Slow Cooker Beefy Bacon Chili

Serves 10 in about 4 hours. A slow cooker recipe built around lg onions and onion.

Ingredients

• 1 lb smoky bacon, roughly chopped
• 2 lg onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons mexican oregano (or regular)
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 3 lg cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles, mild, drained
• 2 cups beef broth, low sodium
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 3 teaspoons beef bouillon, low sodium
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
• 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained (optional)
• Diced avocado
• Grated cheese
• Sour cream
• Fresh cilantro
• Diced red onion

Method

1. Warm a 12" frying pan over med-high heat and add the bacon. Simmer until done, but not crisp. Lift out the bacon from the pan and drain all but 3 Tbsp of the bacon fat. Set bacon aside.
2. Put the pan back on the heat and add the onions. Simmer until just turning translucent.
3. Put the pan back on the heat and adjust to med-high. Tip in the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat, until it browns.
4. Stir in the green chiles, beef broth and tomato sauce to the slow cooker. Mix well.
5. Tip in the crushed tomatoes, beef bouillon, cocoa powder, all of the beans to the slow cooker and stir well.
6. Set the lid on the slow cooker and cook on Low for 5-6 hours, or High for 3 hours.
7. Stir in the corn and cooked bacon to the slow cooker in the last hour of cooking.
8. If the mixture is too thick for your liking, add some more broth or a little water. Taste and adjust spices as desired.
9. Garnish as desired and serve.

More slow cooker ideas are in the slow cooker collection.