There was an interesting, well-researched article in _Gastronomica_ a while back about the beans- no beans debate. Seems it wasn't an issue until the Terlingua chili cookoff began, various recipes up til that time included varying amounts of beans.
Having lived in Georgia all my life, I say, emphatically, NO. I've eaten and cooked my share of barbacue, all of it cooked low and slow over hot coals. I don't know where Mr. Natkiel had steamed BBQ. All I could do when I read that piece in the Times this morning was shake my head and sigh.
Lunches at Momofuku Noodle Bar and The Fatty Crab were both fantastic. Be warned, food at the Fatty Crab can be very spicy if you're sensitive. My wife and I slowly gorged ourselves over a two hour period and left happy and a little bit tipsy.
As a Houstonian, no beans was started by CASI and is for competition so that judges don't fill up on fillers. Any hearty, home-cooked, "just like mom made" chili has beans and the pretentious cook-off crowd can get over it.
I've always used beans, they stretch the chili a little farther, I think. I definitely am not a fan of chili made with things like chocolate or sugar or cinnamon. The chili my family loves is pretty much like the chili you would find in a school cafeteria: ground beef, minced garlic, chopped onions, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, sea salt, fresh pepper, dash of oregano and a dash of cayenne pepper. I know....it horrifies chili aficionados! But it tastes good and makes some really frito pies the next day!
I wouldn't even know where to start to make chili without beans!
I even live in Texas, and I've never had any complainers. I use ground beef, chili beans, kidney beans, and lots of tomatoes and onions. It's spicy and delicious.
You know what I don't understand? People who like the chili from Wendy's. That stuff isn't flavorful or anything.
I have two different chili recipes that I love and - gasp - they're both vegetarian chilis. One is a three-bean chili (kidney, black bean and refried, to thicken the chili), the other is almost more of a stew, with tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, kidney beans, and garbanzos.
I use thick ground chuck, at least 3 ground chili powders, ground and chunky tomatoes and no beans. I serve my chili with rice on the bottom, chopped scallion and sour cream on top, shredded cheddar if you want it.
My chili recipe is my own and I have never seen anyone thumb their nose at it.
Black beans.....no kidney beans....to big & obnoxius......not tradition chili....but still tastes good anyway!
Native Texan here and I put kidney beans in my chili. They taste good and work great for my recipe. And I hate those tedious arguments as to what constitutes the "proper" form of what is essentially folk cooking.
No beans
No tomatoes
No chocolate
No cinnamon
No rice
No pasta
No ground meat.
I use steak for my chili. I smoke it for a couple hours and cut it into cubes, then cook the chili for a few more hours. It's very tasty.
I'm a Texan through and through, but I confess to loving beans in my chili, though in Austin that might get me accidentally gored by the nearest longhorn. I just love the extra flavors and texture, especially if you add beer and a little cinnamon and cocoa powder.
I like my chili with beans, that's for sure! In fact, beans are the first ingredient I think of when it comes to chili.
Hillary
Chew on That
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