This Cajun Beef Hotpot is one of the most delicious things you can make in the slow cooker!
This recipe is truly magical. The way it all comes together is so nifty. Plus, it’s absolutely packed with flavour! Follow me…
Preparing Cajun Beef
Whilst the slow cooker is going to do the heavy lifting when it comes to cooking, we are going to have to whack out the frying pan beforehand. Frying the veg before adding it to the slow cooker is important for two reasons:
- Water – We want to sweat down the veg to remove excess water. This ensures the filling comes out thick and saucy, as opposed to being soupy/watery.
- Flavour – I often fry veg before adding to the slow cooker to develop a bit more flavour.
We’ll actually be starting by frying some smoked bacon lardons and using the excess fat to fry the celery, peppers, onion and garlic.
Minced/Ground Beef
Alongside the veg and bacon, we’re also going to be frying the beef for the same two reasons. Plus, the minced beef often clumps up in the slow cooker if you don’t fry it first. It’s important that you use lean beef (preferably 5%). If you use fatty beef, the oil gets trapped on top of the potatoes and you end up with a layer of floating fat.
Process shots: add bacon to pan (photo 1), fry then remove (photo 2), add onion, peppers, celery and garlic (photo 3), fry (photo 4), add beef (photo 5), fry then remove (photo 6).
Slow Cooker Hotpot
Right, you’ve done the heavy lifting with the frying, now it’s time to let the slow cooker do the talking. Alongside what you’ve already got in there, all you need is some kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, Beef Oxo/Bouillon and Cajun Seasoning.
Potato hotpot
Once you’ve mixed all the filling, just add some sliced baby potatoes on top, overlapping as needed. The steam that gets trapped in the slow cooker will cook the potatoes, as will the liquid from the filling underneath. From there, I like to add copious amounts of cheese and pop the lid back on until it melts.
Process shots: add filling to slow cooker (photo 1), level flat then layer potatoes (photo 2), cook (photo 3), take lid off (photo 4), add cheese (photo 5), add lid until cheese melts (photo 6).
Cajun Beef Hotpot FAQ
Different brands of Cajun seasoning will be spicier than others. I’ve used various different brands and never found 2 tbsp to end up crazy spicy. It should have a nice kick, but nothing overbearing.
If you’ve sweated down the veg and fried the beef, there shouldn’t be too much excess water. If you notice a considerable amount on the potatoes you can remove some with paper towels/kitchen roll.
The potatoes should be very tender with the filling bubbling around the edges.
Just add the lid back on and carry on cooking. This will only tenderise the filling further, so don’t worry about overcooking the beef section.
Serving Cajun Beef Hotpot
I love serving with a dollop of sour cream, which is especially good if you find it quite spicy. If I’ve got it on hand, I’ll sprinkle over some coriander/cilantro or parsley, but this is completely optional. Also, some sliced avocado goes great too!
For more hotpot recipes check out my Sausage Hotpot, Halloumi Hotpot and Chilli Hotpot!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this Cajun beef hotpot shall we?!
How to make Slow Cooker Cajun Beef Hotpot (Full Recipe & Video)
Slow Cooker Cajun Beef Hotpot
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Equipment
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Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
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Large Pan & Wooden Spoon
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3.5L Slow Cooker
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Sieve (for draining beans)
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Cheese Grater
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Serving Spoon
Ingredients
- 125g / 4.5oz finely diced Smoked Bacon Lardons
- 2 Peppers, finely diced (1 red 1 green)
- 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
- 1 stalk of Celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 500g / 1lb lean Ground/Minced Beef (5%)
- 1x 400g/14oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
- 1x 400g/14oz can of Kidney Beans, rinsed & drained
- 3 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 1x Beef Oxo/Bouillon Cube, crumbled
- 2 tbsp Cajun Seasoning (see notes)
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Salt, Black Pepper, plus more as needed
- 400g / 14oz Baby Potatoes, or as needed to cover the filling
- 150g / 1 1/2 cup Cheddar
- Sour Cream, to serve (optional)
Instructions
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Add the bacon to a large pan then turn the heat to medium. Gently fry until crisp with the fat rendered down, then add the bacon to a 3.5L slow cooker, leaving the excess fat in the pan.
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Raise the heat slightly to medium-high then add the peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Fry until it all softens and starts to colour. This step is important not only to develop some flavour, but also to sweat out the moisture so the filling doesn't come out watery in the slow cooker. Add the beef and fry until browned, breaking up with your wooden spoon as you go. Add it all to the slow cooker.
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Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato puree, Oxo cube, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to the slow cooker and give it all a good stir. Use your wooden spoon to level the top so it's flat. Slice the baby potatoes to around 1/4" thick then lay the slices over the filling, working from the outside in, overlapping as you go (see video for reference). Generously season with salt and pepper, then pop the lid on and cook on HIGH for 3 1/2 hours or LOW for 7 hours, or until the potatoes are very tender.
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Take the lid off, cover with cheese then add the lid back on for 5 or so mins, or until the cheese melts. If there's a considerable amount of water on the potatoes before you add the cheese, you can gently dab them with kitchen roll/paper towel to remove some. If it's just oil I typically leave it there as it's flavour.
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Serve up with sour cream if desired then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
b) Beef – Make sure you’re using lean beef (I use 5%). If you’re using fatty beef, you’ll end up with a layer of oil sitting on top of the potatoes. Also, same as the veg. Make sure you fry off any moisture that the beef produces beef you add it to the slow cooker.
c) Cajun Seasoning – Different brands will be spicier than others. I’ve used various different brands and never found 2 tbsp to end up crazy spicy. It should have a nice kick, but nothing overbearing. If you find it spicy I recommend serving with a dollop of sour cream to sooth out the spice.
d) Leftovers – Just allow to completely cool then tightly store in the fridge for a few days (or freezer long term). I typically reheat in the microwave until piping hot again.
e) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 4 with no sour cream.
Nutrition
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