Chili: Beans or not?

[macpappy]

Born a Texan, raised a Texan, eat chili like a Texan.

It was originally called chili con carne and it didn't have beans in it. It didn't have bacon in it. You don't serve it over rice.

All it is is cubed or ground beef with chili peppers and onions seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin and cooked over a slow fire in a cast iron dutch oven. It was made by the camp cook while the ranch hands were out on the range. It was served with warm tortillas or cornbread.

Then there was a desire to stretch the chili to feed more people, so the cooks started adding tomatoes and beans. BUT THEY STILL DIDN'T SERVE IT OVER RICE.

Then there is that stuff they call hot dog chili which is usually just a liquified chili.

Now, good chili can be made with beef, buffalo, venison, or even elk. IF IT'S MADE USING CHICKEN, TURKEY, VEGETABLES OR SOY PRODUCTS DON'T CALL IT CHILI. Call it soup or stew or something but it ain't chili.

Now, all that being said, I occasionally like to have my chili (with or without beans) over Frito corn chips and topped with red onions and cheese.

Chili doesn't have to be hot to be good. However, when I'm cooking chili people know it's right when they walk into the kitchen and break out in a sweat. I measure how hot the chili by the number of beers you have to drink per bowl. I like two beers to the bowl.