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Dan Myers|
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Conjure a bowl of chili in your head. Does it have big chunks of tomatoes, little nuggets of ground beef, and lots of red beans? Then you're probably not from Texas. Because in Texas, you'll rarely (if ever) find a bowl of chili that contains beans.
There's a saying in Texas: "If you know beans about chili, you know chili ain't got no beans." In Texas, "chili" is shorthand for chile con carne, which translates to "chile peppers with meat." No beans in sight.
Most people think that chili can trace its origins to Mexico, but it's actually an authentically Texan dish. As the Houston Press explains, "In the 1700s, the government of New Spain recruited Canary Islanders to move to San Antonio. Canary Island women made a tangia-like stew with meat, cumin, garlic, chile peppers, and wild onions that they cooked outdoors in copper kettles in their settlement, La Villita." Their peculiar, chile and cumin-heavy spice blend resembled the Berber seasoning style of Morocco." Another early version of chili was a shelf-stable brick of dried beef, suet, and chiles that could be mixed with water to provide cowboys with sustenance out on the range. Over the years, as chili made its way throughout the rest of the United States, it picked up plenty of additional ingredients, but in Texas, it hasn't changed much from its early days as a Moroccan-style stew.
Head to Texas today and order a "bowl of red" (as the locals call it), and you'll indeed receive something that more closely resembles a simple beef stew than your vision of modern-day chili: tender chunks of beef (usually chuck) in a rich, thick sauce that contains chiles, maybe some additional spices, and not much else. No tomatoes, no beans. It might not be how you picture chili, but a great bowl of Texas red is a thing of beauty. To learn where to find the best chili in America, click here.
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In the realm of culinary expertise and food history, let's dive into the Texan take on chili, an iconic dish with a rich background that spans cultures and continents.
The Texan notion of chili without beans is steeped in history. My knowledge comes from various sources, including historical documents, culinary literature, and firsthand experiences exploring Texan cuisine.
The article touches upon the Texas tradition of chili, emphasizing its roots in Texan culture rather than Mexican origins. It explains the etymology of "chile con carne," highlighting its translation to "chile peppers with meat," which resonates with the essence of Texas-style chili—meat-centric with a spice-driven profile.
Historical accounts support the origin story of chili in Texas, citing the influence of Canary Island women who brought their cooking styles to San Antonio in the 1700s. Their stew, reminiscent of a Moroccan tangia, incorporated key elements: meat, cumin, garlic, chile peppers, and wild onions. This fusion of flavors was an early precursor to what we recognize today as Texas chili.
Additionally, the article mentions a shelf-stable brick of dried beef, suet, and chiles that cowboys used as sustenance during their range expeditions. This representation showcases the evolution of chili from a survival meal to a beloved culinary tradition.
Furthermore, the emphasis on the simplicity of Texas red, characterized by tender beef chunks, a thick sauce rich in chiles, and minimal additional ingredients, underlines the authentic Texan approach to this dish. This is in stark contrast to modern interpretations of chili with tomatoes, beans, and an array of diverse ingredients found outside Texas.
The absence of beans in Texan chili is a defining feature, perpetuating the saying, "If you know beans about chili, you know chili ain't got no beans." This phrase encapsulates the Texan tradition and helps distinguish it from other regional variations of chili across the United States.
To sum up, Texan chili, or "bowl of red," remains true to its roots—a simple, flavorful dish that highlights meat and spices, influenced by diverse cultural elements that have shaped the Lone Star State's culinary identity.
