While excellent versions of chili are available all over the United States, the dish has the strongest ties to Texas, where it has been declared the Official State Dish by the legislature, according to The Oxford Companion to American Food "Chili as we know it originated in the American Southwest, most likely in the region that became the state of Texas," according to the book. "Culinary historians think that chili began as a peasant dish prepared by poor people using cheap, inferior cuts of meat cooked together with other inexpensive, readily available ingredients, primarily peppers and onions." According to the Companion, chili had begun spreading to other parts of the U.S. by the late 1800s, and by the 1920s, "chili parlors" or "chili joints" ("small, inexpensive, hole-in-the-wall diners") were opening across the country. As the dish spread, the number of ingredients and variations grew too.
Many of the recipes on our website contain the foundation for real Chili con Carne like ground chuck beef, onions, garlic, chili powder and other spices, tomato sauce, and beans. Regarding the last ingredient, many experts’ sources—including the founder of Chili Cooking.com would argue that true Texas chili has no beans, so feel free to omit them if you're a purist. In fact, why not use the basic techniques demonstrated by other Chef’s here and tweak the ingredients to create your own recipe for the ultimate chili?
Bon Apatite,
Patrick Mullinix
Browse Chili Recipies
Beef Chili Recipes
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Chicken Chili Recipes
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Wild Game Chili Recipes
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Lamb Chili Recipes
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Pork Chili Recipes
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Vegetarian Chili Recipes
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