Slow Cooker Chili Recipe (Without Browning the Meat)

Browning meat prior to using a crockpot is always an optional step. When it comes to chili, you'll want to use very lean ground beef.

Browning the meat has a couple of functions. It heats the meat to make sure it's cooked all the way through. It also warms the meat so that it's fat content will leak out. You can drain a lot of the fat this way.

I get larger containers of meat and cook them all at once them divide them up into quart and gallon size freezer bags. I squish them down flat removing as much air as possible and stack them this way while freezing. Thin layers makes the frozen meat easier to manage.

Meat done. Freeze it.

When it's time to use it microwave on 40 or 50 percent for a few minutes in a glass bowl with a tiny bit of water and it comes out like it was just cooked. If you can't defrost it then bang the bag on something flat and hard like a concrete picnic table or a kitchen counter door. This will break the meat up a bit. Then use as normal.

If it DOES exist, I would like to know about it!

I think with ground beef (even lean) still exudes a LOT of fat!

You might try using the actual 'crock' with ground beef in it, in an oven on 350 for a while, (hoping you have access to an oven). Pour off fat and let it cool a bit. Then crock away!

Best luck!

I can think of two options.
Vegetarian chili - lots of beans, no meat. There are many good recipes out there on the net.
Or brown the meat in advance and freeze and take with you.

Even if you can cook the meat in the crock pot, I think it would make the chili too greasy.

I always brown ground beef when I make Chili because of the excess fat, but I also have used steak or stew beef instead, and I don't brown that first. I DO cut it into very small pieces though. Remember if it tastes good you did it right.

Use ground chicken. I make a chicken and white bean chili in the crock pot, and it is delicious. Just throw in a pound of ground chicken, a can or two of white beans, a can or two of fire roasted tomatoes, chili powder, and other spices. The recipe I originally used calls for sweet potatoes, but I leave those out. Good luck!

I think you really should brown the meat ahead of time, freeze it, and take it with you. A frozen block of meat (in a ziploc bag) makes a decent ice pack for other refrigerated items you may be taking with you, or freeze it packed in a round container so it doesn't defrost easily en route. You can do it with onions if you like, or just plain and then put the onions in the crockpot raw as usual. If you are precooking, you could also pre-soak the beans (much cheaper than canned beans) and precook those, freeze, and take with you with the meat.

I'd be concerned about all that fat remaining in the crockpot - I suppose you could try it with a very low fat ground meat (93%) so it's not excessively greasy, and just enjoy the splurge of fat. Any chance for a test run beforehand?

Could you brown the meat at home and bring it along? Or brown it in the oven at 350'F?

I have always made my chili in the crackpot without browning the meat. You do need to break the meat up after the first couple hours of cooking, or you will have a brick in the middle of your chili. I don't have a specific recipe to share because I just know from sight how much of each ingredient to add without measuring.

How about you brown the meat ahead of time?
You can drain it after browning it, cool it and freeze it, then bring it with you, thaw it and put into the crock pot.

Can I freeze cooked ground beef?

Promptly transfer the cooled beef crumbles to plastic freezer bags and eliminate air pockets. Flattened packages will freeze faster and stack better in your freezer. Use frozen beef crumbles within two to three months for best flavor and quality.

http://www.brunswickbeacon.com/content/brown-ground-beef-...

it'll cook just fine, the only drawback is that all the fat will end up in your chili if you don't pre-cook and drain it.
but fat equals flavor! if you don't mind it being very rich and on the oily side, you'll be fine.
:) khairete
S.

I always use steak in my chili and never cook it before putting it in the crock pot and it turns out fine.

I just add some whole tomatoes (break them up though), onions, and a few cans of beans. I add in garlic and chili powder...done. It takes all of 10 minutes to put together and it's good.