Milea's Famous Slow Cooker Chili

In our circle of friends I am pretty well known for my chili. I have made it for Super Bowl parties, pot-lucks, and really any gathering where we need a main dish. I have adapted it many times to accommodate for non-pork eaters and even people who don't like spicy foods. The recipe is truly a stand out! It takes quite a bit of preparation but I usually do it all the night before so the morning is simply just dump, stir, and let sit! 

Milea's Famous Slow Cooker Chili 

1 lb. Italian seasoned ground sausage, browned

1 lb. Ground beef chuck, browned 

1 lb. Stew beef, cut small, browned 

     (I have also substituted ground venison - DELICIOUS) 

1 lb. Bacon, browned and crumbled

1 can Red kidney beans, drained 

1 can Mild chili beans, drained 

1 can HOT chili beans, in sauce 

     (for a non-spicy option just use mild chili beans in sauce)

1 6oz. can Tomato paste 

3 14oz. cans Petitie dices tomatoes 

     (if you like large tomato chunks you can use regular diced) 

1 Red onions, diced 

3 Celery stalks, diced 

3 Bell peppers, diced 

     (we don't like green so I usually use 1 red, 1 orange, and 1 yellow)

3 Jalepenos, diced (I only include the ribs/seeds from one) 

1/2 C. Beer (try not to use a fruity one) 

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 

2 tsp. Hot sauce 

     (use your favorite like Franks or tabasco)(leave out for non-spicy) 

4 cloves Garlic, minced 

1/4 C. Chili powder 

4 Been bouillon cubes 

1 Tbs. Dried oregano 

2 tsp. Ground cumin

1 tsp. Dried basil 

1 tsp. Paprika 

1 tsp. White sugar

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ground black pepper 

1 tsp. Cayenne pepper (leave out for non-spicy) 

dash garlic powder 

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker, stir well. 

Cook for 4-6 hours on low (or longer) 

Prep Ahead: You can easily combine all of the dry ingredients into a tupperware, dice all the veggies, and brown all the meat the night before for easy execution. I have even started keeping small containers of all the dry ingredients (pre-mixed) so that when I make it I already have it all together. 

I hope you try this recipe for your next event or cold-weather night at home! 

**Recipe adapted from Boilermaker Chili**