Slow cooker Pumpkin and Chorizo Chili

This easy-to-make slow cooker chili combines the spices of India and Mexico to create a truly unique taste. This took a bit of trial, and I would really be interested in those that make modifications and make it better!

Ingredients

1 can of Teasdale Spicy Cuban Black Beans (15.5oz)

1 can of Teasdale Mexican Chili Beans (15.5oz)

1 can of Tuttorosso Peeled Plum Tomatoes (28oz) — yes, it’s the large can

1 can of Libby’s Pumpkin (15oz) — make sure it’s the 100% Pure pumpkin kind and not the spiced can

1 pound of chorizo — you can probably find this in a store near you that is the form of ground pork, but if you have to, you can get a pound of sausages and break them up

1 and a 1/2 pounds of ground beef — I use the Costco grass-fed beef that comes in a three-pack / ground turkey works as well

1 large Vidalia onion — and if it isn’t from Georgia, it’s not a Vidalia!

Half a wedge of Cotija cheese — don’t substitute this

Olive oil

Spices

There will be many spices in the two cans of beans and the chorizo above, and the cotija cheese is kind of salty, so all you need to add to the chili are the spices below. This chili is mild, so if you want some heat, you will need to adjust accordingly — I would use adobo peppers in sauce, but anything spicy will do. Notice I did not add amounts below as I usually just wing it with the spices, but fear not, there is a method, so I am assuming a standard crockpot size when we get there.

Sea salt — I use fine sea salt without iodine as it gives things a metallic taste

Cumin

Smoked Paprika

Curry Powder

Red Wine Vinegar

Maggie

Steps

Chop up the onion in small pieces and fry them in olive oil in a small pan until they turn translucent. Add a lot of salt to the onion.

While the onions are cooking, get out a larger pan and brown the chorizo first. When the chorizo is done, drain it, keeping a few tablespoons of the grease, then set it to the side but do not clean out the pan.

Next, in the same pan, add the ground beef and some salt and brown the ground beef.

Now we are going to add it all to the crockpot. Pour the onions in the crockpot with the olive oil, and then add the chorizo and beef, followed by the cans of beans.

I like to stop here and add the spices before adding the pumpkin and tomatoes. Sprinkle the smoked paprika over the crockpot until it thinly covers the ingredients. Next, sprinkle the curry — you want to aim for half as much as the paprika, then half that again with the cumin. Add a few pinches of salt for good measure.

Add the pumpkin and tomatoes to the crockpot and stir everything together. Since the tomatoes are whole, use a spatula to slice thru them — how small is a matter of taste.

Cook on medium for three hours, and while cooking, crumble the cotija cheese and set that to the side as about 15 minutes before the three hours is up; you will want to stir the cheese into the chili.

That’s it! Enjoy.