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Freezer-Prep Beef and Red Lentil Chili
Andre Lewis

Freezer-Prep Beef and Red Lentil Chili

Red lentils melt into the broth and quietly stretch a pound and a half of beef into eight solid servings. They also make this pot freezer-friendly without cornstarch or flour. Rinse them until the water runs mostly clear or a dusty foam will collect around the lid.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs 90-percent lean ground beef
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 cups dry red lentils rinsed
  • 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
  • 15 oz canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method
 

  1. Brown the beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the beef reaches 160°F, then drain the fat.
  2. Stir the garlic, chili powder and cumin into the beef for 30 seconds and cool the mixture completely.
  3. Freeze the beef mixture with the lentils, tomatoes, pinto beans and salt in a labeled freezer bag for up to 3 months, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
  4. Transfer the contents to a 6-quart crockpot, stir in the broth, and cook covered on low for 5 to 6 hours until the lentils have nearly dissolved.
  5. Stir in the vinegar and add 1/2 cup hot water only if the chili is thicker than oatmeal.