I make about 2 quarts of chili powder each year in one big batch. I just had to replace my Greek seasoning mix because I used it all up. My wife just used the last of my Curry so I’ve got to make a new batch of that.

Figure out how much you’re going to need and plan accordingly. This makes it a lot cheaper in the long run because not only are you saving time on the day of, but you’re buying the right amount of ingredients in bulk instead of per occasion.

I make about 2 quarts of chili powder each year in one big batch. I just had to replace my Greek seasoning mix because I used it all up. My wife just used the last of my Curry so I’ve got to make a new batch of that.

Figure out how much you’re going to need and plan accordingly. This makes it a lot cheaper in the long run because not only are you saving time on the day of, but you’re buying the right amount of ingredients in bulk instead of per occasion.

Yeah but what time is dinner?

I do the same with my black spice. No way would I make the effort to mix all that up each time I need it.

What’s the recipe?

Never wrote it out, made it so many times I vibe it. But here’s what I put in, adjust to taste, dial the heat in as you like:

• Black pepper, fine ground and chunky, whatever I got

• Paprika

• Cayenne

• Chili powder

• Onion powder

• Dehydrated minced onions, go low on the onion powder if you use this one, or exclude it

• Salt

• Parsley flakes, just for color and to break it up so it doesn’t stick too thickly

• Cumin

• Red pepper flakes

That’s the core ingredients, but I’ll throw other stuff like Sazon in there to mix it up. I use rock-bottom, cheapo spices because I make a lot and the less flavorful stuff is more forgiving if my ratios are off. White pepper is pure awesome, can’t afford it.

I put it in a plastic container, shake hell out of it, taste on my fingertip. If one spice comes out above the others, I adjust. I do like to be able to pick out the salt. Nothing overwhelming, but I want to know it’s in there. Having said that, no one but my wife salts food like I do.

Learned working at Eskimo Joe’s in college, had stolen the recipe and lost it 30-years ago. The stuff we put on burgers was called “jizz” and only 4 people in the company knew how to make it. Like my black spice, mostly tastes like dust until it mixes with meat juices. If the black spice burns on a small taste, too hot. Even for people like me that are superhot junkies, you can’t cover meat like that. That’s another reason I use the cheapest, bulk spices.

Be glad to tell more, but that’s mostly what I got!