I like to make this huge batch of chili in my big-boy 6-quart slow cooker because I’m sure to have leftovers for lunch the next day. If you don’t want to go quite this big, you can use your smaller cooker, but cut the recipe in half. Filled with chunks of beef and pork, this chili satisfies like no other, without a bean in sight!
CON CARNE
1 pound (454 g) ground beef
½ pound Italian sausage
½ pound chuck roast, cubed
½ pound boneless pork chops, cubed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, cored, seeded, and diced
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1 can (15-ounce) diced tomatoes
1 can (15-ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (6-ounce) tomato paste
2 cups (480 ml) brewed coffee
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
3 rounded TBSP chili powder
2 rounded tsp cumin
2 tsp (10 ml) granulated onion
2 tsp (10 ml) granulated garlic
1½ tsp sea salt
¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Serves 4-6
Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chuck roast and pork cubes on top.
Sprinkle the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeños over the meat.
In a large bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
Pour the sauce over the meat in the slow cooker.
Cook the chili on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
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Chunky Chili Con Carne is a meat-lover's chili built on four kinds of protein and a seriously deep sauce. Ground beef, Italian sausage, cubed chuck roast, and pork chops simmer with tomatoes, jalapeños, and a full two cups of brewed coffee for the richest bowl you'll make all season.
Pro Tips
- The four-meat mix is the point: ground beef and sausage build the base while cubed chuck and pork give you hearty, chunky bites in every spoonful.
- The two cups of brewed coffee don't make the chili taste like coffee — they add roasted depth and darkness that makes the tomatoes and spices taste long-cooked.
- Crumble the ground meats into the slow cooker and layer the cubed meat and vegetables on top so everything cooks evenly over the 6–7 hour simmer.
- Cinnamon and red wine vinegar are the secret weapons — warmth and acid that lift all that heavy meat and tomato into balance.
- Use rounded tablespoons of chili powder; this chili is meant to be bold, with the jalapeños adding fresh heat behind the dried spices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this chili paleo?
Yes — it's bean-free, built on four meats, tomatoes, peppers, coffee, and pure spices with red wine vinegar. Check your Italian sausage has no fillers or sugar.
Can I make it with fewer meats?
Absolutely — all ground beef works, or beef and sausage alone. The chunky cubed meats are what give it its signature texture, though.
Can I make it in a regular pot?
Yes, brown all the meats first, add everything else, and simmer gently for 2–3 hours until the cubed meat is tender and the flavours have melded.
How do I store leftovers?
It keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes perfectly in portions. The flavours actually improve overnight as the spices settle into the sauce.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Serves 4-6 Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage into a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the chuck roast and pork cubes on top.
- Sprinkle the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeños over the meat.
- In a large bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
- Pour the sauce over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Cook the chili on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
