Is a chilli without beans still a chilli ???

[camp_cookie]

No beans please.

 

[minn.bill]

chili without beans would not be chili

 

[vlap]

I would say chili is just another version of a stew...

NO beans for me please...

 

[Dutch]

The Bride puts beans in her chilli, I don't- just the way I was raised. Beans are on the side, right next to the rice. When Ma Dutch tells the kids that we're having chilli for supper, one of them will ask "Who's cooking? You or Dad?" They know that with Mom you get beans in the chilli, with Dad's you add your own.

 

[invader q]

I agree with the earlier comment about the regional differences in things like chili, and other stuff, like cornbread.

Around where I call home, most chili comes with beans. Over the years I've kept playing with new ideas in my chili experiments. I have made several with and without that are really good. I've also played with using a non tomato base, though all but a few did have at lease a little tomato in them.

If I had to pick a fave, I'd say blackbean and tri tip chili in a chicken or beef stock base, with a LOT of real good chili powder, and the usual other ingreadients would do. That said, good chili is good chili, and I'm happy to eat just about all of it.

 

[stan41]

Here's the straight dope, original-real-Texas Chili:
8 lbs. coarse ground meat (the best is from around the neck bones.)
3 lbs. suet ( Beef fat)
4 pods dried red chili peppers
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin seed
10 pods dried chili petines
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tablespoon salt
Method: Place meat and suet in a large skillet and brown until the suet melts. Pour this into a large covered pot.
Boil all the 4 chili pods in a pint of water until they are soft.
Open the pods and let seeds out in water. Set aside.
Grind the red hot peppers first and then grind the chili petines, garlic and cumin seed. (Follow with three crackers to clean the grinder)
Add salt and black pepper and dump into the meat. Use a wire strain - pour red colored water off the peppers into the pot. Do not allow any seed in pot.;
Simmer about 45 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
Stan41

 

[zapper]

Chili with beans and tomatos is how I grew up with it, but as a disclaimer we all knew better so we called it "chili bean soup" and if it was getting closer to a pure chili we would call it "Chili, no beans" Or "Real chili" if it was just meat, peppers and spices

 

[teeotee]

Thanks for all the replies.

I kinda knew what the poular answer would be but just wanted some back up for next time the subject comes up. Not too sure if i'll ever use this info cos the wife can be a little stubborn when we have a "difference of opinion"

The chilli i make is very close to Lawdog's recipe. Although Stans looks like that would be reeeeeeaallly good

.

In the end all that really matters is that what you enjoy what eat. If other people enjoy it too, even better.

 

[lc in va]

Chili has no beans, if you put beans in chili it becomes chili beans.