The Best Freezer Meal Chili You Ever Had!
The Best Sweet Chili you ever had!
If you like a meaty chili then this will be the best sweet chili you ever had!
For years I have tried to find the best and perfect chili recipe with no luck. Everyone needs a great homemade chili recipe. Then a friend of mine made me her famous award winning chili and stars alligned. My family LOVED it and I had to ask her for the recipe.
She was kind enough to share with me her secret to making the best chili you ever had every-time….
…no tomato sauce and lots of tomato paste.
Mind blown! Now that I knew the secret it was time to create my own incredible sweet chili recipe using this new food knowledge and viola this recipe was born.
If you enjoy a meaty hearty chili you will fall in love with this recipe!
This recipe is SOOOO GOOD, Everyone asks for the recipe good! You cant wait for leftovers good!
I also added a little cinnamon into it which gives a great addition of depth in flavor to the dish! You can omit but I highly recommend giving it a try with the cinnamon. It adds a little extra something something you never knew was missing.
Why you will love this Sweet Chili Recipe
- 30 Minutes to Dinner
- Super Easy
- Extremely Tasty
- Healthy (Soy Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Preservative Free, Sugar Free)
- Family Friendly
The best secret ingredient for chili is cinnamon. Not enough to overpower the dish but enough to add a depth of flavor and sweet nodes into the dish. You may think this is such an odd ingredient for chili but trust me, you will never go back!
After discovering how a little cinnamon can go a long way I add a small amount into sauces, burgers, and all kinds of main dishes.
Follow the directions below using a large dutch oven or stovetop pot for this chili. It can also be frozen after cooking individually or in gallon freezer bags for easy dinners or lunches anytime.
If you chili is frozen you can let it slowly heat up on the stove but I recommend thawing frozen chili in the fridge and then heating it up on the stove for about 15-20 minutes in a dutch oven or large pot.
Bacon is a super controversial ingredient. Some people swear it should never be eaten while others use it as a main component of diet.
The main thing to look at when shopping for bacon is that it is nitrate free, organic with no added sugars. You can also use your favorite bacon if you have one!
Serve with some good old fashioned cornbread, a side salad or some fruit.
After cooking store in fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months individually or in large quantity.
Do I need a slow cooker for this recipe?
You can use a slow cooker or crock pot for this recipe. It is designed to be fast and easy so you do not have to take the time to cook all night.
Can I use an instant pot instead?
Of course! If you are tight on time or a last minute cook then throw everything in the instant post and adjust cook time. For slow cooker to instant pot conversion times click here to get a simple instant pot cheat sheet. You will never have to guess or research an instant pot cook time again!
How do you make this Recipe? 👇
The Best Chili You Ever Had!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 lb ground beef
- 2 lb bacon, cooked
- 4 x 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 x 6 oz can tomato paste
- 16 oz bag frozen corn
- 4 cup black beans
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 5 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground corriander
Instructions
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large stovetop pot over med-high heat. Add onion and sauté 3-5 min, or until onion begins to soften.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for one minute.
- Add in ground beef and brown. Once brown drain beef, then add back into Dutch oven.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 30-45 minutes. (THIS CHILI IS SERIOUSLY SO GOOD!)
- Stir and serve! If freezing recipe then go to freezer directions.
Freezer Directions:
- Label Freezer bag with recipe name, cooking directions below and expiration date (today's date plus three months)
- Be sure to let chili cool before freezing in gallon ziplock bags…IF you have leftovers.
- Seal bag, removing as much air as possible and freeze for up to three months
Cooking Directions from Frozen:
- Dump bag into slow cooker and cook on low 3-4 hours or high 1-2 hours.
Cooking Directions from Thawed:
- Stovetop: Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chili reaches desired temp. Slow Cooker: Pour chili into slow cooker and cook on low 30 min – 1 hour.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large stovetop pot over med-high heat. Add onion and sauté 3-5 min, or until onion begins to soften.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for one minute.
- Add in ground beef and brown. Once brown drain beef, then add into slow cooker.
- Add in all remaining ingredients and cook on low for 2-4 hours.
- Stir and serve! If freezing recipe then go to freezer directions.
Are we friends yet? 👇
FREE Printable Meal Planner to help you get started today. 👇
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OOOOO that is a big secret. I usually use diced and crushed tomatoes and only a little tomato paste, but now I’m going to overhaul the whole plan!
YASSS!! It’s so good!! ????