Easy way to Freeze Homemade Chili for later use

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Fall is my favorite time of year and so are all the fall foods.  I love how nourishing, warm & yet easy to make so many of the fall staples are when the cold weather hits, and this includes chili! What’s even better, it is so easy to double or triple the chili recipe you’re making and freeze the extras for busy days when there’s no time to cook but dinner still needs to be on the table. In this post, I’m sharing with you my favorite heartwarming chili recipe and an easy way to freeze the leftovers for later use. 

One of my favorite things about making homemade chili is that you can pretty much use whatever ingredients you have on hand – save for a few staples that are truly necessary. I always make my chili with meat, but I also like to include beans for that extra buttery texture. The rest is pretty much just whatever I have growing in the greenhouse at the moment or at hand in the fridge. Things like bell peppers, tomatoes (or tomato paste/tomato sauce), corn, jalapeno peppers, carrots..you get the idea. 

While there are so many different ways to make chili, from simmering on the stovetop to making crockpot chili overnight – my favorite is to use the Instapot. It’s fast, efficient, and fits a large quantity of food inside – perfect for making freezer meals with the leftovers! However I know that some people are so comfortable with using their slow cooker, and I do think that it can potentially bring out more flavor in the overall meal. Feel free to use whatever gadget you prefer – just adjust the cooking times! 

I recently purchased a proofing box for all my sourdough projects. The reason why I finally pulled the trigger on it, was that it doubles up as a slow cooker too! I have yet to test drive this function, but I’m excited to see how the chili flavor compares between the instant pot and the slow cooker versions. 

What type of meat is best for chili..or no meat at all? 

We are a meat-loving family, so our chili always contains ground beef. I’ve had deer chili before that was absolutely delicious – and getting some deer meat is on my bucket list! If you have your own meat animals and grind your own meat – you have the great advantage of picking exactly which cut you’ll use for your chili. We do grind some of our own meat, but since we don’t have meat animals (yet) we mostly buy ground beef at the grocery store. Sigh. I’m working on it. 

Turkey chili is a good option too, although I find that you need to add some more fat to your meal than when using beef or deer meat. Be extra generous with the olive oil or add in some bacon for more flavor. 

Vegetarian chili is also a great option. You can up the amount of beans and vegetables you use, and skip the meat altogether. 

Homemade Chili Recipe Equipment

  • Instant Pot, Crock Pot or a Large Pot (depending on which cooking method you’re most comfortable with. I like to use the instant pot, so this recipe will be geared towards that) 
  • Spatula 
  • Chopping board 
  • Chopping knife 

Equipment needed to Freeze Homemade Chili for later use

  • Freezer bags (ziploc bags or other freezer-safe bags)

Alternatively, you can use a Plastic container or another airtight container to prevent freezer burn. 

If you plan on using a microwave to defrost your chili (which I don’t do) make sure to use a microwave-safe container. 

It would be preferable not to use plastic and instead freeze your chili in glass containers. However for me personally, this has so far proven to be very impractical. I am always worried about the glass exploding in my freezer. I also never seem to have enough extra glass containers I’m able to part with while they’re holding my chili in the freezer. Using plastic bags does release microplastics into the food, but storage is much simpler. 

bowl of chili and rice

Homemade Chilli Ingredients:

I am making a big batch of my usual chili recipe. So I went ahead and tripled my usual recipe. I will serve one portion for dinner and save the other two for freezing. If you want to make a smaller amount of chili, just divide the amounts listed by 2 or 3. 

  • 6lbs ground beef 
  • 3 onions 
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 bell peppers
  • 3 carrots
  • 3 cups bone broth
  • 9 cups beans (I like using black beans, red kidney beans, or usually a third type of bean that I happen to have on hand)
  • 6tbs tomato paste
  • 3 28oz cans diced tomatoes 
  • Olive or coconut oil for cooking
  • Seasoning of choice (I like oregano, chili powder, paprika & salt)

Important note: If you’re using dried beans like me, make sure to soak them in water for at least 12 hours before cooking. If you’re using large beans, soak for longer & increase cooking time. 

Instructions: â€‹

  1. Set InstantPot to saute function. Add oil and brown your ground beef. Set aside. 
  2. Add more oil, then chopped onions & saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and chopped bell peppers. Continue to saute until soft. 
  3. Turn InstantPot off, and add the bone broth, beans, tomato paste & diced tomatoes. Stir well. 
  4. Add in browned beef. Stir well to combine everything together. 
  5. Close the InstantPot lid, and set it to manual high pressure for 45mins. Once up, let the pressure release naturally 
  6. Serve with your choice of toppings. We like sour cream, chili peppers and hot sauce. For sides, serve with tortilla chips or over rice.

Freezing Your Chili

There are many things I enjoy about chili. It’s the perfect comfort food, but it is also so easy to prep ahead of time, freeze, and then have a quick meal handy when you really need it. This is how I freeze my chili. The key is to never freeze food while still hot, and always leave room for expansion in the container you’re using. 

  1. Allow chili to cool off completely – if possible, wait until the next day to freeze. 
  2. Ladle into a container of choice. If using glass, always leave about 1-inch headroom for expansion. If using Ziploc bags or other freezer-safe containers, fill about 3/4 of the way. 
  3. Make sure the lid is sealed tight/Ziploc sealed properly to prevent freezer burn. 
  4. Place in freezer for up to 6 months. 
bowl of chili and rice

Thawing Your Chili 

There are different methods you can use to thaw your chili. Which one you choose mostly depends on how quickly you need your chili thawed. We do not use a microwave in our house, so I don’t list that option. However, if you use a microwave, using it on the defrost setting is an option too. 

  1. Place in the fridge the night before. This is the best way in my opinion, however, it does take a long time. If you can plan ahead and set the chili out the night before, this is the best method. Once thawed, warm up any way that you use for warming leftovers. 
  2. Set out on your countertop. This is another great way to thaw your chili. It’s slightly faster than thawing in the fridge but still requires longer time & planning ahead. 
  3. Set in a bowl of warm or room temperature water. This is a great option if you’ve got an hour or so before your meal needs to be served. Use a cup or another heavier item to keep your bag of frozen chili submerged under water. 
  4. Thaw in a pot on the stove. I call this the emergency thawing method. This is when you need a meal on the table pretty much ASAP, as it takes very little time. However, I do feel like the chili tastes slightly different when defrosted using this method. Empty the container with frozen chili into a large pot. Set on medium heat, and add a little bit of boiling water. Stir, then cover with a lid. Make sure to stir the chili regularly to avoid it sticking to the bottom. Add as much boiling water as needed, but not too much to prevent the texture of the chili from becoming too liquid. 
bowl of chili and rice

Homemade Chili

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Easy comfrto food that is perfect for freezing for late use.

Ingredients

  • 6lbs ground beef 
  • 3 onions 
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 bell peppers
  • 3 carrots
  • 3 cups bone broth
  • 9 cups beans (I like using black beans, red kidney beans, or usually a third type of bean that I happen to have on hand)
  • 6tbs tomato paste
  • 3 28oz cans diced tomatoes 
  • Olive or coconut oil for cooking
  • Seasoning of choice (I like oregano, chili powder, paprika & salt)
  • Equipment:
  • Instant Pot
  • Spatula 
  • Chopping board Chopping knife 
  • Equipment for Freezing:
  • Freezer bags (ziploc bags or other freezer-safe bags)

Instructions

    1. Set InstantPot to saute function. Add oil and brown your ground beef. Set aside. 
    2. Add more oil, then chopped onions & saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and chopped bell peppers. Continue to saute until soft. 
    3. Turn InstantPot off, and add the bone broth, beans, tomato paste & diced tomatoes. Stir well. 
    4. Add in browned beef. Stir well to combine everything together. 
    5. Close the InstantPot lid, and set it to manual high pressure for 45mins. Once up, let the pressure release naturally 
    6. Serve with your choice of toppings. We like sour cream, chili peppers and hot sauce. For sides, serve with tortilla chips or over rice.

Notes

Freezing Chili

Allow chili to cool off completely - if possible, wait until the next day to freeze. 

Ladle into a container of choice. If using glass, always leave about 1-inch headroom for expansion. If using Ziploc bags or other freezer-safe containers, fill about 3/4 of the way. 

Make sure the lid is sealed tight/Ziploc sealed properly to prevent freezer burn. 

Place in freezer for up to 6 months.

Thawing Chili

Allow chili to cool off completely - if possible, wait until the next day to freeze. 

Ladle into a container of choice. If using glass, always leave about 1-inch headroom for expansion. If using Ziploc bags or other freezer-safe containers, fill about 3/4 of the way. 

Make sure the lid is sealed tight/Ziploc sealed properly to prevent freezer burn. 

Place in freezer for up to 6 months.

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