Crockpot Freezer Chili

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Freezer Chili

• Two dinners from one prep. One batch fills two gallon bags of five servings each.
• Truly hands-off. Thaw, tip into the crockpot, walk away for 6 to 8 hours.
• Deep, slow-simmered flavour. Browned beef and a full day in the slow cooker make a rich, thick chili.
• Freezes flat. Bags stack like files and thaw evenly overnight.
• Gluten free and dairy free. Add cheese and sour cream at the table if you like.

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Should You Brown the Beef Before Freezing Crockpot Chili?

Yes. You can put raw ground beef in a chili dump bag, but browning it first is better in every way. It adds the caramelized, meaty flavour that a slow cooker cannot create on its own, it lets you drain off the fat so the finished chili is not greasy, and it means the meat is fully cooked before it goes in the bag. Browned beef also cooks into tender crumbles, while raw beef simmered in sauce tends to clump into grey lumps.

The one rule after browning: let the beef cool for 20 minutes before it goes into the bags with the other ingredients. Warm meat in a sealed bag raises the temperature of everything else and slows freezing. And never put the frozen bag straight into the slow cooker: a slow cooker heats too gently to bring a frozen block safely through the danger zone, so thaw it in the fridge overnight first.

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Key Ingredients for Hearty Crockpot Freezer Chili

Everything except the beef comes from the pantry, which makes this crockpot freezer chili easy to stock up for. Here is what each ingredient does:

• Ground beef: 85 percent lean gives the best flavour; you drain off the extra fat after browning.
• Kidney and black beans: Two kinds for texture. They go in drained and rinsed and hold their shape through freezing and a long cook.
• Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce: The base of the chili. Tomato sauce gives body so the chili is thick, not watery.
• Onion, bell pepper and garlic: Cooked with the beef so they soften and sweeten before freezing.
• Chili powder, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika: A classic, family-friendly blend. Add cayenne or chipotle powder for heat.
• Beef broth: Added on cooking day, not in the bag, so the frozen bags stay compact.

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How to Make Crockpot Freezer Chili

The full recipe with exact amounts is in the card below. Here is the method at a glance:

1. Brown the beef. Cook the beef with the onion, pepper and garlic until browned, drain the fat and cool for 20 minutes.
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2. Fill two bags. Divide the beef, beans, tomatoes, sauce and spices between two gallon freezer bags.
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3. Freeze flat. Squeeze out the air, seal, label and freeze the bags flat on a sheet pan.
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4. Thaw and slow cook. Thaw a bag in the fridge overnight, tip it into the crockpot with the broth and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
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In Short: The Secrets to the Best Crockpot Freezer Chili

• Brown the beef with the vegetables and drain the fat.
• Cool the beef before it goes into the bags.
• Freeze the bags flat so they stack and thaw evenly.
• Thaw overnight in the fridge; never slow cook from frozen.
• Add the broth on cooking day, not in the bag.
• Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours for the richest flavour.

Once your crockpot freezer chili is stocked, read our guide on how to freeze leftover chili, browse every dump and slow cooker meal, or add a pan of freezer chicken enchiladas to the rotation.

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