Chili: the red kind

[Blue in a Red State]

Texans insist that a "true" chili has no beans. I say, BS. That's just Texans talking out of their hats. The true originators of chili most likely used beans instead of or in addition to pricey and scarce meat. Ergo, chili (no meat, probably with native beans), and chili con carne (with meat).

Anywho, I say the red stuff needs beans. What say you?

[mike_c]

1. I serve my chili with pintos, but cook them separately....

Add beans to the bowl and ladle the chili on top.

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. Born and raised in Texas

Every chili I've ever eaten has had beans.

[Blue in a Red State]

4. It's those chili cook-off white old boys

That insist that chili should not have beans and should have a gravy like consistency...

[gyopsy]

3. Never had chili without beans

Maybe I'm just naive? I grew up down in FL. Not exactly chili country.

[The Magistrate]

5. Beans Are A Requirement, Ma'am

Essential to the thing....

[WiltedFlowerChild]

6. Beans

but I like my chili green with lots of garlic and can't find that option in your poll.

[Abelman]

7. Beefy, Beany

It's all good.

I hate the stereotypical Texas.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. Actually...

If you go to Europe, especially Germany, you can get somethng called "Goulasche Zuppe"(Goulasch Soup). Tell you what, it sure eats just like a bowl of beanless Texas Red. Now, when you consider that one whole hell of a lot of Germans settled in Texas(There may be an explanation there for the place, although I ain't got it), after tasting GZ and having had more than a few bowls of Texas Red and considering that instead of paprika, they probably use Ancho chilis and that GZ does not have beans in it...

You know where I am going with this, don't you? ;-)

[punpirate]

9. That depends a great deal on the...

... location, and the spelling.

In Texas, they make chili, not chile. They can do whatever they want.

In New Mexico, it's made with green chiles, most often with hamburger and potatoes.

If that sounds a bit bland, let it be known that green chiles come in three varieties of heat, which can be determined by the veins inside. Green veins, mild. White veins, hotter, yellow veins, vegetable dynamite.

For the record, I grew up on Texas-style chili, and it always had beans (unfortunately, my mother insisted on kidney beans, instead of pintos, which is a bit declasse' for the true aficionados).

When I make a pot of Texas chili, I always use beans, but also throw in lots of green chile and a habanero or two, depending on how I'm feeling. It's really not about the beans--it's about the chiles. :P