Name: Ultimate Hearty Slow Cooker Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 35 min
Yield: 14
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¼ cup chili powder; ½ lb bacon, chopped; 1 (15 oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes; 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained; 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained; 1 (28 oz) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes; 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste; 1 cup dark beer or strong coffee; 1 lb bulk Italian or breakfast sausage; 1 lb ground beef (80/20); 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp cocoa powder; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 2 cups beef broth; 2 large onions, diced; 2 tbsp cumin; 2 tsp cayenne (to taste); 2 tsp oregano; 6 cloves garlic, minced

Loaded with three kinds of meat, two types of beans, and a rich, smoky-spicy sauce, this is the thickest, meatiest, most flavor-packed chili that ever came out of a crockpot—pure bowl-licking perfection.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Ultimate Hearty Slow Cooker Chili is the chili to end all chilis: three meats (ground beef, sausage, and bacon) deliver insane depth, while beans and tomatoes create the perfect thick texture. The long, slow cook melds coffee, cocoa, and a touch of brown sugar into a complex, restaurant-quality sauce that tastes like you spent all day tending a pot on the stove. It’s naturally gluten-free, feeds a crowd, and gets better every day it sits. Whether it’s game day, a snowstorm, or just Tuesday, one giant pot of this chili will make you a legend—and the leftovers are pure gold.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Cook bacon first—use the fat to brown everything else.
Brown all meats separately—layered flavor is everything.
Bloom spices in the fat for 60 seconds before deglazing.
Add beans in the last 2 hours so they don’t blow out.
Stir in dark chocolate or cocoa at the end for silky richness.
Let chili rest 20 minutes off heat—it thickens magically.
Serve with a toppings bar: cheese, onions, sour cream, Fritos, jalapeños.

Yield: 14 Generous Bowls

Ultimate Hearty Slow Cooker Chili

The meatiest, thickest, most addictive slow cooker chili ever created!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 8 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

¼ cup chili powder
½ lb bacon, chopped
1 (15 oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
1 (28 oz) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 cup dark beer or strong coffee
1 lb bulk Italian or breakfast sausage
1 lb ground beef (80/20)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 cups beef broth
2 large onions, diced
2 tbsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne (to taste)
2 tsp oregano
6 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Cook the bacon: Crisp it up—pour off all but 2 tbsp fat (flavor gold!).
Brown the meats: Cook sausage and ground beef in bacon fat—drain excess if needed.
Sauté aromatics: Add onions and garlic to the pan—cook until golden.
Bloom spices: Stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa—cook 60 seconds until fragrant.
Deglaze: Pour in beer/coffee, scrape up browned bits—heavenly!
Load the crock: Add meat mixture, tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, brown sugar, oregano, cayenne.
Low and slow: Cook on low 7–9 hours (or high 4 hours)—flavors are building!
Add beans: Stir in drained beans last 2 hours—they stay perfect.
Thicken it: Whisk in masa slurry last 30 minutes—watch it turn silky-thick.
Rest & serve: Turn off heat, rest 20 minutes, then ladle into bowls and go to flavor town!

Notes

The cocoa and coffee are non-negotiable—they make it “ultimate.”
Chili thickens dramatically overnight—thin with broth if needed.
Freezes like a dream—portion into bags for instant future dinners.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 453Total Fat 29gSaturated Fat 10gUnsaturated Fat 19gCholesterol 105mgSodium 665mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 4gSugar 4gProtein 33g

The recipes and nutritional information on Crock Pot Meal are for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for personalized dietary advice.