Glenn is a business partner of my husband Jack – and he recently told Jack that he makes a ‘killer’ chili! We’re always up for trying new recipes, and today we’re sharing Glenn’s Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chili.
Glenn’s Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chili is unlike any chili we’ve eaten before! One bite into it – and it starts out quite sweet thanks to the addition of brown sugar, plus some bourbon and brown sugar-flavored canned baked beans. Then a very spicy kick takes over – and your taste buds won’t know what hit them! (In a good way of course!)
The texture of this chili is also perfect – and it’s loaded with a mix of hot Italian sausage, bison (which you can find in most supermarkets these days) and ground beef, plus beans, bell pepper and onions.
Glenn’s Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chili is also super easy to make in the slow cooker, and I tell you – it is addictive and you’ll keep going back for more! Glenn also says that serving this chili with shredded cheddar cheese on top, and Saltine crackers on the side is a must – so we stayed true to his recipe.
You can, of course, adjust the spiciness and the sweetness levels by adding in less of the red pepper flakes and less brown sugar than is called for in the recipe. But either way, you’ve got to try this unique and delicious sweet & spicy chili!
Update: Since we posted this recipe, we’ve had a number of readers write to us to tell us that they used this recipe as an entry in their local chili cook-offs – and they won! Glenn’s Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chili really is something special – and we keep telling Glenn that he needs to bottle and sell it!
Glenn’s Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chili is a uniquely delicious chili that starts out sweet, then delivers a spicy kick! Addictively delicious!
Yield:6–8 servings 1x
Prep:30 minsCook:5 hoursTotal:5 hours 30 minutes
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large orange bell pepper, diced
2cups sweet onions such as Vidalia, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1pound Italian hot sausage, removed from casing
1pound 80/20 ground beef
1pound ground bison (pre-packaged and available in most supermarkets)
2 6–ounce cans tomato paste
1 15–ounce can tomato sauce (Glenn recommended Contadina so we used that brand)
1 16–ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 22–ounce can Bush’s Grillin’ Beans (Bourbon and Brown Sugar)
1cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes (or less for less heat)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less for less heat)
Juice from one lime
Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
Saltine Crackers to serve with chili (Glenn says this is a must)
Instructions
In a large sauté pan, melt butter in two tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
Add bell pepper, onions and garlic and sauté for 8-10 minutes to caramelize the vegetables.
Pour this into a large slow cooker.
Heat the pan to medium high and add the remaining oil.
Add sausage meat, ground beef and ground bison meat and cook until meat has browned.
Scrape all of this into the slow cooker with the vegetables.
Then add all other ingredients to the slow cooker except the lime, cheddar and crackers.
Stir, cover and set slow cooker to low and cook for five hours.
Stir after five hours and add lime juice into the cooked chili.
To serve, dish out into bowls, top with cheddar cheese and serve with the saltine crackers.
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The tomatoes contain sugar, which caramelizes in the slow cooker, and will eventually burn if it cookes for too long. Anything longer than 10 hours on low is risky.
So here's the verdict when it comes to chili food safety: You can leave it in the slow cooker for hours after it's done cooking if the cooker is set to the “low” or “keep warm” setting.
Mix in a scoop of cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or oats.
Rather than adding it directly to the chili (which can create clumps) make a slurry. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, then stir this into the pot of chili. For 1 tablespoon of flour, use 2 tablespoons of water.
Add more water or tomato sauce if it's too thick. Keeping the lid on can keep the steam in resulting in thinner chili. Also, if I cook chili in the crock pot it is usually thinner, as the lid collects the steam rather than it evaporating.
Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours? Yes, you can use your slow cooker for longer than eight hours, as long as you keep an eye on it. Many slow cookers do have an automatic shutoff after 24 hours.
Most appliances will automatically shut off after 20 or so hours on this setting, but you shouldn't leave food in a slow cooker for an extended length of time. The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm.
Yes, if you cook your slow cooker chili too long the meat may dry out and the veggies are likely to turn mushy. Don't worry, though! It takes 9 hours or more before this begins to happen.
Chili should be thick and hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but sometimes there's just a bit more liquid than you want in the pot. While you can simply keep simmering the chili, that method risks overcooking softer ingredients like the beans, losing all your nice texture to mushy monotony.
Not only will tomato paste add a tangy flavor to the dish, but it will also act as a thickening agent. For this purpose, you can use homemade or store-bought tomato paste. Add 1 can of the paste to your pot of chili, stir the mixture, and let it cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.
Cornmeal is one of our go-to thickening agents for chili. Unlike all-purpose flour, this Southern pantry staple adds a subtle earthy flavor to the chili in addition to thickening it up. You can use white or yellow cornmeal that is fine to medium-grain.
Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.
Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.
Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions.
Most appliances will automatically shut off after 20 or so hours on this setting, but you shouldn't leave food in a slow cooker for an extended length of time. The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm.
The low and slow cooking process melds the flavors of the chili seasoning into every bite and the beef becomes so tender, juicy, and irresistible. You can slow cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
Cook over low heat for at least four hours or up to 8 hours. In final hour of cooking remove cover and increase heat slightly to reduce liquid. Once chili reaches desired consistency replace cover and reduce heat back to low. Serve with side bowls of sour cream and shredded cheese (cheddar, or a good mix) and crackers.
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