Chili is the crockpot recipe that barely needs the crockpot to taste good, but the slow simmer does let the spices bloom into the tomato base in a way a quick stovetop version can't match.
Browning the beef first instead of dumping it in raw is the one step worth the extra 10 minutes — it's the difference between chili that tastes deep and chili that tastes boiled.
Drain and rinse the canned beans before adding them — skipping this leaves the chili tasting starchy and slightly muddy instead of clean.
Save this recipe for later — pin it to your crockpot board.
Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 6-7 minutes, until no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
Transfer the beef mixture to the crockpot. Add the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally if you're home to do so.
Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese and sour cream.
Yes — browning the beef before it goes into the crockpot renders excess fat and builds flavor through browning that raw beef simmered in liquid can't develop.
Draining and rinsing canned beans removes excess sodium and starchy liquid that can make the chili taste muddy — always drain first for a cleaner flavor.
Increase the cayenne or add diced jalapeños when browning the beef — start with a small amount and adjust at the end since spice intensifies over the long cook.