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.
RELATED POST: Taco Seasoning to Never Go Without!
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.
This chili seasoning recipe features flour, chili powder, red pepper, onion, garlic, and cumin. The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen.
Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.
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.
Add chili powder, cocoa, and tomato paste; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, broth, and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until thickened slightly, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with sour cream and chives.
Although canned chili will already have some seasonings, fresh herbs and spices will add bolder flavor. You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Much like adding chili powder and other common chili spices, cinnamon is a super versatile spice that adds warmth without the heat to Firecracker chili.
Chili Seasoning is most often a mix of 5-8 different seasonings including but not limited to ground chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic, oregano, salt and sugar. A similar blend to taco seasoning however the flavor emphasis is on the chili powder.
McCormick® Culinary® Dark Chili Powder is made of chili pepper, cumin, salt, oregano, and garlic with moderate heat, slightly sweet, and earthy flavor. Specially made for chefs to inspire extraordinary menus and deliver consistent recipes.
Essentially, all chili seasoning mixes contain chili powder, along with many other ingredients. Yet, not all chili powders are part of chili seasoning mix. Chili powders can be made from a single pepper or a blend and can be used alone or in spice mixes. Feeling DIYish?
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.
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.
Mexican oregano is the herb you should be using for chili recipes. (Along with any other southwestern or Mexican recipe for that matter.) Mexican oregano is more robust and citrusy than Greek oregano, standing up to the bold, competing flavors in chili recipes like cumin and chile peppers.
Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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