Paleo Crockpot Chili

by Michelle Lasley

Michelle Lasley is a mother, wife in Pacific Northwest learning to balance green dreams with budget realities.

April 29, 2019

The need for already-prepared meals is definitely an every-two-week need in our household. Something happens, and my daily obligations bump into nightly obligations, and suddenly the food prep time required for dinner is erased. I have always been leery of crockpot cooking… something I just couldn’t figure out. So, I’m slow the this slow cooker thing. This recipe is something I feel I’ve perfected, and I wanted to share.

When eating the paleo or Whole30 way, we’ve established a formula. A hunk of meat surrounded by a whole lotta vegetables, no beans, no grains. And, in our modified familial diet plan, easy on the sugar, with a new preference for maple syrup.

With that in mind, here’s my recipe for slow cooker chili.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs carrots, cut in about ½ to 1″ pieces
  • 1 large sweet potato, cut in about ½ to 1″ pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 lbs ground beef, prefer lean grassfed
  • 2 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp chili powder

Instructions

Layer ingredients in your slow cooker. I prefer this order: onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, ground beef, tomatoes, seasoning. Cook on high 4-6 hours, or until meat is cooked thoroughly. Stir, taste, adjust seasoning to your liking. Then, switch to low until dinner time.

Notes

We were gifted our crockpot from a friend after she got married. The crockpot is from the late 70s to mid 80s. While it operates in the acceptable range of 180 degrees to 220 degrees, it is on the lower end. So, in our crockpot it takes about 8 to 12 hours on high before a dish like chili is cooked through. So, know your crockpot and how it operates to determine the right cooking time.

In my family, I have to blend desires for bland to spicy. I prefer just shy of a ¼ cup of spicy spices, so tend to go about 3 generous tablespoons for my chili powder. If I need more kick, I’ll either add more chili powder or I’ll add a few dashes of powdered cayenne pepper or red hot chili flakes.

Sometimes I will mince several cloves of garlic instead of using the powdered garlic. Use what you prefer!

I would love to hear from you if you make this recipe. So, comment below and share how your paleo crockpot chili tastes.

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