Rice Cooker Chili

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 can tomato paste
• 1 can kidney beans
• 3/4 cup water

Directions

1. Place the olive oil and ground beef in the rice cooker. Put the lid down and choose the “white rice” or “cook” setting, whichever your machine has. Cook the beef with the lid closed, lifting it briefly every couple of minutes to stir and crumble the meat, until it is browned all the way through, about 5 minutes total. Many rice cookers only heat when covered, including some basic models, so close the lid again after each stir. If your beef releases a lot of fat, pour off the extra once the meat is browned.
2. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper over the beef in the rice cooker. Stir everything together, close the lid, and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Drain the kidney beans, then add them to the rice cooker with the diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, and water. Stir until the mixture looks evenly blended.
4. Close the lid again, check that “white rice” or “cook” is selected, and let the chili simmer for 30 minutes. Stir it from time to time so it does not catch on the bottom. If the cooker switches off before the 30 minutes are finished, just start the cycle again.
5. Once the chili has simmered for 30 minutes, taste it, adjust the seasoning if you want, and serve it with your favorite chili toppings.