This darn good chili recipe is not only crazy tasty, it’s amazingly simple to make and is always a fan favorite!
It’s National Chili Day. The day we look forward to all year long. The day we eat pounds of beans and later regret it. I don’t know why I love chili so much, but if there is a day dedicated to it, I am all in.
To celebrate this blessed holiday I am sharing my go to recipe for Chili. This recipe is a winner. Literally. I have won a few chili cook-offs with this baby. It’s also a winner in my eyes because it is a crock pot meal and a freezer meal! Oh, how those two qualities alone can make my heart sing. I call this recipe my “Darn Good Chili”. Why? I am so glad you asked! Because every time I make it someone usually tells me, in a southern drawl, “Ma’am that there be some darn good chili, if I don’t say so myself”. I have to agree, it is pretty darn good. I thought about calling it my pretty much perfect and amazing in every way chili recipe, but I thought that might come across a little braggy. Let me know what you think. Hope you like it.
Start by Gathering All Your Ingredients
DARN GOOD CHILI RECIPE
Cook the ground beef in a pan over med-high heat.
Finely chop celery and onion. Add these and remaining ingredients to a crock pot. When pouring contents in the crock pot, be sure not to drain the liquid from your beans. We don’t discriminate against bean juices here okay?
At this point, you can also add in some cayenne pepper to spice things up, but I never do, because let’s face it, I am a wimp. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
To freeze: Mix all ingredients and place in a freezer safe zip-lock bag. Freeze.
When ready to cook, thaw then cook in crock pot.
Serve with cheese, sour cream, chips, or my Irish Brown Bread Recipe from last week.
It is a perfect complement to the chili.
Happy National Chili Day!
Below I have created a printable version of this recipe.
Darn Good Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp stalk celery finely chopped or 1/2 celery salt
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 oz can diced green chili's
- 29 oz can tomato sauce
- 29 oz can diced tomatoes
- 29 oz can kidney beans with liquid
- 29 oz can pinto beans with liquid
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbs cayenne pepper optional for added heat
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a pan over med-high heat. Finely chop celery and onion. Add these and remaining ingredients to a crock pot. When pouring contents in the crock pot be sure not to drain the liquid from your beans. We don't discriminate against bean juices here okay? At this point you can also add in some cayenne pepper to spice things up, but I never do, because lets face it, I am a wimp. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low 8 hours. Serve with cheese, sour cream, chips, or my Irish Brown Bread Recipe from last week. It is a perfect compliment to the chili.
Notes
Nutrition
My list of freezer friendly meals is growing. Check them out along with my other recipes here.
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This is an incredibly savory chili with a nice afterburn. It’s not too spicy as is, next time I may bump up the hot factor a tad because I like things very hot. All around a winner, even the littlest kid didn’t complain!
Could you tell me if you’d think it would taste the same to cook all the chili together at one time then freeze in individual freezer bags or bowls? I am wanting to make and freeze and few meals for my dad to keep handy in his freezer to just grab out of the freezer and pop in the microwave or warm up in a pot on the stove. Also, how long is best for freezing?
Thanks so much!
Hello, yes this would still be very delicious!!! He can easily reheat in the microwave.
Just wanted to comment on the ingredients, The way it is written, 1 tbs cayenne pepper optional for added heat. For 6 servings, that would be 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne per serving, which would be more than heat but hot fire. I would think 1/4 teaspoon for the recipe would be okay for the majority to start with.
I’m allergic to tomatoes so I used roasted red peppers instead and also decreased the heat by half but this is by far one of the best recipes we’ve used for savory chili! Thank you for sharing
What is the best way to freeze for individual portion sizes- can I come out all first, let cool, said freeze in smaller bags or the aluminum bowls? Then microwave when we want it, after switching bowls?
Aluminum bowls can’t go in the microwave, however freezer-safe paper bowls can! So yes, you can make it ahead and just reheat individual servings in the microwave for this recipe. Yum!
Can I make this without diced tomatoes? I have none on hand.
Made the chili today… Very Good looks like I have a new chili recipe…. I just added some carrots to it…. Thanks
I made this last night. I would agree its darn good, except for how spicy it turned out. I like spicy food but I think the amount of chili powder was too much..?? I also added cayenne pepper but it was only a fraction of the chili powder. Next time I will taste as I go.
This chili is amazing! I made a few batches and froze it for the crockpot. Everyone loved it. I even brought one of the frozen bags with us camping and cooked it in a pot over the fire. The kids even liked it!
when you say “stalk” do you mean the whole bunch or just a rib of celery? People interchange all the time and I’m not sure which one for this recipe
Each rib. 🙂
Yep- this is darn good chili 🙂
This might sounds stupid, but does the chili powder add heat?? Or did I over do it with the red pepper flakes? (my own add in). It was just at the almost too spicy line. But the flavor was perfect!
Chili powder does add some heat but the red pepper flakes are where the bulk of the heat comes from. Try to back off on the red pepper flakes first and then adjust the chili powder as needed.
I added 1 tsp of red pepper flakes plus the written amount of all the other spices and we all found it really spicy! I will definitely be cutting back on the spices next time and not adding any red pepper flakes. The chili tastes awesome just needs less spice!
Thank you thank you!!
quick question, if I choose to cook everything in the crock pot as it says and then freeze everything cooked. what would you suggest would be the proper way to defrost and and reheat for serving day? (sorry if this is a silly question, prepping for first baby and first time freezer cooking :\ )
Thank you in Advance!
I would either take it out of the freezer the day before and leave it in the fridge to thaw and then heat on the stove OR you can take it directly from the freezer to crockpot to thaw and warm! Congrats on your new baby!
How much chili does this make? It seems like a very small amount of meat compared to the other ingredients.
Hi I made the chili as directed but it seems really funny..
Hi I made the chili as directed but it seems really runny..
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this recipe!
I live way up north (Montreal) and good chilis are tough to come by, this recipe is AMAZING and was very easy to do, I subbed some of the meat in favor of more veggies, because i’m weird like that and it turned out fabulous!
I was sceptical at the seemingly huge amounts of spices I was putting in, but that came out perfectly as well 🙂 !
Hi, just wondering about how many servings this recipe makes!? It seems like a lot of beans! Thanks.
It makes a TON of chili–one of the reasons it’s so darn good! 🙂 It fills my large crockpot to the brim and we eat it for days. I would say at least 12 good-size servings! 🙂
We are expecting our first baby in a few weeks and I am wanting to cook and freeze meals so it’s easy for my husband to take over dinner duty. I’ve never frozen pre-cooked meals before and am worried about how to package them so they don’t get freezer burn – getting a little overwhelmed and not sure where to start!
Congratulations! I understand–I hate freezer burn. Here is a post all about how to prevent it and a some information about beginning freezer meal tips! Let me know if you have any other questions! https://happymoneysaver.com/?s=freezer+burn and https://happymoneysaver.com/freezer-meal-tips-beginners/
I am making chili for about 6 families for a meal swap. My slow cooker won’t hold this much chili but my stockpot will hold quite a bit (although I may have to do a few batches). Should I just simmer on low in a stockpot? Does it cook quite the same as a crock pot?
Yes, you can simmer on low in a stockpot… just make sure and stir it every so often so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. 🙂
You mean you don’t even cook the ground beef before freezing? I didn’t know that was possible?
Yes, I cook the ground beef first. I brown then drain and freeze.
So just to clarify: Brown meat, drain, put in freezer bag, add all other ingredients uncooked to bag, seal, freeze.
Yes? 🙂 Looks awesome!
Yes that is correct!!
So, just to make sure. Your freezing before cooking everything ? Instead of cooking everything once and then freezing and reheating later ? Thx
You do it either way. I usually don’t cook it before because it’s so easy to add the ingredients together, freeze it and pop it in the crockpot for dinner when needed! 🙂