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Crockpot Bacon and Sausage Chili Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 54 reviews

This Crockpot Chili recipe combines hearty ground beef, Italian sausage, smoky bacon, and a variety of vegetables and spices, slow-cooked to perfection for a rich, flavorful chili. Perfect for a comforting meal, it features a blend of chili beans, diced tomatoes, and a complex spice mix, simmered low and slow in a crockpot for deep, savory flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Meats

  • 5 slices bacon (chopped)
  • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot)

Vegetables

  • 1 red bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 1 green bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 1/2 cup finely diced celery (2 stalks)
  • 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (1 small onion)
  • 1 small jalapeño (optional, finely diced)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Canned Goods and Liquids

  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 48 ounces chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce, 3×16-ounce cans)
  • 56 ounces petite diced tomatoes (2×28-ounce cans)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Spices and Seasonings

  • 4 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Other

  • 3 beef bouillon cubes
  • Toppings as desired (fresh cilantro, sour cream, Cheddar cheese)

Instructions

  1. Cook Bacon: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Set aside for later use.
  2. Sauté Veggies: Leave the bacon grease in the skillet and add the finely diced red and green bell peppers, celery, yellow onion, jalapeño (if using), and minced garlic. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat, stirring occasionally until tender, approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, dried basil, seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (if using), paprika, and tomato paste. Cook everything together stirring for another 1 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer this mixture into the slow cooker.
  3. Add to Slow Cooker: Into the slow cooker, add the chili beans along with their liquid, the diced tomatoes with their juice, granulated sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and crumble the beef bouillon cubes over the top. Stir gently to combine with the veggie mixture.
  4. Cook Meat: In the same skillet, increase the heat to high. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, cooking in batches if necessary so they can brown evenly rather than steam. Crumble the meat as it cooks and continue until deeply browned. Drain any excess fat from the skillet. Add the browned meat and the cooked bacon to the slow cooker. Stir all ingredients in the slow cooker well to combine.
  5. Cook Chili: Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, allowing all flavors to meld and develop a rich, hearty chili.
  6. Serve: Once cooked, taste the chili and adjust seasonings such as salt, pepper, or chili powder if needed. Serve hot, garnished with your choice of fresh cilantro, sour cream, and shredded Cheddar cheese for added flavor and texture.

Notes

  • If you prefer less heat, omit the jalapeño and cayenne pepper.
  • You can substitute mild Italian sausage for hot if you want a milder chili.
  • Toppings like sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, and fresh cilantro add a nice balance of creaminess and freshness to the chili.
  • Beef bouillon cubes add a rich depth of beefy flavor, but you can omit them if you want a lighter dish or substitute with beef broth.
  • This chili tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to blend.

Keywords: Crockpot chili, slow cooker chili, ground beef chili, Italian sausage chili, easy chili recipe, comfort food

Find it online: https://delishfamilyrecipe.com/crockpot-bacon-and-sausage-chili-recipe/