White Bean and Hominy Freezer Chili

A while back I shared a spicy, make-ahead Black Bean Chipotle Freezer Chili recipe with you. Today’s recipe is another make-ahead freezer chili, but with a more gentle flavor profile. I really love the convenience of having a big batch of chili ingredients in the freezer, ready to go. When the mood strikes, all I have to do is toss everything in a slow cooker and wait for the magic to happen.

Place all the ingredients (listed in the recipe below) into a gallon size freezer bag.

Be sure to label the bag before freezing. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• slow cooker https://amzn.to/3pIZkly

• gallon freezer bags https://amzn.to/3qGed7L

---

White Bean and Hominy Freezer Chili

makes 1 gallon (16 cups)

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 30 ounces canned white beans, rinsed and drained

• 15 ounces canned hominy, rinsed and drained

• 15 ounces canned corn, rinsed and drained

• 15 ounces reduced sodium beef broth

• 15 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

• 4 ounces canned chopped green chiles

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced scallions, cubed avocado, minced onion, fresh cilantro, etc.

DIRECTIONS

1. You can cook the chili right away, or place all of the ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months (be sure to label with cooking instructions).

2. To prepare, thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours (use a bowl or tray to catch any juices that might leak out of the bag).

3. Pour chili mixture into a 6-quart or larger slow cooker and stir well; cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours without opening the slow cooker. Serve with your favorite toppings.

NOTES

• Don’t be alarmed with the small amount of liquid in this recipe - the beef and vegetables will release their juices as the mixture cooks.

• I like to set my slow cooker on high for the first hour, then reduce to low for the remaining time.

• When freezing, be sure to label the freezer bag with the name of the recipe, date, and cooking instructions (trust me, you will NOT remember what’s in the bag).

• When thawing, be sure to place the bag in a bowl or on a tray to catch any juices that might leak out. No sense in enjoying the convenience of a freezer meal if you end up having to clean your refrigerator afterwards.

adapted from taste of home

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Every now and then you just need a dippy, drippy, and oh-so-good French Dip Sandwich in your life. Make the meat ahead and assemble the sandwiches as needed.

Items used to make this recipe:

• 6-quart Instant Pot https://amzn.to/3woo82z

• meat claws https://amzn.to/3yen95X

---

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches

makes 6-8 large sandwiches

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into large chunks

• 3 medium onions, sliced

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup low sodium beef stock

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or more soy sauce)

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 French baguettes

• sliced cheese (Swiss, provolone, or other)

Directions

1. Place the chuck, onions, garlic, beef stock, soy, fish sauce, worcestershire, olive oil, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a 6-quart instant pot; cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, then allow pressure to release naturally for 25 minutes.

2. Remove meat from pot and shred; reserve liquid (au jus) for dipping.

3. To serve, slice open each baguette and cut into three equal lengths; pile high with shredded beef topped with cheese; place under broiler to melt cheese (don’t walk away from the oven while doing this).

4. Serve with plenty of the au jus (cooking liquid) for dipping. Additionally, caramelized onions may be added just before serving.

Notes

• Swiss cheese is traditional on French Dip Sandwiches, but we’re not crazy about it so we use provolone instead. Feel free to use your favorite melting cheese.

• Although this recipe contains a lot of onions, feel free to serve these sandwiches with a healthy addition of caramelized onions.

• When I have a recipe that calls for beef stock, I often substitute with my unsalted homemade chicken stock that’s been reduced to 1/4 it’s original volume (1 cup of stock is reduced to 1/4 cup). It’s an excellent substitution and a great way to use up the huge supply of chicken stock I always seem to have in my freezer.

adapted from Amy and Jacky