Smoky Chili

My friends threw a potluck last week with the theme of "Fall foods".  I thought about making some sort of casserole or one of my pumpkin-based recipes, but I thought it might be nice to take the opportunity to make a big pot of chili.

The thing about this particular recipe is that there is this deep smoky flavor that gives you that "mmmmmmmmmmmmm" feeling.  You know?  I don't think there is a better way to explain that.  It's the ultimate comfort food, and I think people really liked it :)  I saw quite a few people go up for seconds, so you know that's a good sign.

The secret to that smoky flavor is this little guy. 

It's a can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce.  Ohhh yes.  It's usually kinda hidden away in the Mexican food section of the grocery store, or else near the canned roasted red peppers. 

Be warned: this stuff is like fire.  I decided it was a good idea to lop off a piece of this pepper and have a taste.  It turned out, my good idea was a bad idea.  I was CRYING.  It is spicy.  About 2-3 peppers is all you'll need for an entire pot of chili for 20 people.  No joke. 

Okay, shall we?

Ingredients:
-1 cup dried beans (i used a mix of red kidney and black) OR 3 cups canned beans
-2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
-1 green pepper, chopped
-3 stalks of celery, chopped
-1/2 onion, chopped
-1 lb ground beef, cooked
-1 tbsp taco seasoning
-1 24oz can of crushed tomatoes (Red Gold is best)
-1 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned is fine)
-2 tbsp tomato paste
-1 bay leaf
-1 tbsp cumin, or more taco seasoning

1.  First, if you're using dried beans, you'll want to soak them for several hours (overnight is best) before using them.  They expand like crazy. 

Before:

After:

2.  You can also do some stuff beforehand.  I did all my chopping the night before constructing the chili.  I chopped the chipotle peppers...

Celery...including the green tops!

Green peppers...

And onions!

I stored these in plastic containers to be used in the morning.

3.  I also took time to brown the meat: Heat a skillet to high heat, grease well, and brown the meat.

Add the 1 tbsp of taco seasoning here and add a few tbsps of water to let the steam cook it.

4.  Okay, let's do this.  Add the ingredients to the slow cooker in this order: Beans at the bottom, then celery and onion.  These take the longest to cook, so i give them first priority.  Then you can add the rest however you want.

This is what it looks like when everyone's in the slow cooker.

Yum, i kinda wanna eat this as is. 

5.  If your slow cooker is able to do this, set it to high for the first 2 hours, then low for 7 more hours.  If not, just set the thing on high for about 6 hours total. 

Now, I was in such a rush to get to the potluck, cuz i tend to run late to everything, so I didn't get to take a picture of the finished product.  Sorry :(

But how it looks is secondary to the killer taste of this chili.  It is quite possibly the most fool proof slow cooked meal I can think of.  Those chipotles go a long way in making this chili really exceptional.  It didn't end up being too spicy for anyone.  Next time I make it (which might be really soon), i might have to add a few more to see what happens :) 

Have a great day, everybody!

For a printable version of this recipe, please click here.