Thread: Should beans of any kind be in a Chilli?

I think alot of the issue boils down to regional (or individual) preference. Personally, I prefer chili with beans (kidney, black, pinto, or all of the above), lots of aromatics (onions and garlic) and lots of spicy, jalepeno and/or habanero peppers. Almost always served over a bed of rice with shredded cheese and green onions on top. If it's not spicy enough to make your forehead sweat, it needs work. Of course, you've got it right when several cold beers are required to wash it down. Add in the aforementioned cornbread (made in an iron skillet) and you're totally in business.

Lived in Texas for five years or so and as is evidenced by the previous post, even in the chili captial of the planet, there is no consensus as to beans or no beans. To paraphrase Bob Ross, "In my little world chili has beans but in your world, you can put whatever you want in it."

I recently made a pot of chili with azuki beans, bacon and wagyu. Call me an iconoclast if you will, but that stuff was freaking delicious.

I always have beans in the chili I make, with enough onions and peppers to make me sweat even in a Norwegian winter.
Slow cooked on my wood stove, it is the best.

Gotta get me a new computer soon...I'm missin out ond some good topics dagnabbit ! According to Texas chili law(contest rules) No Beans ! That being said I've had some good Chili stews in my day with beans. In parts of the midwest they pour bean chili over spaghetti and add tons of cheese ! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm !!!

Originally Posted by Nightblade

bean chili over spaghetti and add tons of cheese

Sounds good. I've got to try that.

Originally Posted by Otto

Sounds good. I've got to try that.

I saw it on food network tv once.It did look pretty awesome actually.But I would recommend a good antacid afterwords.Oh the sweet pain.

I sometimes cook up some large macaroni in place of rice, it works for me!

Originally Posted by JimR

I recently made a pot of chili with azuki beans, bacon and wagyu. Call me an iconoclast if you will, but that stuff was freaking delicious.

Gourmet chili, love it!

I just hope someone doesn't get the idea to give chili the molecular cuisine treatment...

Originally Posted by HamburgO

Gourmet chili, love it!

I just hope someone doesn't get the idea to give chili the molecular cuisine treatment...

I don't think Heston Blumenthal is a member here....................err is he?

HamburgO, it was not intended to be anything other than "what do we have around here I can put in the pot?" chili. Japan isn't big on the whole Tex-Mex cooking thing, so traditional pickings can be slim.

Originally Posted by Nightblade

Gotta get me a new computer soon...I'm missin out ond some good topics dagnabbit ! According to Texas chili law(contest rules) No Beans ! That being said I've had some good Chili stews in my day with beans. In parts of the midwest they pour bean chili over spaghetti and add tons of cheese ! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm !!!

It's called Spaghetti Red. There was a place in Joplin, MO that served ONLY spaghetti red and had a two hour line at the door every day.Great stuff.