Crock Pot Cowboy Chili

Crock Pot Cowboy Chili is for the hard working cowboys who work up an appetite for a hearty meal! 

My youngest kid loves to dress up as a cowboy.  This weekend when I was making the Crock Pot Cowboy Chili, he was wearing his black cowboy hat, boots, plaid shirt, jeans, and a rope tied to the side of his jeans.  He definitely channels his inner cowboy at all times.  

I have pictures and many memories of all the kids in cowboy hats and boots.  My kids have always loved to wear boots since they were little. They wear them farming, in the barn, or just playing. My daughter grew up in love with a pair of pink boots, it was a challenge to always find the next size for her! 

So this Cowboy Chili is for the kids.

Just like any chili recipe, you have your favorite ingredients, and the kids have theirs.  The daughter still picks out the beans, but she really doesn't know what she is missing.  So take the recipe and amp it up any way you like, make it hot, or use your favorite meat.

I used one pound of ground hamburger and one pound of ground pork.  Both come from our local meat locker, they are delicious.

I added one small chopped onion, celery, dark chili beans, red beans, kidney beans, and white beans.  I also use my own canned stewed tomatoes for the juice. You can also use canned tomatoes.  I also added a chopped jalapeno. Add 2 if you want! 

This is my favorite chili seasoning, I received this last year from a friend, Chugwater chili seasoning. You can find it online here. This is where you control your heat of the the chili.  I also added a tsp of regular chili seasoning as well.

Mix everything in a 6 qt Cook and Carry Crock Pot and set on low for 6 hours, or high 3-4 hours.

Add your favorite topping, cheese, onions, corn chips, sour cream, or corn bread.

If you like this Crock Pot Cowboy Chili, you should also try Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole.

INGREDIENTS PRINT RECIPE
1 pound hamburger

1 pound ground pork
1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chili seasoning

2 tbsp Chug Water Chili seasoning
2 (15-ounce) cans red chili beans

2 (15-ounce) cans dark red chili beans, undrained

1 can white chili beans

1 can red kidney beans
2 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped
1 cup water
Shredded Cheddar cheese, optional
Sour cream, optional
Corn chips, optional
Saltine Crackers, optional
Sliced green onions, optional

DIRECTIONS
Brown one pound of hamburger and one pound of ground pork with a chopped onion and chopped garlic.

When meat is browned, transfer to 6 qt Cook and Carry Crock Pot.

Add all cans of beans (chili and kidney), stewed tomatoes, celery, jalapeno, and more water if needed.  

Set crock pot on low for 6 hours, or on high 3-4.  

Serve with your favorite toppings: Saltine crackers, sour cream, shredded cheese, corn chips, green  onions and corn bread.

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Linked to Watcha Crockin' Week #26, Meal Plan Monday #47, and Weekend Potluck #258.

Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

I love ordering carnitas at the restaurant and I knew I could make these at home! This easy, Crock Pot Pork Carnitas recipe, is so flavorful,  you will want to make it again!

I suggest to use a pork shoulder.  This is perfect for shredding.  It has some fat to it, and you can keep it in tact when it is in the crock pot. It adds some extra flavor to the meat. It is so hard to wait to eat this pork, especially when you are shredding it, you can't help yourself from eating it!

This is a delicious dry rub for the pork roast, you will have most of these seasonings in your pantry.  Taste it. You will want to make this again.  Rub the seasonings all over the pork roast.  Place it in the crock pot. 

Peel a small onion and chop it into smaller pieces. Slice and remove seeds from jalapeno.  Peel four cloves of garlic, and add the onion and garlic into a food processor. Chop until fine and add on top of pork.  

Mix enchilada sauce,  half cup orange juice and half cup of chicken broth.  Pour over the pork.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until pork is done. 

Remove pork from the crock pot, and shred the meat.  You can put the shredded meat on a cookie sheet and put it under the broiler for 5-7 minutes.  It will help caramelize the meat.    

Add the pork back to the crock pot.  You can reserve as much sauce as you want. Might to a little taste test, and adjust how much heat you want for your carnitas.  I reserved the sauce so I can add to my own pork carnitas, I know the kids won't want it as hot.

Additional toppings that add more flavor to the pork are sour cream, avocado, and cilantro.  Pick your favorite! Enjoy!

Another easy crock pot meal I think you would enjoy is my Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup.

Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

PRINT RECIPE

INGREDIENTS FOR CROCK POT PORK CARNITAS RECIPE:

4 pound pork shoulder

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ onion

4 garlic cloves

1 jalapeno

10 oz enchilada sauce

½ c chicken broth

½ c orange juice

HOW TO MAKE PORK CARNITAS IN A CROCK POT:

1. Trim and cut pork shoulder into cubes

2. Mix spices and rub onto pork

3. Add pork to crock pot

4. Peel onion and garlic and cut into large chunks.  Seed and dice jalapeno and cut into large chunks.

5. Chop in food processor until finely diced. Spread over the pork.

6. Mix enchilada sauce, orange juice and chicken broth.

7. Pour over pork, cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until pork is completely cooked.

8. Remove pork and shred.

9. Optional - Place shredded pork on cookie sheet and place under broiler 5-7 minutes.

10. Reserve some of the juice to add to your pork carnitas.



I linked up to Watcha Crockin' Week #25, Meal Plan Monday #46, and Weekend Potluck #257.

Pressure Cooker Wilbur's BBQ Wings

Pressure Cooker BBQ Wings are easy to make and kid-approved! They are perfect for a New Year's celebration or game day! 

Kids favorite meal or appetizer is BBQ wings.  Where ever we go, this is what they want to order for their meal. They don't care how messy they get. I am over being embarrassed in pubic while the kids eat wings. I just embrace it, and send them off to wash their face and hands when they are done.

We didn't have big plans on New Year's Eve. The boys went duck hunting, so I knew they would be tired when they got home to plan anything for that evening.  I did have big plans to make lots of food to ring in the new year's, knowing most of the family wouldn't make it to midnight.

The boys came back tired and exhausted from hunting.  The weather was cool that day, and windy. They came back with red-cheeks, and lots of ducks.  Ryan was also excited about shooting his first mallard.  It was a beautiful duck.  Dave said he is proud the way Ryan is learning how to call  the ducks into the blind. Once in awhile his dad will let him shoot his gun. I think this was his 4th duck this season. 


I didn't have the best of luck finding the wings in the store.  I bought the drumettes that always come with the wings when you get an order.  Perfect bite size, and I think there is more meat on drumettes. 

I kept the wings frozen until they were ready to go into the pressure cooker.

Wilbur's Sweet & Spicy Wing-It Marinade and Dipping Sauce can be found in Rensselaer.  If you have ever craved wing night at the Pub, this is the sauce!!

I coated the frozen wings with the sauce. I used about 1.5 cups.

Then I added the wings to the pressure cooker. My Pressure cooker is similar to this http://amzn.to/2j8Hbw9.  I added about a cup of water.  I know first time recipes you get a little nervous! Ok, I get a little nervous, and I can't see the meat cooking, like you can with a crock pot.  Just have a little faith in your pressure cooker.  Busy moms have other things to do than spend a bunch of time in the kitchen! Embrace it! Put the lid on, set it for 15 minutes.  

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Add more BBQ if you want.  Put under broiler.

I had never used my broiler before, so this was another learning experience.  I would suggest putting under broiler for 3-4 minutes, turn the pan around and broil for another 3-4 minutes.  

Pressure Cooker Wilbur’s BBQ Wings

PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 pounds wings

1 c water

Wilbur’s Sweet & Spicy Wing It Sauce

Instructions:

1. Coat 2 pounds of frozen wings with Wilbur’s Sweet & Spicy Sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce)
2. Place in pressure cooker, add one cup of water.
3. Set pressure cooker for 15 minutes.
4. Remove wings from pressure cooker, and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Add more sauce to the wings. Find a similar pressure cooker here: http://amzn.to/2j8Hbw9
5. Place wings under broiler for 3-4 minutes.  Turn the cookie sheet around under the broiler and broil for another 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove from cookie sheet and serve

This was delicious.  Kids loved them. Ate them so fast!  And they are asking for more.

This is the 6 quart Instant Pot Pressure Cooker I recommend. 

This recipe is linked to: Watcha Crockin Week #24, Weekend Potluck #256, and Meal Plan Monday #45.