Start with raw or cooked beef in crockpot chili?

[Pinky]

I'm making crockpot chili for the first time today... Can I put the ground beef in raw or do I need to cook it first? I'd like to be able to just throw it in raw but I've read mixed reviews on whether that's ok to do or not. Some people say that the low setting on the crockpot isn't hot enough for the ground beef. What do you guys do?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think it would cook find but you'll get better flavor and texture if you brown it first.

[karstmama]

i think i'd give it a bit of browning, mainly to get some of the fat off. but hey, try it any way you'd like. experiment! write down your results! because you can always ladle any excess fat off at the end, too.

[Pinky]

Thanks ladies! I was concerned about the fat because it wasn't lean ground beef. Good idea about ladeling afterwards if I use it raw sometime.

I ended up just browning it mostly and then rinsing it before tossing it with the rest of the chili stuff.