Chili. Beans or no beans

Ok I decided to post this in the debate thread because i know for some this can be a big debate. Chili, beans or no beans. I want your input.

Personally i am a no beans guy.

My Chili MUST have Beans! LOTS of BEANS!
Chili without Beans is what we call Taco Meat!

sflcowboy78 said:

Personally i am a no beans guy.

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I think that is a Texas/Southwest thing - everyone else uses beans

When I was a kid, no beans. Couldn't live without em now.

Kinda like normal spice or blazin hot, just depends on whos eating it.

MA_Brewer said:

I think that is a Texas/Southwest thing - everyone else uses beans

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Maybe that's why I never thought of chilli without beans!!! Can't imagine chilli without some beans. Like the texture and taste that the beans add.

Then again, I learned something with the blue cheese vs Ranch on wings debate too (like people out west tend to prefer Ranch for some reason)

If it ain't got beans, it's just a sloppy joe.

Chili needs beans. Chili without beans is a stew for sure, and can be delicious, but its not chili in my book.

davesrose said:

Like the texture and taste that the beans add.

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Not to mention that there isn't much better for you than beans!

Somebody had to do this. May as well be me.

"Beans, beans, the magical fruit
the more you eat, the more you toot
the more you toot, the better you feel
then you're ready for another meal"

What better pro-bean argument can there be?

BigKahuna said:

Not to mention that there isn't much better for you than beans!

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Oh well, if you have a glass of beer with the beans, then it's even better for you

No beans, no tomatoes.

Unless it is hotdog chili, beans are needed.

Grandpa always made chili with beans and he was from OK. Lived during the dust bowl and always said beans where cheaper than meat.

I am not from Texas, so yes, beans are in chili. As are tomatoes.

If you enter your chili in a Chili cookoff down here in Texas, you will be penalized for having beans in it.

That said, my chili always has beans in it...but then again I'm not originally from down here.

wha? how can you have chili without beans?? that's what makes the following afternoon so pleasant for my roommate!

"chili" may have beans or tomatoes. but chili doesn't. Nothing but beef, chilis and cumin please.

FYI - Not that I dislike "chili", but I prefer chili.

I disagree. My chili has beans and tomatoes and it is definitely not "chili"; whatever that means.

It would seem as though Tenchiro has the answer. Traditional chili does not have beans or tomatos... damn

Chili con carne (often known simply as chili) is a spicy stew made from chili peppers, meat, garlic, onions, and cumin. Traditional chili is made with chopped or ground beef. Variations, either geographic or by personal preference, may substitute different types of meat and may also include tomatoes, beans, or other ingredients. The name "chili con carne" is a variation of the Spanish chile con carne, which means "peppers with meat." Chili con carne is the official dish of the U.S. state of Texas. It can be found worldwide in local variations and also in American-style restaurants like Wendy's and A&W.

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sourced from Wikipedia

you're not cool, you're ****ing chili...and chili ain't never been cool

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10 lousy characters

If you had spelled "chili" C-H-I-L-E we would have a debate, but since you did not it is clear that we MUST have beans.

I know this is a bold statement that's gonna draw some fire... but if you want the easiest and best chili you're likely to make in your kitchen...

Six Gun Chili mixins
ground beef
beef chunks (packaged as "for stew")
2 cans diced tomatoes
onion, garlic, whatever turns ya on

Brown meat, throw everything in a crockpot all day, BAM. Perfect.

Oh, and NO BEANS.

I know, I know - it's not homemade, and therefore will be sacreligious to some, but I'm throwing down the gauntlet - This is the best damn chili you're gonna make for the effort.

I'm gonna hit "post" and then duck behind my chair...

i do 3 kinds of beans in my chili. Kindney, Black and White. Tomatoes too. I never seem to get any complaints

I use Kidney, Chili beans from a can, Black Beand, Pinto Beand and Red Beans. Tomatoes and Usually mix some ground venison, Beef, and Pork.

chili without beans is hotdog dressing. With beans and crackers, its a meal.

When I make a batch I use;

1-2lb Stew Meat and cut it down to bite sized cubes
1-2lb Hamburger
1 pkg (2-3oz) Ancho chilis (3-4 Poblano's when fresh)
1-2 Chipotle (save the adobo for seasoning)
1qt Beef Stock
1 bottle and 1tsp Ale
Cumin & Chili Powders

Generally I de-stem and seed the peppers and throw them in a pot with the beer and stock and if using anchos let the rehydrate before sticking the mixture in a blender or taking a stick blender to the pot. Adding the chipotles in when I do this. Once everything is smooth I put it back on the heat. Then cook the meat. For hamburger I just brown it and for the stew meat I sear it on high, then using some of the stock deglaze the pan and throw everything into the pot. Usually after letting it simmer all day I will add a bunch of cumin and chili powder and the adobo sauce to taste.

It is going to be better if you put it in the fridge over night then reheat it and let it cook the next day. It should be the consistency of a thick stew when done and there shouldn't be a whole lot of liguid left, just enough call it soup.

I have 7 different chili recipes. Some have beans, some don't, and all are good

buckrogers71 said:

i do 3 kinds of beans in my chili. Kindney, Black and White. Tomatoes too. I never seem to get any complaints

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There we go... What kind of beans in chili is the real question. Pinto beans rock.. Better if from dry.

Tenchiro said:

No beans, no tomatoes.

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Hmmmp. And you call yourself a New Englander??? You probably like red chowda too

Pardon my ignorance, and no offense to anyone, but I didn't even know the idea of chili without beans existed.

Has to have beans !!!

MA_Brewer said:

Hmmmp. And you call yourself a New Englander??? You probably like red chowda too

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Hell no, but I actually lived most my life in the NW.

Tenchiro said:

No beans, no tomatoes.

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+1 Ain't no beans in my chili. But then again, it's not allowed in competitions.

korndog said:

+1 Ain't no beans in my chili. But then again, it's not allowed in competitions.

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At least not in the ICS sanctioned events.

I've got nothing against beans, but they aren't an ingredient in real chili. Maybe Canadian chili.

chili with an "i" or chile with an "e" -- watch them good eats episodes....

BlindLemonLars said:

At least not in the ICS sanctioned events.

I've got nothing against beans, but they aren't an ingredient in real chili. Maybe Canadian chili.

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Hey Lars, didn't know you were a chili man! I'll be entering the Falcons event next year. Here I am with my chili partner at Conejo Valley Days, which is an ICS regional event. I made the final table and got 1st place regional cook. The winner went to the world championships. This was our first ICS event.

korndog said:

Hey Lars, didn't know you were a chili man! I'll be entering the Falcons event next year. Here I am with my chili partner at Conejo Valley Days, which is an ICS regional event. I made the final table and got 1st place regional cook. The winner went to the world championships. This was our first ICS event.

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All I have to say is that your chili partner is a lot better looking than mine!

Back in the 80's, my buddy and I used to enter every regional ICS cook-off that was within driving range. We won a couple first-place prizes, can't remember where! Judging by the cheesy moustache and giant tea-shades (and the fact that I appear to be well under 200lbs) this must have been around 1986.

Last years cook-off was my first Falcons meeting. There were several not-so-good entries (including one vegetarian chili, whatever that is!) and a couple of excellent ones. Mike, whose last name escapes me right now, won first place...his chili was definitely up to ICS standards.

No beans, no nasty ground beef, either.

BlindLemonLars said:

All I have to say is that your chili partner is a lot better looking than mine!

Back in the 80's, my buddy and I used to enter every regional ICS cook-off that was within driving range. We won a couple first-place prizes, can't remember where! Judging by the cheesy moustache and giant tea-shades (and the fact that I appear to be well under 200lbs) this must have been around 1986.

Last years cook-off was my first Falcons meeting. There were several not-so-good entries (including one vegetarian chili, whatever that is!) and a couple of excellent ones. Mike, whose last name escapes me right now, won first place...his chili was definitely up to ICS standards.

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Great picture!

I think the important thing is not beans or no beans. I think the important thing is the ratio of beans to the rest of the chilili.

BuffaloSabresBrewer said:

I think the important thing is not beans or no beans. I think the important thing is the ratio of beans to the rest of the chilili.

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And this is coming from a guy that calls hotdogs with chili sauce on them Texas Red Hots, although Louie's on Transit makes a good dog. I don't understand calling them Texas red hots they are not from texas, and it is not even real chili that is on them. I am not even sure that it is real ground beef in the sauce, but i sure do like them when i am druck. I also like Mighty Taco and Tim Horton's but that is a different thread.

NO BEANS!!!!!!!!!!!!