This Heavenly Lamb Chili Recipe has become a staple in our house this winter. It’s perfect for cold weather! You can also make the tomato/ancho chili sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for a week. Pair with baby greens and herbs salad. Leftovers are awesome the next morning, topped with a fried egg. You can also substitute your lamb ground meat to ground beef or bison.
Heavenly Slow-Cooker Paleo Lamb Chili Recipe
Print RecipeIngredients
- 2.5 pounds of heirloom tomatoes (the greater the color diversity, the better)
- 1 head garlic
- 1 medium to large dried whole ancho chili pepper
- 1 5-ounce tube (or can) of tomato paste
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 pound ground or cubed lamb (substitute beef or bison)
- 6 slices of bacon (high quality, pastured is best)
- 1 medium sweet white onion
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoky sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 can coconut milk (use a brand without additional additives and in a BPA free can)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Slice heirloom tomatoes and remove seeds. Place on a baking rack, drizzle with olive or coconut oil, salt and pepper. Cut the top off of a head of garlic and place it in tin foil with about a teaspoon of olive oil drizzled over it. Put it on the rack with the tomatoes and roast at 250 for 4 hours.
2. When the tomatoes and garlic are roasted, transfer them into a slow cooker. Slice dried ancho chili peppers in half and remove seeds and membrane. Place them in a blender or food processor, add hot water and allow them to soak for 3-5 minutes. Blend chili and water mixture until it turns a deep red/brown color. Add to a slow cooker along with tomato paste and stir the mixture together. Let cook on low for 2-3 hours. Blend with an immersion blender.
3. When the tomato mixture is done, slice the bacon into ¼-inch pieces and saute over low-medium heat in a cast-iron skillet. Keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t burn. When the bacon is crispy, remove it from the pan, drain on a paper towel and set aside. Retain bacon grease in the cast iron skillet and add chopped onions. Cook onions until they are translucent, and then add ground elk and saute over medium heat until the meat browns. Add spices to the meat and onion mixture and stir to evenly distribute the spices through the mixture. Add this mixture to the tomato sauce in the slow cooker and stir well.
4. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into bite-size chunks and add them to the slow cooker. Cook on high for approximately 2-2.5 hours or until sweet potatoes are soft. If you are pressed for time, you can put the sweet potato cubes on a baking rack and put them in a 425-degree oven for 10-15 minutes to soften them and then add them to the chili. They will have a different consistency than if you cook them in the sauce.
5. When the sweet potatoes are soft (or nearly soft), add one can of coconut milk and stir. Allow to simmer for 10-15 more minutes, and serve.
Notes:
Limited on time? Substitute 28-ounce can of fire-roasted tomatoes for the roasted heirlooms and peel and mince the garlic and saute it with the onions. This recipe can also be made as a one-pot stovetop dish. Start by cooking the bacon in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic, ground meat, spices, and saute until the meat is browned. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and sweet potatoes and cook over low-medium heat until the sweet potatoes are soft. Add coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve.
