Most Wednesdays at 6 pm we have college students over for dinner. We have done this for many years through a program at our church and over the years have enjoyed dinner with some very wonderful students. This year is no exception! Last week during our dinner a conversation about Chili arose. Matthew, our student guest from the great state of Texas, said that his mom made the best chili "ever" and proceeded to give us the recipe. The recipe was much like my own mother's recipe and while it is a good Chili recipe, I decided to give him a lesson on the different types of Chili. This weeks blog is about that lesson.
Beginning with the definition of chili from wikipedia, Spicy Stew. Spanish in origin, meaning peppers with meat, including peppers, meat, garlic, onions, and cumin. They site geographic and personal variations. It is definitely worth the read. Additionally, I found in the Food Lovers Companion, Chili con carne to be a "melange of diced or ground beef and chiles or chili powder (or both)." They credited Chili to Texans and added those Texans sometimes thought it a crime to add beans to the dish. So as Chili can be defined in a variety ways...let's explore the possibilities.
Starting with Cincinnati-Style Chili, and selecting a variety of other very good Chili recipes, we will learn that while all chilis are not alike they can all be enjoyed for their own goodness. I hope you will try one of these delicious chili recipes and enjoy a fresh new look at an age-old favorite.
Cincinnati-Style Chili is so delicious and so not like traditional chili that it has to be featured. While living in Cincinnati for several years, we had the opportunity to enjoy this chili on a regular basis. Like so many "comfort foods" it brings back many fond memories for us. Cincinnati-style chili is unique for many reasons. While it is bean-less, it's significance is in the preparation as you do not brown the ground beef first. This recipe instructs you to boil the meat. It also has a generous amount of allspice and a little cinnamon in it, unlike other chilis. While very different, Cincinnati-Style Chili is delicious!
Next, we tried a Black Bean Chili. This recipe is very healthy and very delicious also. Using chicken, instead of ground beef, it offers a lower fat version while including the traditional ingredients, chili powder, garlic, onions, and beans. The black beans give it a slightly different taste and seem to lessen the "starchy-ness" of chili.
Award Winning Chili was our next offering. This is a more traditional recipe but packs a lot of heat. My son-in-law, Trent, made this for a chili "cook-off" a few years ago and won first place. Trent is my "Award Winning" son-in-law! I must say it is delicious if you like a 5 alarm chili! I think that the key ingredient is the Rotel tomotoes, they provide the heat and bring a slightly different flavor to the chili.
Finally, we had a traditional Chili. Matthew thought it most resembled his mom's recipe. It was very easy to make and didn't require anything out of the ordinary.
New the to the MealEssence.com database is Matthew's Mom's Chili. It is very good and includes refried beans that make it a true Texas chili that is thick and stew like.
We ate a lot of chili this week and we learned that all Chilis are not alike. We also learned that changing up your Chili offering can be fun and enjoyable!