Winter is just around the corner. This means that we are in the mist of garden harvest and preservation. As we have been canning tomatoes, I think about all the meals these tomatoes will make for us. One that comes to my mind is Nana’s Chili Recipe. Nana has passed down many of her spice recipes to me. One of the recipes that I frequently use is Nana’s Easy
Homemade Chili Seasoning
Chili powder is such a valuable spice to know how to make from the spices that you have right in your spice cabinet. And when I tell you that it will save you so much money to make a bulk batch of Nana’s Easy Homemade Chili Seasoning, it will save you money. The premade chili packets can be rather pricey at the store. Plus, if you want to make a large batch of chili, you will need multiple store-bought packets. Why waste the time buying them, when you can make it right at home.
Ingredients for Nana’s Homemade Chili Seasoning
- Chili Powder – Chili Powder is made from dried chili peppers. Once the peppers are dried, they are ground into a powder, aka chili powder.
- Cocoa Powder – You may not know this, but cocoa powder is a flavor enhancer. By adding unsweetened cocoa powder to Nana’s Easy Homemade Chili Seasoning the flavors of the homemade chili seasoning mix are more pronounced and bold.
- Onion Powder – Onion powder is made from dried onions that have been ground into a powder. If you do not have onion powder, you can use granulated onion.
- Oregano – Oregano is a very bold spice. A little oregano will go a long way, Oregano generally come in mini flakes, but may be bought as a powder as well.
- Cumin – Cumin is a very rich flavor that has hints of citrus in it. It is a seed that is ground into a powder.
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon is a great way to add a warming flavor to your chili without making it spicy. Cinnamon is sold as sticks and ground, be sure that you are using ground cinnamon for this homemade chili seasoning recipe.
- Garlic – Nana always used granulated garlic to make her chili seasoning, if you don’t have granulated you can use garlic powder.
- Salt – Nana always recommended using sea salt for her recipes, but if you don’t have sea salt you can use whatever you use for table salt. Salt is a spice that will help bring out the flavors of the other spices.
- Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne pepper is the ground version of red pepper flake. Is it made from a dried cayenne peppers.
Nana's Homemade Chili Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper see notes
Instructions
- Combine all the spice together in a small bowl and mix until well combined.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Store Chili Seasoning
Remember chili seasoning is a spice and will clump together if not stored in a dry place. I recommend making a large batch of this chili seasoning and storing it in an airtight container, such as a mason jar. Place the mason jar in the cupboard with your other homemade spice mixes. If you are planning to store the seasoning for more than a couple of months, it is recommended that you add a desiccant to your mason jar to help absorb the moisture and prevent clumping of your spice.
How to Use Home Chili Seasoning
Nana’s Easy Homemade Chili Seasoning is the perfect blend of spices and can be used the same way that you use the chili seasoning packets. A packet of chili seasoning is equivalent to 3 tablespoons of your own homemade chili seasoning. We use this chili seasoning in our favorite chili recipes, the primary recipe being Nana’s Homemade Chili recipe. To do this we use three tablespoons for every pound of ground beef.
Some of the more common foods that chili seasoning is used for are ground turkey, sweet potatoes,
Other Homemade Spice Blends
There are so many other spice blends that you can make using your basic pantry spices. I have recently released my recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Spice. I love experimenting with my spices to make my own homemade spice blends. I can not tell you how many times I have been in the middle of making a dish and realized I did not have the spice I needed. Making my own seasonings has become one of the most treasured talents of mine.
