traditional methods or the BBC source recipe.

My top tip – wear thin rubber globes during steps 1 and 2 .  Do NOT touch your face or particularly near your eyes when working with the peppers, onions, garlic or spices.  You’ll be sorry if you do.

1. Core, seed and cut the peppers into strips.  Place the peppers in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Put the beef on top of the peppers, sprinkle with the chopped coriander stems.  Put your slow cooker on high while you do the next few steps.
   

   Beef shin with peppers and coriander in the slow cooker.

2. Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil.  I use a relatively deep cast iron pot because there is a fair amount of liquid coming.  As they start to soften, add the spices.   It should look like this below.  It will smell divine.  Add the tomato paste (I find two small pots of Cirio does the trick) and the canned tomatoes.  Break them up if you want but the slow cooking does that really well.  Add the stock cubes and water or the beef broth.  Bring it to a boil and then put it into the slow cooker.  Put the slow cooker on low and go do something else for about 6 hours.  You can wander by and stir the chilli once in awhile if you want.
   
3. 6 hours later…… your house smells like chilli and your family is getting interested.  Your chilli is getting close to ready.  Time to add the beans.  DRAIN THE BEANS.  Add the drained beans.  Give it another hour.
4. Now its time to exercise your judgement.  If your chilli seems a little watery then turn on high and turn the lid so that liquid evaporates.  This may take another hour.  When the consistency looks good, fish out the bones and stringy bits of meat and break up the meat and ingredients.    I use the potato masher for this – multipurpose to both find and remove the bones and to improve the overall texture.
5. Finally – add the squares of chocolate, stir in and serve.

Enjoy!