I’m learning lots about cooking in a crock pot. Apparently it seems that the order of things matters. Also, you can’t just dump raw beans into your pot the way you would if you were cooking it on the stove.

This weekend I had lots of running around to do and so I decided to use the crock pot to make some chili since I didn’t want to have to keep an eye on something on the stove. I also decided to take some step-by-step photos for you!

Chorizo & Pork Red Bean Chile

Ingredients:

1 lb red beans
2 lbs pork loin chopped
2 small chorizos chopped
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped leeks
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomato and chile
3 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 bay leaves

Directions:

You’ll add the ingredients to the crock pot in the order shown above.

Wash and check red beans for stones and debris. Place in small cooking pot with enough water to cover them and a pinch of salt. Boil to soften. I started these when I began prep for the rest, so they cooked for about 30 minutes before I added them to the crock pot. Add water as necessary, but not too much. You’ll want to put the beans and their water into the crock pot once they are softer.

Place a little oil in a non-stick pan and add the chopped chorizo. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the chopped pork loin. Why chopped pork loin again? Well, Cubans and pork go together like peanut butter and jelly. Also, it was on sale and I’m counting pennies. Finally, it’s lean and has a lot less fat than a chuck roast, so I could use those calories for the tastier chorizo.

Brown the meat and transfer to a plate. Leave some of the oil from the pan in there to cook the onions and leeks.

Saute the onions, garlic, and leeks until just browning. You want the brown on both the meat and veggies since these are the sugars caramelizing on them and will add flavor to your chili. Why leeks? I love them and I had some in the fridge that I had to use. Feel free to also clean out your fridge and add carrots, celery, etc. during this step.

Now it’s time to put everything into the crock pot in the order listed above. When it’s all in there, add the cumin, chili powder and bay leaves and set your crock pot to cook. I did mine for 6 hours on high.

We ate it with some chopped fresh tomatoes, onions and grated cheddar cheese. A hearty and warming meal for a chilly day.