Mild Chili Recipe with Home Canning Tips

Every year I kick off my home canning season in late March and continue through the end of October. I’ve been canning for over 30+ years and really enjoy it. It’s a great way for us to preserve all of the fruits and vegetables that we grow on our property or ones that are given to us. We’re empty nesters, so it’s a nice way to put lunch or dinner onto the table fast!

To make this recipe you’ll need a pressure canner, home canning supplies, glass mason jars, wide-mouth funnel, spoons, etc. If you’re new to pressure canning, this is one of the easiest recipes to make, so its a great beginner’s recipe. It will make approximately 6 pint size or 3 quart size jars.

When I’m ready to use a jar I open the jar, dump it into a pan and then add my canned red kidney beans. I will add 1-2 cans to a pint jar or 2-3 cans to a quart jar. Simmer the entire thing over medium heat for 10-15 minutes and dinner is done!

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Home Canning Mild Chili Recipe

5 lbs. lean ground beef
1 3/4 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups diced canned tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 hot pepper finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seed

Prep: Peel onions. Chop onions. Measure 1 3/4 cups chopped onions. Chop Green Bell Pepper. Measure 1/4 cup bell peppers. Peep garlic and mince. Wash hot pepper under water. Take precautions when handling the hot pepper. Finely chop pepper, discarding stem.

Cook: Brown ground beef in a large pan. Drain off excess fat. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook slowly until tender and beef is cooked through. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer on medium to medium-high heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Skim off excess fat.

Fill: Ladle hot chili into hot jars, leaving 1″ headspace. Remove air bubbles. Clean jar rim with a dry cloth. Center lid on jar and adjust band until fingertip tight. Place jar on the rack in a pressure canner containing 2″ of simmering water. Repeat until all of your jars are filled.

Process: Place lid on canner and turn to locked position. Adjust heat to medium-high. Vent steam for 10 minutes. Bring pressure to 10 pounds (psi). Process pint jars for 1 hour and 15 minutes and quart jars for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off heat. Cool canner to zero pressure. After 5 minutes, remove the lid. Let jars cool 10 minutes in the canner before removing them. Don’t re-tighten any lose bands. Cool for 12 hours.

Check all jars to make sure they sealed. Label jar with contents and date processed. Store jars in a cool, dry place.

Canning Tips: Wash all of your jars the day before. You can hand wash them or place into the dishwasher. Gather up all of your accessories and have them within easy reach during the preparation & canning process. I have a stack of old wash cloths and kitchen towels that I use specifically when I can. They will get stained up…use old ones! Wash & dry them and use them again next time. Wear an apron or old clothing. I recommend reducing distractions when canning to help prevent mistakes.

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