Y’all, these days you don’t have to look far to find controversy. If you have the mind to do it, you can debate politics, the war in Iraq, the merits of various sports teams, or the price of tea in China. For me, the only controversy bubbling around here is:
That’s right. It’s a cold day, and I’m talking chili.
Here in Texas, there are chili aficionados who think that chili cooking is a science. Others think it is a high art form. In the summer time, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting another town having a chili cook-off. Why in thunder would anyone want to eat chili in the unrelenting Texas heat? That beats me, but folks do it.
It’s hilarious talking to some of the chili cooks, because chili making is a serious subject. There is no room for levity. Every one of them has a special recipe with a “secret” ingredient. Some cooks make chili with chicken. Those cooks aren’t from Texas, of course. Chili is made with beef!
At a chili cook-off, the cooks try to get exotic, and it can get pretty dadgum disgusting. I’ve tasted chili that purportedly contained ostrich, or buffalo, or quail, or squirrel, and one cook even claimed to have included armadillo. One can only hope that it wasn’t “road kill.” All those meats taste like chicken, if you were wondering. I’ve even seen vegetarian chili, which is just downright un-American, if you ask me. You didn’t ask me, but I told you anyway.
Now, I love to eat chili, but I don’t claim any secret recipe. Heck, I’ll eat Wolf Brand chili if I must. Neighbor, how long has it been since you had a big steaming bowl of Wolf Brand chili? Well, that’s too long.
My favorite chili recipe comes in a package:
And, my “secret” ingredient is:
Yep, the Two Alarm Chili is pretty darned good, and you can adjust it to be One Alarm, or No Alarm, if you choose. We usually make it about One and a Half Alarm. Add some beer to it, or drink the beer. Either way, it makes the chili go down good.
Again, the boiling controversy is Beans or no Beans. I want your point of view, so here is your chance to vote. If your state has already had the primary elections, you’ve already gotten the chance to practice voting. If not, then this will be a good exercise for you. Which do you choose? This handy counter will measure the velocity of your eruptions.
We chose to add beans this time. I’ll spare you any commentary about the velocity of our eruptions.
Other posts you might enjoy:
- Tic Toc
- Hodge Podge Again
- Now It’s Time For A Trip To The Food Bank
- An Insidious “ism”: Ageism
- Foiled Again
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Hubby made chili yesterday, his own secret recipe! It is soooo good and yes it makes him toot. Not me, wonder why that is. Could be a question for your friend Dora. lol
One word: Beano. But, Dora might be able to tell you why you don’t toot. You’d have to ask her
Of course, my hubby the, amateur chef and Emeril worshiper, has his own chili recipe, too! He uses beef along with his secret ingredients, one of which is Guiness Beer. It really is delicious!
I don’t like to eat a bowl of chili, though. I eat it on chips, like nachos. Is that acceptable in Texas? Wait…don’t answer that…I agree with Janeywan. I think we could “Dora” this topic!!!!
Jessica
Guinness Beer? BAM! He can cook chili for me any day. Chips are acceptable in Texas (but you’d have to ask Dora her opinion, because you KNOW I can’t answer for her!). We actually do the Frito and Chili Pie, and it had been my intention to do so…but ummm…I ate the Fritos, because I had some applesauce for dipping.
The radio station where I worked in the dim, dark past sponsored a chili cookoff every summer, so the beans or no beans war is very familiar. We also did Rib and Tri Tip cookoffs. My favorite was the champion tri tip cooker who always made a pot of chili that he kept hidden along with his own home made white lightning. For bodily explosions nothing beats three alarm chili fueled by grain alcohol. Luckily it was only once a year so that I was allowed to live to describe it.
And we are so glad you did! Live to describe it. I would have loved the Rib & Tri Tip cook offs….much better than pedestrian old chili!
Beans or no beans?
Yes.
I’ll take it either way. I prefer a beer base to a tomato base, but I’ll happily eat a good tomato base.
Beef, chicken, bison, sausage… I’ve thrown it all in. I make mine from scratch — it’s painfully easy. Have you ever tried adding frozen shoepeg corn? Yum…
I like corn in my chili…and lots and lots of onion!
Must have beans. Absolutely. No question.
I can “swing both ways” on that question, so to speak.:lol:
Beans, beans, the musical fruit…LOL! Gotta have beans in the chili, except for chili that goes on hot dogs.
Eat enough beans and one household can do a 4 part harmony!
with beans, of course. And beef. Always beef.
The even bigger question is, of course, do you add more beer or drink more beer? That’s the real controversy!!
You can do both, can’t you? And, yes…it’s beef or it’s not chili
I can’t eat spicy stuff – I would be doubled over in pain. So, I’m not usually a chili fan, but the chili my husband makes is not spicy and he doesn’t use kidney beans – so it’s yummy.
I like chili whether it is spicy or not. I agree, though, that too much spicy is hard on the digestion. However, I’m told that eating spicy foods helps kill the appetite. Darned if you do and darned if you don’t.
Shelly, this post was an absolute delight! I love chili. The pictures were great too. Is there such a thing as 5 alarm chili? I think I heard that once.
I’m a no-beans gal if I’m making it!
HOWEVER — I’ve never turned down a good, spicy chili because of beans either!
As long as you have plenty of it, I don’t mind it either way. but, I like some corn bread with it.
My husband makes his own from scratch too. Always with beef too. It is so good and hot and we were just saying the other day how we both wanted to have some homemade chili. Maybe he will get some made now(-: Sounds yummy. Of course beans are in his also. My dad also makes his own chili and he soaks his beans before he uses them. I don’t think it helps really….lol I have heard all the stories of Texas Chili and I am sure no one in CA can make it as good but we do try….(-:
You can probably make good chili in California….if your heart is in it! And, some beer is in it
Tomatos and ground meat, seasonings – without beans -to me is just a different flavor of spaghetti sauce. Gotta have me dark kidney, light kidney and also, chili beans in my chile – and a good heavy dose of chili powder along with dried red pepper flakes too! Yeah, my chili usually has a pretty good bit of a bite to it.
During Lent, our church has a “soup and bread” supper every week before the Thursday evening service and I’ve been asked to supply one of the soups for the service on Feb 28th. Only problem here being I am not much for making homemade soups but the lady who called and asked me to help with this suggested maybe I could make chili. Ok, I can do that but I warned her in advance some folks might think they need a fire extinguisher after they eat my chili! As much as my cooking really relies on lots of spices, it’s kind of hard to figure out how someone who grew up on pretty bland foods – Swedish and Scottish roots, ya know – likes to pepper everything I cook with lots and lots of “hot and spicy” flavor!
Sounds like your chili “will put hair on your chest!”
I don’t like mine too spicy these days. I used to have a “cast iron stomach,” but I get indigestion if I eat too much spicy. I guess I’ll have to pass on your chili!
No beans – for sure.
Wick Fowler is also my “secret recipe”, but I hadn’t ever thought of adding beer. Of course, I lack creativity, so this isn’t a surprise. Do you just add it in, or replace some other ingredient with it? I’m not so good at going “off the reservation” when it comes to recipes.
I replace some of the water with the beer. Then I add a little more beer! You should try experimenting with recipes. I figure if I’m putting in an ingredient that I like, I probably will do alright. I add sauteed onions, and peppers. And, I’ve been known to add corn. Go girl!
I like my chilli like my men….and that’s hot…so hot you need ice cold beer…..and with beans! But what do I know? I’m Canadian. and what’s with this white version of chilli? Chilli should be red with meat and beans….and a hunk of Italian bread….and an Italian Hunk…that won’t hurt!
You are soooo bad!
No, and Italian hunk wouldn’t hurt. I’m satisfied with my Irish one, though.
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