DIY chili seasoning is so simple to make. You can skip those little packets in the spices section and DIY to save tons of money. Plus, you will have control over how hot or mild you prefer your seasoning.
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When I make it, I feel it’s kind of middle of the road hot. I don’t like super hot foods. But, I also want enough heat to give my chili some real flavor. I have experimented with this DIY chili spice blend and come up with 4 variations.
Regular heat (the one that I like),
mild heat,
hot,
sodium-free.
The recipe I’m sharing makes a large bulk batch of seasoning of about one cup. This is enough to make 6 to 8 batches of chili, depending on how big a pot of chili you’re cooking up.My rule of thumb is 2 tablespoons of this seasoning for every pound of meat in the chili. Scoop out what you need, and keep the rest in a tightly capped mason jar in your pantry. It can last for months. However, once you have the spice already mixed, you’ll find it hard to resist cooking chili often!
Our chili might be beef, but would more likely be a leaner venison dish or turkey chili. This spice blend is the perfect starter, regardless of the protein you choose.
HOMEMADE CHILI SEASONING BLEND
regular heat chili seasoning
8 tbl. chili powder
2.5 tbl. cumin
1 tbl. ground cayenne pepper
5 tsp. garlic powder
5 tsp. onion powder
4 tbl. black pepper
2 tsp salt
Please note: In my photo, I accidentally omitted the black pepper. It wasn’t until I was all done that I took a taste and realized my chili seasoning was missing a little something. It was missing that pepper, so please don’t go by my photo alone! I couldn’t re-take the photos because I’d already dug into the seasoning before I corrected it. I’d like to promise to correct and make new photos the next time I make a batch, but I’ll be honest enough to say I will most likely forget to do so. My apologies for the photo error!
mild chili seasoning
8 tbl. chili powder
2.5 tbl. cumin
1/2 tbl. ground cayenne pepper
5 tsp. garlic powder
5 tsp. onion powder
4 tbl. black pepper
2 tsp salt
Please note that you will cut the ground cayenne pepper by half to make a milder chili season blend.
hot chili seasoning spice blend
8 tbl. chili powder
2.5 tbl. cumin
1.5 tbl. ground cayenne pepper
5 tsp. garlic powder
5 tsp. onion powder
4 tbl. black pepper
2 tsp salt
In the case of the “hot” variation, you will increase the amount of cayenne pepper by 1/2 tablespoon. Of course, it’s entirely up to you. How hot will you go?
To make a yummy sodium-free chili spice, you will make a couple of adjustments. Of course, you’ll take out the salt. Then, you’ll increase the garlic powder and onion powder each by 1 tsp. to add bulk back to the recipe so you come out with that cup of product. Also, in my book, you can never have too much garlic!
So, with the cool temps just around the corner, the timing is perfect. It’s that season when we are preparing to hunker down for the colder weather, watch football, drink cocoa, and…eat chili.
Enjoy. And, please do let me know if you try this recipe out. Please be sure to leave a comment on our Facebook page.
And, if you are looking for other DIY seasoning recipes, check out our three Thanksgiving turkey rub recipes!
Have a happy DIY day!
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Deborah
Editor and author at DIY Home & Garden, a Word Innovations publication
Deborah Tayloe is a full-time blogger, children's book author, and freelance writer, contributing to large publications.
She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificates in Natural Health and Herbology from accredited programs. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
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Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.
Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.
If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.
Cinnamon. The beauty of ground cinnamon is that it brings a warmth to your chili, without being spicy. It works well with other flavors commonly found in chili (like tomato, cumin and chile powder) so you only need a little bit to achieve the desired balance.
With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.
Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.
Is it lacking in savory depth? Add a hit of soy sauce, Worcestershire, or tamari. These salty, savory powerhouses won't dominate or change the flavor of your chili so much as amplify what's there. Start with one tablespoon, stir, and taste before you add another.
Cinnamon, strong coffee, and dark chocolate all boost them meaty flavor in a good chili. Pick any of the following: 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 whole cinnamon stick, a shot of espresso, a small cup of strong coffee, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, or a few squares of good-quality dark chocolate.
You should try buying a variety of whole dried chilis (e.g New Mexico, guajillo, pasilla), lightly toast followed by a shallow poach and then blend it to a paste with some salt, pepper, and cumin. Use this and some broth as the base of your chili. This will add flavor that powdered chili blends cannot compete with.
Tomato paste may come in a small can (or tube), but it packs a powerful punch and is an essential flavor building block for dishes like chili and beef stew.
Sautéing onions, garlic, and other veggies first coaxes maximum flavor out of them. So make sure your onions, for example, are soft and translucent before you add your liquid.
Sometimes after a long simmer, your chili will taste wonderful be maybe missing one little thing you can't figure out. Try a tad bit of vinegar or a squeeze of lime! The acidity in vinegar & limes bring a good roundness to the pot and binds all the flavors together.
Both chili peppers and chocolate are native to Mexico and Central America — and they were often combined, as they are in Mexican mole sauce. Adding chocolate to chili lends depth and richness to the spicy dish, making it both more savory and more satisfying.
Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Paste: Adds a rich tomato flavor and contributes to the chili's thick texture. Molasses: Offers a touch of sweetness to balance the heat and spices. Lime Juice: Adds a hint of acidity and brightness to the chili's flavor profile.
Bacon: Bacon adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the chili. I'd consider it the secret (or not so secret) ingredient! Beef broth: I recommend purchasing a high-quality beef broth for the best flavor. Dried spices: Besides the usual suspects of chili powder and cumin, I add smoked paprika for a touch of campfire flavor.
Spicier chili: to make chili even spicier, don't remove the ribs or seeds from the jalapeño. You can also add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes or dice up another hot chili pepper. I recommend trying the recipe as stated and letting the flavors sit for a few hours before adding additional spice.
Canned tomatoes with green chiles, chili powder, ground black pepper and cayenne all add varying amounts of heat to the chili. If you want to really turn things up, use hot chili powder and the full amount of cayenne pepper. Also, make sure your spices are fresh.
Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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