Chili is short for chili con carne, not chili con carne y frijoles. I understand competitions demanding a certain “purity.” That said, I will put beans in my chili because that’s what I like.
I say it’s short for Chile con Carne because beans are the baseline chili - I’d eat chili with beans and no meat, Chile sin Carne, that’s a meal by itself.
But chili with meat and no beans, like Chile Colorado, needs to be served with beans and rice, it’s not good by itself. I do make that sometimes but people just call it “meat” when I do. Nobody here thinks of it as chili.
I don’t think any food is pure. Traditions are forever changing.
If you’re chili con carne is “just meat,” you’ve seriously skimped on the star of the show, the chilis. Which most people seem to do… I’ve seen way too many chili recipes that are basically just a tomato, meat, and bean stew with a dash of chili powder.
I don’t think any food is pure. Traditions are forever changing.
I 100% agree. Hence I said I understand the purists and the chili competitions that don’t allow beans, but I’m going to make mine with beans. Also, much of the best foods are fusions. The chilis, the spicy fruits not the dish, are the perfect example. I can’t imagine a world in which Indian, Thai, or just about any Asian dish doesn’t have a spicy kick to it. Yet every single species of chili originated in South America. Same story with the tomato. My favorite cuisine is Cajun which is French cooking techniques using the South American and Haitian ingredients that were available. There are countless examples like that.
Ha, no they call it “meat” but of course there are chiles. Generally anchos & a guajillo and if I have one the smoked oaxacan pepper. rehydrated in the meat broth and blended with onion and roasted tomatillos, not tomato. It’s really good I just cannot think of it as chili.
Ha! It’s flavorful as fuck actually with the mostly ancho assortment and tomatillos but the venn diagram in my family for people who like meat heavy meals and the people who like very spicy (as in picante) food doesn’t have much overlap - me and the vegan are the only actual chiliheads.
When I make the vegetarian chili, it gets jalapenos, tomatoes, lots of bottled chili powder, some tinned chipotle powder, leftover very spicy salsa, sometimes beer or a splash of whiskey, I keep adjusting it until it seems like it will be good, then leave it to simmer or in the slow cooker. it’s more of a refrigerator stew but always pintos, I don’t like any other beans in there.
Your vegetarian chili sounds better, and I’m definitely more on the carnivore side. I don’t know if I’ve ever made chili with pinto beans. I’m a kidney and red bean man myself.
Chili is short for chili con carne, not chili con carne y frijoles. I understand competitions demanding a certain “purity.” That said, I will put beans in my chili because that’s what I like.
I say it’s short for Chile con Carne because beans are the baseline chili - I’d eat chili with beans and no meat, Chile sin Carne, that’s a meal by itself.
But chili with meat and no beans, like Chile Colorado, needs to be served with beans and rice, it’s not good by itself. I do make that sometimes but people just call it “meat” when I do. Nobody here thinks of it as chili.
I don’t think any food is pure. Traditions are forever changing.
If you’re chili con carne is “just meat,” you’ve seriously skimped on the star of the show, the chilis. Which most people seem to do… I’ve seen way too many chili recipes that are basically just a tomato, meat, and bean stew with a dash of chili powder.
I 100% agree. Hence I said I understand the purists and the chili competitions that don’t allow beans, but I’m going to make mine with beans. Also, much of the best foods are fusions. The chilis, the spicy fruits not the dish, are the perfect example. I can’t imagine a world in which Indian, Thai, or just about any Asian dish doesn’t have a spicy kick to it. Yet every single species of chili originated in South America. Same story with the tomato. My favorite cuisine is Cajun which is French cooking techniques using the South American and Haitian ingredients that were available. There are countless examples like that.
Ha, no they call it “meat” but of course there are chiles. Generally anchos & a guajillo and if I have one the smoked oaxacan pepper. rehydrated in the meat broth and blended with onion and roasted tomatillos, not tomato. It’s really good I just cannot think of it as chili.
A guajillo, as in one? You’re proving my point here. And nothing spicy.
Ha! It’s flavorful as fuck actually with the mostly ancho assortment and tomatillos but the venn diagram in my family for people who like meat heavy meals and the people who like very spicy (as in picante) food doesn’t have much overlap - me and the vegan are the only actual chiliheads.
When I make the vegetarian chili, it gets jalapenos, tomatoes, lots of bottled chili powder, some tinned chipotle powder, leftover very spicy salsa, sometimes beer or a splash of whiskey, I keep adjusting it until it seems like it will be good, then leave it to simmer or in the slow cooker. it’s more of a refrigerator stew but always pintos, I don’t like any other beans in there.
Your vegetarian chili sounds better, and I’m definitely more on the carnivore side. I don’t know if I’ve ever made chili with pinto beans. I’m a kidney and red bean man myself.