Beef + Sweet Potato Chili
Waking up to cooler temps has me craving some warming foods like this sweet potato chili. This crockpot beef + sweet potato chili recipe won’t take away from your busy Monday and will allow you to have a stellar dinner ready for tonight. With the main stage ingredients all available at the farmers market, this is another great recipe to help you get comfortable with grocery shopping in the market space!
Bowl of chili with cheese, avocado, and cilantro
Something I always encourage throughout these recipe posts is ingredient flexibility. In order to really utilize your local products and cook seasonally, you need to be flexible when possible. Additionally, using what you already have on hand, not only helps reduce waste, but helps you become a more resourceful and creative cook!
For example, this would be a great recipe to add ancestral meats that contain nutrient dense organ meats such as tongue, liver, heart, etc… So if you have odds and ends from a hunt, or simply want to try something new from one of our ranchers, utilize it in this chili!
Simmering pot of chili
Here’s a run down of the lovely vendors you can source from to create this recipe!
Plant it Forward works with independent, professional farmers with refugee backgrounds to grow and distribute fresh produce throughout the community. At our market locations we work with farmer Materanya “Pierre” Ruchinagiza, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Each market he brings delicious vegetables and good conversation. He’s an amazing asset to the markets and his farming knowledge is invaluable!
Animal Farm is a working, sustainable permaculture center located 65 miles west of Houston. They are dedicated to producing high quality certified organic vegetables and flowers. They sell at our markets, but also have a wonderful CSA program!
Regen Ranch is a woman owned and run ranch in Oakwood, Texas. With the goal of providing clean food, Christine sells grass fed beef & lamb, pasture raised turkey, and farm fresh eggs.
Wood Duck is an 87 acre farm, located in Cleveland, Texas. They have a thriving CSA program and have been providing healthy produce to the community for years. Wood Duck is actually in the process of fighting a proposed landfill in San Jacinto County, visit this website to learn more about how you can help!
Share the love! Don’t forget to share photos and tag the vendors who provided the ingredients! One of the best ways to support these local, small businesses is by spreading the word and sharing your market finds with friends and family. And of course, if you stop by the Rice Village or Heights Mercantile markets striking up conversations with the vendors will always have you walking away with wonderful recipe ideas.
Ingredients - * indicates item purchased at the farmers market
*1lb grass fed ground beef {or Turkey, venison, etc}
*4 cups unpeeled sweet potato, cubed
*2 1/2 cups unsalted bone broth
*2 cups yellow onion, diced
*1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup unsalted tomato paste
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp pink salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14.5-oz.) cans unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained1 (15-oz.) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
Method
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add beef to pan; cook, stirring often, just until crumbled and mostly browned, about 3 minutes. (Beef will not be fully cooked.) Remove from heat.
Combine sweet potatoes and next 11 ingredients (through black beans) in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in beef. Cover and cook on LOW 7 hours. Stir in 1/2 cup cilantro.
Ladle chili into bowls; top with cheese and remaining cilantro. Freeze remaining leftovers to enjoy at a later date.
We hope to see you at the 1st and 3rd Sunday at Rice Village Farmers Market or 2nd and 4th Sunday at Heights Mercantile Farmers Market. Both markets run from 9-1 pm, with Heights located at 714 Yale St. and Rice located at 2504 Amherst St. These markets operate rain or shine! We will have over 60 vendors, live music, and immaculate vibes.
Thank you for following along and supporting local!
xxCB