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My grandma's slow cooker chili recipe got a makeover after a chat with my neighbor
I was making my usual beef and bean chili last Saturday and my neighbor Pete (retired chef, 68) came over to borrow a ladder. He saw me dumping in canned tomatoes and said "you know, browning the meat first and adding a can of chipotle in adobo changes everything." I always thought slow cooker meant just throw it all in and walk away, but I tried his way. The depth of flavor was way better, and it only took 10 extra minutes. Anyone else had a simple tip that totally upgraded a go-to recipe?
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grant1301mo agoTop Commenter
Damn right browning the meat first makes a difference. Did Pete say anything about deglazing the pan after you brown it? That little bit of wine or broth scraped off the bottom is what really kicks it up a notch. Most people skip that part because they think the slow cooker will just handle it all, but the flavor from the fond is totally different than what you get from just simmering. I learned that the hard way after making bland chili for years.
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