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It’s fall, so there needs to be a lot of chili involved. Don’t cha think?
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Chili is one of my favorite things about fall. It’s just so dang comforting. A big pot of chili simmering all day on the stove is the best. Especially, if it’s a cold day. Nothing beats a hot bowl of chili on a cold day.
I mean, your house smells A-maaa-zing.
Every year at about this time, I make chili. I do it without thinking, it’s just a natural habit this time of year. Actually, we pretty much always have this chili on Halloween. It’s somehow become our own little Halloween tradition. Chili on Halloween.
I realize today is the day BEFORE Halloween, but it didn’t seem to make sense to show you guys a recipe I want you to make on the very same day. And yes, I really, really, really want you guys to make this for dinner tomorrow night. And if not tomorrow, because you have party plans and such, than Sunday for sure, because this is very much a Sunday recipe too!
SO.
I know that chili is already an easy dish, but this Crockpot Chipotle Pulled Pork Pumpkin Chili is even easier. Literally you throw everything into the slow cooker in the morning and then just let it cook, low and slow ALL DAY LONG. If you can, cook it the day before you plan to eat it. Then place it in the fridge overnight, get it back out the next morning and cook it again till dinner time. Honestly, the longer this chili sits, the better.
Like with most chili recipes, I always say three-day old chili is better than day old chili. Aging does this soup some good. Trust me on this.
Chili always brings back good memories for me. It’s really one of the only meals I remember my mom ever making, and she only made it on cold dreary days. Which was clearly perfect. Chili on a sunny, semi-warm day is just not what I want. Cold days put me in the mood for chili. You know?
AND mom always served her chili Cincinnati style. Not gonna lie you guys, I sort of think all chili should be served this way, and with a hefty side of beer bread too, because well, it just should.
When I serve this for dinner, I serve it over angel hair pasta. I really just do not know any other way to serve chili. It’s pasta, topped with saucy delicious chili and cheddar cheese. So flipping good. Do what you please, but I highly recommend serving this Cinci Style.
Also, if you like your chili full of texture, I would recommend browning the pork before adding it to the crockpot. This will add a little extra oomph to your chili.
Double also, I highly recommend using fresh cubed pumpkin in the chili. Sure, you can used the canned stuff in a pinch, but the cubes of pumpkin add some much needed texture and great flavor. I loved biting down into the sweet pumpkin. I am way too into the pumpkin right now…. as you will see tomorrow.
And about the pumpkin seeds.
Don’t get all freaked out because they are roasted in cinnamon sugar. The sweetness balances that spicy chipotle and the crunch just builds on the texture. You can’t skip the seeds you guys. One, you really do need them for the texture. They add a nice crunch and breakup the smoothness of the pork. Two, they are so delicious. It’s possible you may eat the whole pan before you serve the soup, in which case you obviously should make another batch. And you better double it while you’re at it.
Ok, so here is you game plan.
Start your chili today, let it sit overnight… heat it back up tomorrow!
Crockpot Chipotle Pulled Pork and Pumpkin Chili w/Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.
Ingredients
- 1 (2-3 pound) pork shoulder roast or butt
- 4 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 leaves bay
- 1 (12 ounce) beer, i used pumpkin beer
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire
- 1 (28 ounce) can fired roasted crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 4 cups fresh pumpkin, diced (or 1 can pumpkin puree)*
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, rinsed + drained (optional)
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream or greek yogurt and cilantro, for topping
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Add the pork to the bowl of a crockpot. Drizzle the honey over the pork and then sprinkle with chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the bay leaves and then pour in the beer, cider vinegar, worcestershire, fire roasted tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the cubed pumpkin and stir to combine.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours (I recommend going low and slow).
- Just before you are ready to shred the pork, make the pumpkin seeds. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a heavy-bottomed medium skillet, add the butter and melt over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam, and froth, and then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the pumpkin seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Toss well and then spread the mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to make sure nothing is burning. Remove from the oven. Taste and season with salt if desired.
- Remove the pork from the crockpot and let cool slightly. Lightly shred the pork with two forks or your hands and return the meat to the crockpot. Add the black beans. Toss well, cover and warm through. If the chili base is too thin for you liking, add a cup or so of chicken broth until your desired consistency is reached.
- To serve, ladle the chili into bowls. Top with a dollop of greek yogurt and shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the the pumpkin seeds over the chili. EAT!!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Best Halloween dinner ever. No really. All you need is a side of candy. Oh, and it’ll be Friday, so this is clearly all a win, win!
think starting with dry beans would be good, but I am not sure how much. Maybe 1 or 2 cups and then add double the amount of water. So 1 cup beans + 2 cups water or 2 cups beans + 4 cups water.
Yes, i think that will be OK, but I have not tested it, so i cannot say for sure. Hope you love this!
Has anyone added corn to this recipe?
Sounds amazing and am making for the first time tomorrow!
I am planning on making this over the weekend and I have a pork loin roast that I need to use. I know the shoulder or butt is the best meat to use for this but would the loin come out as well? Do I need to cook it differently if I use the loin or would you recommend that I just go get the shoulder or butt because I will be disappointed if I don’t?
Hey Liz! So Honestly, I would probably buy the roast. A pork loin is not meant to be slow cooked, so I am not sure how it will turn out. The flavor might be good, but the pork might be on the dry side from the long cooking time. Please let me know if you have other questions. Thank you and hope you love the chili! 🙂
Ok. I made this. Easy. Beyond fabulous. It was as wonderful as it sounds. I’ll certainly make this dish again. Love your recipes and your style.
Thank you Beth! So happy you liked it!
It was 85 outside but I just had to make this last Saturday. It was delicious!
Had leftovers yesterday with pasta but think this would be delish with mashed potatoes as well (I just couldn’t get myself to actually boil potatoes with temperatures in the low 90s).
I used a whole butternut squash instead of the pumkin puree and just blended everything directly in the crockpot after removing the pork for shredding. Then added a can of red kidney beans together with the pulled pork for another 30 minutes on low. And I only used one can of tomatoes because with the butternut squash my crockpot was too full to add a second can. I was also out of worcestershire sauce and chipotle chili powder, I substituted a chipotle chili in adobo that I still had in the fridge.
I promise I otherwise followed the recipe 😉 and it was lovely! Will definitely make again.
Sounds amazing!! I am so happy you loved it! Thanks!
Chili is one of my favorite things about fall. It’s just so dang comforting. A big pot of chili simmering all day on the stove is the best. Especially, if it’s a cold day. Nothing beats a hot bowl of chili on a cold day.
SO So true! It’s so a fall comfort food!
Lähes kaikki netticasinot tarjoavat sinulle mahdollisuuden kokeilla netissä pelaamista ilmaiseksi. Sinun ei siis tarvitse tallettaa rahaa voittaaksesi; riittää kuin avaat tilin netti kasinolle ja lunastat näin itsellesi ilmaiskierroksia.
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just add a few calories in your daily diet 🙂
This looks so yum! I no longer have a crockpot, could I do it on the stove? What times would you recommend. Thanks.
HI! Yes, you can cook this on the stove, I would just simmer for for 2-3 hours over low heat or longer if you can. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Ha! Saw the photo on the MSN feed just now and immediately thought “Looks like a photo I would see on Half Baked Harvest!” A credit to your photgraphy skills for sure. 🙂 It looks delicious! http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/recipes/60plus-perfectly-seasonal-fall-slow-cooker-recipes/ss-AAevNkm?ocid=UP97DHP#image=8
haha! Thank you so much, Joni! Hope you had a great day!
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Oh god, these should be forbidden! They look insane!
Ha! Thanks!