I have my favourite chilli recipe bubbling away in the slow cooker right now - been making chilli for countless years and this has to be my best recipe. I used to use cumin, but don't really like it in chilli. This is quite hot (which I like), adjust the chilli proportions if you like a milder recipe. Leaving out the seeds from the fresh chilli reduces the heat quite a bit.

500g lean mince
500g beef brisket, thinly sliced
2/3 large chopped Spanish onions
2/3 cloves of fresh garlic
1 large fresh red chilli, finely chopped with seeds
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tins quality chopped tomatoes (Napolina) or 6/8 fresh tomatoes
2 tins quality kidney beans (Napolina) (added towards end of cooking)
2 beef stock cubes
1 large tbsp tomato purée
1 bottle of Sol or Corona beer
Salt & pepper to taste
2/3 chunks of good quality 70% cocoa or higher dark chocolate (added towards end of cooking)

Add chopped onions to a heavy based pan and slowly sauté till translucent in a good glug of olive oil and butter. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two, then add the chilli powder, red chilli and paprika to the onions, sauté gently for 2-3 minutes, then add to slow cooker. Brown the meat in another glug of olive oil, drain when browned and add to cooker. Deglaze the pan with the tomatoes, add the beef stock cubes, beer, tomato purée, bay leaves and sugar - season to taste. When heated through add to cooker on high and reduce to low after 30 or so minutes when it has started to bubble. Add the kidney beans an hour before serving and the chocolate about 30 minutes before serving.

The combination of mince and brisket really gives the chilli a great 'bite' consistency, as well as flavour. The dark chocolate is a Mexican tip, really gives a deep richness to the flavour. Don't add too much, you shouldn't be able to actually taste it, it's a background note rather than a noticeable flavour. 6 to 8 hours on low in the slow cooker.