One of the best ways that I have found to save money is to make more from scratch. Being busy and on the go all the time makes it really tempting to let others prepare our food. In the end, though, it’s best to make our own seasonings. I’ll show you how to make your own homemade chili seasoning that will go beautifully with dehydrated, canned, or in the chili recipe in this post.
It seems like whenever we are looking for places to cut corners in our budget, it is always from the grocery bill! Thankfully, there are so many things you can do to save that won’t skimp at all on the flavors you love. Making your own seasonings is one thing you can do to save about a dollar with each use!
Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix
There are some ingredients you will need to make your own chili seasoning. Bonus points if you dehydrated some of your ingredients! (Don’t know how to dehydrate food? Check out my post here that gives you the basics.)
- 2 Tbsp. minced dried onion (or 1/2 Tbsp onion powder)
- 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic (or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Mix together in a mason jar, label and store. Use within 6 months.
To use: Brown 1lb lean ground beef. Add 2 pints of canned pinto beans*, 8 oz. tomato sauce, and 1/4 cup chili seasoning. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
*Good news! You could use your dehydrated beans in this recipe. For instructions on rehydrating your dehydrated beans, check out this post.
More Mix Recipes
Now that you know how to make your own chili seasoning, let’s explore what else you can make: taco seasoning mix and what I call the Stone Family Keeper Seasoning Recipe.
Taco Seasoning Mix
This is a good one to make at the same time as you make your own chili seasoning. Here’s the ingredients:
- 2 tsp. minced dried onion
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic (or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
To use: Brown 1 lb. lean ground beef. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Use in tacos, burritos, on tostadas, or nachos. Yum!
Want to try your hand at making your own tortillas? Try this recipe.
Stone Family Keeper Seasoning Blend
This seasoning is quick and simple to make, and saves time because all the important things are all in the same blend!
- 1/4 cup seasoned salt
- 1 Tbsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
Shake all of the ingredients together in a jar and use at cooking time on meat, fried potatoes, or other veggies. A yummy suggestion: rub oil and this seasoning on a potato, wrap in foil, and bake for a yummy baked potato! Delicious!
Dehydrating Your Own Herbs to Use in Your Seasoning Blends
Dehydrating your own herbs is so easy! And doing so gives you so much more control over what is in your food. Using your home-grown food in lots of different ways is super satisfying as well! Here are quick instructions for some of the ingredients we use in the above recipes. (For more detailed information on the dehydrating process, please see my giant post here.)
- Onion: Remove outside layers, and cut off ends. Dice into half inch pieces, lay on trays with tray liners (so they don’t fall through) and dry at 125 degrees for 10-14 hours. They are done when they are brittle.
- Chili Powder: Wear gloves to protect hands for these ones. Wash peppers (stem and core if you wish, I never do). Dice and lay on trays with tray liners. Dry at 125 degrees for 8-12 hours. Dry until brittle. For powder, whirl in a blender until it’s a powdery consistency. For flakes, crush brittle peppers into flakes.
- Garlic: Separate cloves. Peel and remove root ends. Slice cloves and lay on trays with tray liners. Dry at 125 degrees for 6-12 hours, or until brittle. Whirl in a blender until it’s a powdery consistency.
- Oregano and Cumin: Wash herbs and separate leaves from stems. Lay leaves in a single layer (1/4 inch thick layer that is touching is ok) on tray liners. Dry at 90-100 degrees until completely dry. For cumin, whirl in a blender until it’s a powdery consistency.
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