What's with you guys putting beer in chili? If I want beer, I'll crack open a bottle, but keep it out of my damn dinner! I used to think that the "there are no beans in chili!" crowd was nuts. However, after actually trying a bowl of chili without beans, I admit that beans just get in the way. Beanless chili is far superior.
I will not argue that chili without beans cannot taste better than chili with beans. This is especially dependant on the cut of beef you use. Quality matters. But dont' you dare tell me that my three dollar pot of chili with beans isn't chili just because you prefer your pot with ten to fifteen dollars worth of beef. But I also don't understand how grilled chicken breasts can be called fajitas. Sure, they taste good, but do you know how cheap skirt steak is??? And I'll take real beef fajitas any day over those hippie chicken fajitas. I can make a mean dish of "carne guisada" with ribeye too, but that's not really the point of carne guisada.
You are fighting an unwinnable battle, my friend. Your choices are: 1) Stop putting beans in your Chili. 2) Start working at Wendy's. 3) Move north, young man!
But that's the fun of cooking chili!!!! You throw down one can of beer in the chili pot, and during the 2 hours the chili is simmering, you throw another 8-9 cans of beer down your throat!!
Now that just ain't right. She'd better not do that in public down here - she might get her as kicked. -- droxford
A lot of those sound like good recipes. I also agree with those that say no beans. Chilli doesn't have beans. It's ok to add beans if you want to eat chilli and beans, but real chilli doesn't have beans. Two things I would do if you have time... 1.Go to the butcher and get some lard. Add lard to your chilli. It will add a load of flavor. 2.Marinate the cubed the beef, and when cooking let the chillie simmer for a long time. The longer your chilli sits the more the spices will be absorbed and brought out in the flavor. It's not uncommon for chilli to be more spicy on the second day.
Results are in... I made it with Beans and without Beans, using a combination of the recipes in this thread... I gotta tell ya... I put so much green peppers in there I had tears down my cheeks, and my nose was running... But I love spicy food, and this chilli was so damn good... From an outsider's point of view... The best way to cook chilli (no offense guys)... NO BEANS! Damn, I kciked my friend's chilli's ASS! I told him I could make chilli that would put HIS chilli to shame, and sure enough, it did... Unanimous vote, lol.. Thanks a bunch guys... I really appreciate it.. OH and I am requesting permission to use Fatty's post as my sig!!!
What about rice in chili? I've lived in Texas all my life and had never heard of this up until a few years ago. I work with a couple of black guys and they say this is the only way they have ever eaten chili. Is it common?
This recipe doesn't sound like it will yield a lot of chili. I have never had chili made with beer before either, is it good I mean can you taste the beer? What about adding tomatoes or some type of tomato product like sauce, paste, or even ketchup? Will that ruin it? What is a good substitute if I cannot find salt pork? I swear I'm going to make this because it sounds absolutely scrumptious!
Whoa! Why all this animosity over 'beans' towards bejezuz??? I guess I am naive, but I thought Pinto beans in Chili is what made it Texas?? Any trail hand looking for grub from his Chuck Wagon would have DEFNITELY been eating beans at almost every meal--and Texans would have gotten the main ingredient for chili from Tejanos--chili powder. Not sure how anyone can say that the use of chili powder wasn't adopted from native Latinos, wouldn't that be TEX-MEX? I'm with you on Gospel Bird...give me skirt steak or give me death! Try fajitas with Elk steak and your tounge will slap the sh*t out of the roof of your mouth!!
You will not taste the beer. Cooking with alcohol is a great technique to learn. If you go to pretty much any fine dining you are going to have some sort of alcohol in your meal. I also have a bourbon peach sauce for pork chops that is out of this world. Wine and sherry are probably the most common alcoholic beverages that are used. Trust me it is the only way to cook.
This is a flawed logic. Pizza uses tomato sauce and (typically) mozarella cheese. That does not make it Italian.
