Texas Chili & The Chili Queens of San Antonio

[@antoniaosterhout5128]

My mom and I were the ones at the book signing. Her name is Billie and she told you about the San Antonio Chili Queens. Thanks for taking her suggestion! We are both just tickled pink that you included them (and us). By the way, I didn't say at the signing that you have a remarkable gift for languages!

[@LillibitOfHere]

Thank you for suggesting it! I was studying those early 20th century photos wondering if I'd see my grandmother!

[@itsdavidmora]

Great suggestion, Billie!

[@melissalambert7615]

How cool your mom's suggestion became a vlog. SA Chili Queens!

[@michaelwhipple3558]

Loved hearing that story from mom on Sunday. So glad you were able to take her!

[@StrangerListening6703]

@ Antonia Osterhout I would love to read a story about the San Antonio Chili Queens or see that depicted in a movie. What a great bit of history.

[@ThePyramidone]

I grew up in San Antonio. My mother and her family were farmers in the 1920s-1930s and would often bring their produce to El Mercado (Farmer's Market) in San Antonio. My mom and uncles shared how they would set up their stands interspaced with the Chili Queen stands, with the troubadours or Mariachis and after the Farmer's closed at noon, would be given some money and they would go to the movie theaters. There they, with all the other kids and youngsters watched the newsreels, serials, and movies for a dime. Soft drinks were a nickel, as were popcorn and peanuts, and hard candy was pennies for sticks or bags. Mom and Dad would have a date at a restaurant sans the kids and they would meet up again at 5 pm, load up the truck and go home.

[@thedirtprincess3293]

What an awesome story!

[@delicate_genius]

This is so lovely!

[@davidfetter]

So, Sundown Towns? Maybe think a teensy bit about what would have happened if they'd been so incautious as to get caught there after 5pm.

[@melissalambert7615]

Nice family memory. The market, music and some movies and snacks for the kids. Dinner out. Very nice.

[@jamesc8259]

This was a nice story, fun to read. Thank you for sharing ❤

[@SheyD78]

I love that story of the women reclaiming their pots of chilli from the opposing army. I can just hear a lady speaking furiously in Spanish as she walks in, picks up a pot off the fire and walks out again yelling at the men constantly, almost like a mother scolding a child.

[@brucemaximus3797]

"And that was when, hand to my heart ladies and gentlemen, that was when I learned that the Mexicans have some queer ideas as to what should or should not be done in wartime. Apparently their "cocheenas" and their contents are off-limits." - Some veteran of that battle, probably.

[@ironboy3245]

and them smacking the unruly americans on the head with la chancla

[@MossyMozart]

@Shey078 - Angry Spanish-speaking women can speak at the speed of light!

[@0neDoomedSpaceMarine]

Imagine being the one who's just spent hours and hours to cook chili for all these soldiers, and now enemy soldiers are about to make you start it all over.

[@jennypaxton8159]

I’m a huge fan of those ladies!

[@Sweetrottenapple]

It is so interesting. I am Hungarian, and we make our meat stews exactly like this chili is made. The only difference is in the paprika. We use our famous sweet noble paprika powder and we add it in with the meat. Such a lovely dish! 😍

[@vetheros]

Do you use paprika instead of the chili powder, or as well?

[@the_quaint_gypsy]

My mom was born and raised in Yugoslavia until she emigrated to the United States after world war II and she used to always make chili with paprika. When I tasted American chili I was like what? This is so good why doesn't my mom's chili taste like this? LOL

[@karenc4544]

I always put Hungarian paprika in every chili like beef dish I make. It’s just not as good without it! Plus, you have a great username 😄

[@Sweetrottenapple]

@@karenc4544 Oh thank you ❤☺

[@WiggaMachiavelli]

Chilli powder in America is a spice mix, not just powdered dried chilli.

[@ingridkeller9673]

My Norwegian grandparents moved to Freeport, Texas in the 1920's because my grandfather was a sea captain. My grandmother learned to make local dishes and was an incredible cook. When we grandchildren visited and went to the beach she made a big pot of chili (no beans), wrapped the hot dish in newspaper, and put it in the trunk of the car. After swimming all morning we'd stand around the car trunk in our swimsuits eating spicy chili with saltines. It definitely had a lot of sand blown into it but it was delicious. Food brings back wonderful memories! Thanks Max!

[@Saezimmerman]

OMG! Freeport!! So fun to see someone else that knows it exists.

[@delicate_genius]

I was eating sandwiches, but I can taste that crunch.

[@tanyah.9131]

Wow, that must've been quite a change in culture and climate from Norway!

[@Cabbage22927]

tha dirty wata

[@davidbuben3262]

Nice. My story is a little different, with one common thread. We moved to Alaska back in the 60s. One fun thing to do was go to the ice races where they would plow a racetrack on a lake and race around using tires with steel spikes. 35 below zero, and always dark. But you could buy a cup of chili, no beans, for a quarter. Sooo good!

[@BigSeth1090]

This is just my thought on the Texan exclusion of beans: in the time of my parents and grandparents (going back to the 1920s), in the standard rural Texas home, you pretty much always had a pot of beans, reheating it for every meal. You’d eat chili often, but not nearly as often as beans. So you didn’t cook them together, you made two pots and folks blended (or didn’t) to their taste. My dad likes his chili with beans and crushed saltines, my brother likes his with beans, cheese, and crumbled cornbread, and I like my chili with cheese, and the beans and [carbohydrate] on the side. And when we make beans and chili, we all end up happy!

[@ashleygardner4104]

Yes! Chili with beef, sausage, 3 kinds of beans, bell peppers, piled high with cheese and crackers and some cornbread on the side... That's a hearty meal!

[@Bucky1836]

Pa cooked 2 pots of pinto beans every week since i waa born till he died in 2019 i was 31 the day he died he had picked a pot to cook that day 😢....so i finshed them for him 😇 i carry on the tradition today 😇🤠😎

[@AuntieHauntieGames]

@@ashleygardner4104 A fellow three bean chili lover! Huzzah!

[@Chase0The0Bass]

I'm on team brother. With or without the beans, cheese and crumbled cornbread in the chili is my favorite!

[@RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus]

Beans to the side but carbs in it 100%

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

My Dad told me of a BBQ at a Texas ranch when he was a strapping young lad. There was a table with three trays of meat labelled Beef, Pork and Goat. Of course everyone was eating the beef and pork and raving about how good it tasted. My Dad sneaked behind the barn to where he was roasting the meats. And there was nothing but goats being roasted.

[@rickpgriffin]

Honestly I dunno what peoples' issue with goat meat is. It tastes like aged mutton. Some people work to get that flavor deliberately!

[@VAHelix]

Now that is typical of a Texas story! lol Goat, or cabrito, a young goat, is a really good dish roasted whole, but it makes really good chili too.

[@Banjawesome]

I'm a big fan of goat and mutton. I would have been choosing that one over the others anyway!

[@chuckschulze6877]

​@@VAHelix I agree. I can't think of how many houses I have been invited to for a party of some type and many times in the old days it was cabrito. Always with fresh tortillas, limes and pico de Gallo or salsa.

[@bdubya7646]

​@@rickpgriffin Goat is excellent. Like a cross between beef and lamb to my palate!

[@Firebvalles91]

My wife who is from Durango Mexico, makes a dish that is called carne con Chile rojo or meat with red chili. You can use small squares of beef or ground beef. You can also add frijoles de la olla or beans freshly cook from the pot. It is delicious and I'm thinking that might have been or close to it what the original recipe was like.

[@rudysal1429]

I never understood the debate with Texas chili and chili beans. To me, it's just americanized Mexican food. Chile con carne, chili Verde, etc. I like chili beans but it doesn't compare to my grandma's Mexican food lol. All good either way

[@Blackadder153]

@@rudysal1429 It might be from people in South Texas always have beans on the stove and cooking Chili con Carne (Chili and Meat) is always it's own thing. If you want to mix them do it with your own bowl.

[@joelwright4317]

As a native of San Antonio, my rule of thumb on beans and chili: If the chili is using chunks of beef, then no beans. If the chili is using ground beef, then beans are a necessity to add some texture.

[@bigglesharrumpher4139]

Makes eminent sense to me!

[@deepfriarlaurence1666]

That's pretty logical actually. I agree

[@chelleroberson3222]

Yeah the ground beef is a ragu

[@johnny_ca]

@@chelleroberson3222what 😂

[@troperhghar9898]

My dad would crush crackers into his chili for the same reason

[@phemyda94]

A Greek friend of mine tried Cincinnati chili while traveling in the US and was astonished to find that it was exactly like a recipe her grandmother made back in Greece. Her grandmother was from Argos Orestiko, just like the original "inventors" of Cincinnati chili. Turns out it's basically just an Americanized version of the classic Greek makaronia me kima.

[@horngatekeeper]

Detroit's famous 'coney dogs' also have Greek origins

[@pietrayday9915]

That's what the Cincinnati chili parlors call their chili on hotdogs: "coneys" - I grew up in Cincinnati, I love the stuff whether as coneys or as 3-ways, 4-ways, or 5-ways (Cincy chili ladled on spaghetti pasta, and beans with onions and cheddar cheese depending on the number of 'ways' you order at the parlor!) I'd known about the Greek origins for years - Cincinnati had a sizeable Greek immigrant population and as you mention they developed an Americanized recipe for their traditional spiced and stewed minced meat - but was always curious about how close the Cincinnati version was to its Greek equivalent. I'm strangely pleased that your Greek friend readily recognized the recipe! :) For those who've never tried it, the exact recipe of spices in Cincinnati chilis are usually guarded trade secrets, but some common ingredients seem to include finely-diced onions stewed with the minced beef, cinnamon, and even a dash of cocoa... it's somewhat spicy stuff, but there's also a hint of odd sweetness to it as well. Some of the big local names in Cincinnati chili parlors include Gold Star and Skyline chili - there are subtle differences, but they're close enough that I doubt most people can tell the difference in flavor, so the curious are probably fine with trying either of those versions as their introduction. Cincinnati chili is also served with sides of oyster crackers (which almost seem like the only "proper" crackers to serve with chili to me now!), and sometimes hot sauce and/or peppermint candy or a York peppermint patty (though I've never actually tried the hot sauce... it's just never the way my family introduced it to me, and never the way I ate it!) I've actually never tried the Detroit coney variant, now I'm intrigued!

[@firghteningtruth7173]

Nah, none of these dishes existed until they made it in (insert your own state). End of story. Only way. Everything else is a bastardization. Gahhhh. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@zadinal]

Crazy, I learned something new today, thank you!

[@MtnNerd]

This would make a great episode also

[@TrippingtheBrightFantastic]

Daughter of a Texan here. My family always put beans in chili. If you're poor in the US South, beans are a great way to stretch meat. Red beans (usually cooked with a ham bone) and cornbread was the Texas "struggle meal" we used to enjoy when I was growing up.

[@savannahwise7058]

Red beans and rice is a classic

[@Vickiib]

And it had better be pinto beans!

[@liamlowenthal8476]

I liked that you explained this :) I thought no beans was a little odd since a version of this dish was used as a depression meal.

[@Andrew-kr3vd]

yes exactly, beans always belong in chili for me, it’s not chili without beans and cornbread on the side

[@CAP198462]

one of the original 300 or just a Texan?

[@CombusTyan]

This video is awesome, my family has photos of them since we are San Antonio natives for 5 generations. They have old pictures / news clippings of them selling chili and other things. It is very cool to see that history being represented on your channel! The family is very proud of this heritage and all loved the video! My grandmother owns a bunch of pots they even used back then and they owned a molino where they sold tortillas and tamales as well as "Chili Con Carne" (Little Mexican grocery store)

[@yamnjam]

My grandparents were born in San Antonio in the 1920s-30's. They were Hispanic so I'm sure they were familiar with the scene. I wish I had seen this video before last October when my grandma passed away. I could have asked her if she knew about the Chili Queens. I sure miss her cooking.

[@dwharbin]

My mother (A Hispanic women born and raised in Texas) would have probably referred to this as Chili Colorado, her chili had beans in it and specifically pinto beans, not kidney beans as you will often see called for in recipes. She grew up in a small farming town and it's likely the beans were to stretch out the meal, she also used more onion and crushed tomatoes and big slices of fresh jalapeno.

[@vi0cs]

Chili doesn’t have beans in it

[@Mechabang]

Mm, nothing raises the heat like fresh chili peppers

[@williammeek4078]

@@vi0cs yes it does

[@dwharbin]

@@vi0cs "Your" chili doesn't have beans in it....FTFY:)

[@KaiserMattTygore927]

@@vi0cs Chili has beans in it. anyone that thinks it doesn't is lying to themselves.

[@Ablative_MeatShield]

As someone from San Antonio I am glad that the Chili Queens got an episode, and that you did not listen to the snobs that say that their way is the only way. Chili is and has always been a bit of a community food, customized to the tastes of those who eat it. My family uses 2 kinds of beans, tomatoes, and bell peppers in addition to the spices and meat, and we find that this gives a much more filling meal. Do as you please with your recipe, it is yours.

[@ForbiddenChocolate]

Sounds a lot like my recipe, and I'm from NY (though I'm looking to escape lol). My German grandmother gave me her recipe, which called for green bell pepper and small red beans. I use those and black beans and added cumin. I think of it as International Yankee Chili. 😁

[@Wingedshadowwolf]

I think my chili is different each time I make it. I like to throw leftovers in. I think last time I boiled a ham bone with the beans and my brothers complained saying they didn't want bean soup. So I added spices, tomatoes ect and turned it into chili!

[@ek-nz]

This. Chilli is one of those personalised, variable and flexible meals that makes it so interesting to share and compare recipes, as Max pointed out. It’s easy to adapt to dietary requirements too (unless someone has a chilli allergy, that might not work). Mine is often black beans, pinto beans and even chickpeas to stretch it to leftovers. I add Quorn mince if I have it, and sometimes mixed veg from the freezer. Corn if I’m in the mood, and quinoa to add extra vitamins if I have some. But my base recipe is saute’d ontions, garlic, chipotle in adobo and whatever spice mix I have or make. I include the bean juice from the can since they don’t taste metallic these days, and usually don’t put tomato in except if I happen to have leftover sauce from the enchilada kit that my local store sells (because I don’t like it on enchiladas as it’s too tomato-y).

[@TheLazyFinn]

I'm from Finland and I love Chili con carne, I add cream, usually chili flavored, at the end. I also use red beans, so I guess Texans would hate me! lol

[@marahdolores8930]

@Eosion96 thank you. I have made good meat-only red beef chili on occasion, and it is nice for a once-in-a-while treat, but it is too expensive with the price of beef to indulge in very often. More commonly, I make my red chili with dried pre-soaked and -sprouted beans and ground beef. We found we prefer pinto, black, or small red beans in the budget red chili. Lots of vegetables go in before stewing to add bulk to the stew and sneak veggies in on the children - green pepper and (believe it or not) diced celery are two of the most common, but sometimes corn, or even small chunks of squash/chayote. I make a white chicken (or turkey) chili with white beans that my family loves. Uses green chiles, tomatillos, heavy cumin, lots of onion & garlic, white beans - northern, navy, cannelini, or even chickpeas, and has sour cream added at the end of cooking. (My daughter uses cream cheese in hers.) We usually make it more liquid-y and serve it over crushed tortilla chips or cornbread with toppings - fresh chopped onion, grated cheese, chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped ripe olives, chopped avocado, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, more sour cream, etc... A riff on frito pie, if you will. I make a pork version of my white chili for a friend who is highly allergic to poultry meat, so that is another variation, and also great for when pork is on sale. I also make a smoky red chili using goat or venison that uses different chili peppers (think more like peppers used in a molé), fire roasted vegetables, crumbled toasted bacon, and a slightly different spice profile (Mexene, plus a few other differences). Chili is just a spicy, savory stew, and I personally think it is ridiculous that people think there is only one way to make it, especially when Texas is such a huge place. We lived in Ft Worth/Weatherford and in Clovis, NM - right on the West Texas border, so plenty of trips to Lubbock & Amarillo, plus we spent big chunks of time in and around San Antonio -basic training at Lackland, NCO training, and children needing to be seen at Wilford Hall over a few years. We also had friends from Lufkin, Houston, Brownsville, and Alpine, TX - again, very big differences. The culture and food in each of these areas was not the same, (don't even want to mention Austin, which I understand has gotten much weirder since we lived in Texas decades ago), so I don't understand how so many Texans can make blanket statements about "real" chili. Texas culture is not a monolith.

[@christineh14]

My grandmother made chili a lot during the Depression and WWII because they grew their own beans, peppers, and tomatoes so it was a fairly cheap and nutritious meal that didn’t use a lot of rationed ingredients. When anyone would comment that Texas chili doesn’t have beans in it, she would say “Well, this isn’t Texas chili, it’s Georgia chili.” I suspect she got the recipe from a women’s magazine or newspaper. I want to add that for Mother’s Day my kids gave me a basket of ingredients like galangal and grains of paradise so I can make recipes from your cookbook.

[@Objective-Observer]

No, Texans eat beans in their chili. I've never heard a Texan in my part of Texas fuss about beans in the chili.

[@k8eekatt]

What a cool mother's day gift!

[@judysocal8682]

Great kids.

[@JohnAnderson-hr4qc]

Mom was a farm girl, so a recipe you could make and freeze to have year round. 10lbs ground beef, 2 large diced onions, 1 lb of chili powder, 2 large cans tomato juice, 1 full box of saltine crackers crushed. Was so thick when done, pored into cake pans, put in fridge to harden. Cut into bricked, wrap and freeze. Take out a brick, add water halfway up it, low/medium heat till it's all melted. Add beans if wanted(they don't freeze well). A weird, but actually very good, side dish. Instead of chili beans, use green beans

[@JennyCoe]

The massive disappointment in Max's voice in regard to his mom's turkey chili is a mood and a half!

[@hhale]

Young Max was not going to be fooled by claims that ground turkey was a suitable substitute for ground beef.

[@momma636]

My father once tried to fool me, saying that moose was beef in the stew he had made sorry but I had sandwiches for dinner that night

[@danielmantell3084]

Ugh, reminded me immediately of my moms turkey chili, blegh. She always put in 2 cups of sugar when she was making chili as well (ground meat, kidney beans, canned diced tomatoes and sugar. fml). I learned to cook at an early age for a very particular reason. I love my mom but cooking was not her forte... P.S. She still makes exactly the same recipe to this day.

[@deboracrawford662]

Another kid hatred, Turkey bacon, and turkey ham 🤮

[@ChicaneryBear]

​​@@danielmantell3084 2 cups? I can buy 2 tsp of dark brown sugar, but 2 cups?

[@khalilcaldwell6802]

I found this channel about a year ago right after I had a life threatening head injury. I almost lost my life but while recovering I binged every episode. Since then, I haven’t missed one entry. Thank you Max I love this channel. It’s been a major part in my life and happiness.

[@c0athanger]

I'm glad you're still here, friend! I hope you've recovered well ❤️

[@Christopheromoan]

Glad your still with us man.

[@presbyterosBassI]

Max cooks so I don't have to.

[@rebeccasammon7423]

Glad you are feeling better! God bless you!

[@kitchentroll5868]

From my great grandmother's cookbook (circa 1911) she has a recipe for "meat stew seasoned with hot peppers" (no mention of beans). Her recipe is much as yours shown in the video, but she uses "a peck" of raw hot peppers "minced very finely and passed through a food mill to remove most of the seeds", cumin seeds crushed in a mortar, a sprig of fresh oregano rather than a prepared chili powder. She instructs us to "watch the pot closely so that it is never allowed to boil, stirring often, until the gravy of the stew is formed to your liking". A small note added at an unknown date: "Best served with corn fritters"

[@goesman81]

thanks for the recipe, the historic chili recipe is nice, but i was wondering about only chili powder,garlic and onion for spices... when i make it, i will use parsilla chilis and chili de arbol and a good heap of cumin as the Latino GI that told me how to cook chili in my Military Service (iam from germany) told me its basically considered a Crime to cook chili without wild thyme and cumin^^

[@kitchentroll5868]

@@goesman81 I wondered about the use of oregano in the recipe, I always suspected that it should have been thyme, but my great grandmother was Greek, so she probably just liked the taste of oregano better :D

[@juderickman8275]

Thanks! I’ll make a version like your grandma’s, but with dried as well as fresh chiles.

[@juderickman8275]

I mean, your great grandmother. What a blessing!

[@LouieLouie505]

@@kitchentroll5868 "... use of oregano in the recipe..." Mexican oregano (lippia graveolens) is native to Mexico and is in many, many recipes (mole, enchiladas, etc). It is similar to Greek oregano (origanum vulgare) and unless the star of the show in a recipe, most people would likely find them interchangeable.

[@pjsphoto]

Really enjoy your content. As a food writer in San Antonio, I appreciate the acknowledgement of beans having their place IN chili. Had a chance to read through your book recently. Excellent work. You'd probably appreciate the input of food historian/cookbook author Melissa Guerra if you ever find yourself diving into South Texas traditions. She's the best.

[@yungwarden]

Whenever Max Miller uploads watching it becomes part of my daily plans

[@ragnkja]

Yeah, it’s just part of my Tuesday routine at this point

[@the_Analogist4011]

plans? I dropped everything for this one

[@ZombieLogic101]

Saaaaame!

[@Lionstar16]

It makes my Tuesday day off even more special :)

[@margiallen5155]

❤️

[@GarouLady]

Growing up my mom put cubed redskin potatoes into her chili which had kidney beans. This not only thickened up the chili but made it stretch out more frugally. She learned it from her mom who as a child learned this from an "indian" woman who lived on her street. (Don't ask me which kind of "indian" because no one knows now that my grandma is no longer with us). BUT now with food costs it's nice to make a bowl of chili and I can cut back on the high costing beef and still feel full with the beans and potatoes and chili, it's awesome.

[@melissalambert7615]

Interesting. One of my fave Mexican restaurants in Colorado put potatoes in the filling for soft tacos. I found it funny because as an Irish-American we add potatoes as filler to everything. Great tacos.

[@pietrayday9915]

I've never tried chili with potatoes in it, but that sounds good! I can certainly eat chili-cheese-fries or chili on "tater tots" or hashbrowns with shredded cheese on top, so why not cook potatoes IN the chili? I love all the ways that families have found to stretch out that chili a little to feed a family through hard times - it's always seemed like hard times food to me, a real treat when you can get it, and you don't complain if it's got corn, tomatoes, peppers, beans, pasta, rice, corn bread, crackers, or whatever in it, it's all delicious!

[@billyfugate4823]

Announcing myself as another bean chili Texan! Chili was a trail food. You used what you had. The thought that there is any one right way to make chili is not only nonsense, it's also not any fun.

[@jo_betcha4157]

I would love to see Max do a version of chili with a GoPro, a horse and a campfire out on the trail.

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

Beans are also, more or less, shelf stable once dried - if you're on a long journey through any part of the old US, you want shelf stable options to add to the pot.

[@act4306]

You are spot on my man!

[@christophertaylor9100]

There's no one right way to make Chili, but there are definitely wrong ways

[@eveschaan]

​@@christophertaylor9100 Like with a whole codfish haphazardly thrown in?

[@kellysong2256]

I grew up eating mildly-spiced chili WITH beans, and also a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon thrown in with the other spices. We always ate it with cheese and sour cream on top, with a big hunk of cornbread on the side 👌 SO good

[@drzoamon]

I'm a Texan, born and raised, of 37 years, and my family has always had beans in chili. What surprised me, though, was the lack of tomatoes/ peppers/ cumin in this recipe

[@rosselliot8971]

Regards the cumin, I'm about as far from Texas as it's possible to be, but I've read a great deal on the cattle drives from South Texas to railheads farther north, and the recipes often referenced are beef and tallow (both extracted from the steers being driven), local wild bush chiles (small but fierce), comino (cumin) and liquid, water, often mixed with coffee. No doubt, if they had some sugar or some wild herbs they'd throw them in, too. But the basic recipe is what they had on the trail. I claim no authority, only what I've read. But it has the ring of truth about it. I've made that very basic chili recipe and if you cook it down long enough, it has a simple beauty all of its own.

[@marcblur9055]

Yup. My mom was born in Texas in 1934 and her chili ALWAYS had pinto and kidney beans. She grew up during the great depression, so extending a meal with a cheaper protein like beans makes sense. Cumin might be in the chili powder, but it always needed and extra shot of pure cumin.

[@FormerRuling]

Everyone is commenting about the cumin, but the OP said this recipe lacked *peppers*, whatever the dish is, it 100% is not chili if it doesn't have chili peppers in it. Lol

[@dirtyfiendswithneedles3111]

I put diced pickled jalapeños in my chili. It is the best

[@AssOnAPlate187]

Californian here. Never had Texas chili before, but tomatoes, peppers, beans and cumin have been a MUST in my chili since I could remember.

[@AZFlyingCook]

Sentence I bet Max never thought he'd say in his life: "But while the parrot and badger fights are long gone ..." 🤣

[@americaneclectic]

Haben Sie die Rechnung bezahlt?

[@realhorrorshow8547]

At first I thought that meant parrot versus badger, but that would be a short fight. Noisy, but short.

[@edenjung9816]

@@americaneclectic hab ich. Und nun?

[@blackdragon7979]

​@@realhorrorshow8547it might actually be a rather long and noisy one. The parrot would perch on a high beam and both would yell at each other.

[@alexandersolodovnikov4840]

​@@americaneclectic Ughhh. Still gives me chills.

[@davidwoolsey2135]

Max, Chili con Carne (chile with meat) when I was a kid in the 1960's and my Grandfather from Texas was in Texas winning chili contests, my grandpa taught me that on the Mexican side of the border, "chili" was a bean dish, and when you crossed the border into Texas, the Mexicans could afford a bit of meat, hence "con carne", and THEN as you moved farther away from the border, you got less beans and more meat, until folks would make it without beans. Especially in areas where they didn't need to "stretch" the meat because they could afford to make it without beans at all.

[@lavendarcrash2941]

Your grandfather's explanation makes perfect sense. Chili Colorado looks like this recipe: chunky meat with onions stewed in chilis. If you order Con Carne in NM or CO it will have beans and quite probably cheap meat like ground offcuts.

[@amberconner32]

Makes perfect sense to me too. 🙂

[@eberhardpfeifer1620]

I´m afraid you´re wrong. "Con Carne" is a malapropism of "Con Canis" and means with dog, so originally it´s chili with dog

[@bountyclaw]

​@@eberhardpfeifer1620 Bull. Carne means meat in Spanish. Perro is dog in Spanish....Why would they decide to use the Latin name for dog in the naming of a dish?

[@jaz11002]

Yeah because "poor Mexicans" -.-

[@Sarah-sn8fj]

I’m a Texan who puts beans in their chili. My whole family does and it’s so good!

[@yoclark2723]

My grandmother was Mexican coming to America in 1911 because of the war. She grew up in Texas and swore by Ghebhart's chili powder. She got married in 1918, so she probably used it from about that time. My grandparents lived all over Texas including San Antonio. Fun fact, My grandmother's father was a troubador. I loved the photos, a lot of those ladies looked like my aunties.

[@SoleMan117]

The war? You mean Pancho Villa and them?

[@Survivin2Thrivin]

Gephardt's chili powder is now on my shopping list next trip to the grocery store. You mentioned it, this YT Creator has the pic of brand name product in his thumbnail but Rachel Cooks with Love just posted her recipe & she's Mexican, resides 6 month's of the year in Texas & SHE recommended Gephardt chili powder. I gotta try it!

[@yoclark2723]

@@SoleMan117 Yep!

[@michealfigueroa6325]

@@SoleMan117 "...and them?" You offend Sir; and as a coward hide behind a screen name

[@michealfigueroa6325]

My Dad and Grandma came north during the Revolution years at about 1918, and my family has always used Ghebhart's chili powder when cooking Mexican style dishes Its the best!!

[@chaosvolt]

As a Texan, the one thing in life I can be 100% certain of is that no one in Texas can actually agree on whether chili should have beans or not, I've seen Texans that insist that it should have beans just as much as people insisting it be without. I personally tend to pick no-beans when I have the choice but I'm fine with it if has beans.

[@efraim3364]

im Texan also and dont mind beans either. Since you're in Texas you know how ingrained beans are into our DNA

[@waynepugh4981]

True

[@1tuffcooky536]

Texas was originally called Tejas because… It was owned by Mexico. quite a long story to put in a comment so let's leave it at that and just do your research. Chile may be a variant of Mexican cuisine which the settlers jazzed up to make it more appeasing to their tastes. 3:11

[@youtubeSuckssNow]

The only thing we can all agree on is that cinnamon has no place in chili

[@curtisa3069]

My family has been in Texas since this was part of Mexico. I was told by my parents that beans in chili became frowned upon during the Great Depression because it was seen as “poor people’s chili”. Additives that bulk up the chili like beans, cornbread, bread, crackers, etc. were seen as a cheap way to use less expensive meat. …And because no one wants to look cheap, these additives became shunned.

[@ashleygardner4104]

Makes sense. But, man, I love some chili with beef, sausage, 3 kinds of beans, onions and bell peppers, with cheese and crackers piled on top. Sop it up with some cornbread!! MmmMmm that's a hearty meal!!

[@delicate_genius]

Who exactly was looking down on them? Half the of the country was unemployed. Adding beans and other cheap fillers would have been widely accepted. People were buying chocolate bars because they were advertised as healthy meals.

[@0neDoomedSpaceMarine]

I enjoy the texture of the beans cooked all tender, that it helps doubling the amount of meals is just a bonus.

[@MeMe-Moi]

​@@delicate_genius you would be surprised at how judgemental poor people can be of other people in the same situation. Sort of the mentality of, "We are all in the same leaky canoe, but heaven forbid someone stop pretending that we are on a high class ocean liner." I grew up in a poor agricultural area and everyone knew how tight finances were for the whole community, but in public everyone set a good table and had sweets and "fancy crackers" and played pretend that everyone was better off than they were. It was a mark of shame to not have this stuff available for unexpected company, even if the family was living on beans and biscuits and oatmeal on a daily basis.

[@mwater_moon2865]

@@delicate_genius It's a Southern thing. When we moved from the Midwest down to the Deep South when I was 8 I could not believe the number of folks who thought there was something wrong with you if you used coupons, since I grew up with the mentality that if you got it "on sale" or with a coupon you bragged about it as a good deal. So it was weird to me when coupons went from a badge of honor to a mark of shame. My husband who was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta put it this way, "If you need a coupon to afford it you should just do without it." And he grew up poor enough that some weeks a pot of red beans and rice was dinner every day. Luckily after 20 years of marriage if he runs to the store he'll remember to use the coupons I've sorted, organized and set up with the list without blushing TOO hard.

[@MelangeToastCrunch]

Beans in chili aren’t just economically and ecologically sound, they’re vindicated by history! Thanks Max!

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

And if you make it extra economical you make it in a single pot and throw in anything you have around. Meat, chilies, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, whatever. If you can cook it together, you cook it.

[@MitchJohnson0110]

@@HappyBeezerStudios People use more than on pot to make chili?

[@94s75]

And garbage

[@Awwwsktskt]

Enjoy your pot of beans

[@cafelatte1124]

The texture of the beans just ruin the chili imo

[@clarabogard]

I was SO excited to see this as a Texan living in San Antonio. In terms of Texas Chili, my family puts beans in. Mine and my partner’s families also make white chili/ turkey chili. I promise you can make these well lol, I personally love my family’s version. Edit: also, a favorite childhood treat was Frito pie. For the uninitiated, that’s chili poured over fritos and topped with cheese

[@fedra76it]

Visualizing the Frito pie is making me drool.

[@isaaceiland-hall425]

Frito pie is best made with Wolf brand chili, and that's a hill I'll die on. lol. Chili, fritos, sour cream, cheddar cheese. Some people add onion, but I can't eat raw onion, so I don't. lol. Also, that said, I'll eat any frito pie that's tasty, don't get me wrong. But growing up for us it was Wolf brand chili, always. lol.

[@fedra76it]

@@isaaceiland-hall425 It sounds amazing!

[@GracieValenti1]

We had these as school lunch in grade school (Southern California) back in the 70's - called Pepperbellies, I think.

[@TheParadoxGamer1]

@@fedra76it it is and is so delicious

[@gregbrown4009]

As a proud Texan, I made pretty much this exact recipe as a soldier on a cold winter day in Berlin, Germany in 1986. Cornbread on the side, of course. The barracks smelled amazing and, for once, a bunch of solders were quiet with a full stomach. I love Texas Chile.

[@stephanpopp6210]

The Germans outside the barracks would hardly have recognized your chilli. It arrived in Germany in the middle of the Balkan grill fad, and it cross-bred with Serbian bean soup. So it's usually made with minced meat, beans and tomato sauce, and people often add capsicum and canned corn. A friend of mine swears on his addition of a pint of brown beer. It's very popular at student parties, affordable and filling as it is. Our university canteen offered a vegetarian version with everything above except the meat.

[@jmrm9812]

Never forget

[@lanneren]

As a Texan, I loved this episode. Bring back the chili queens!

[@Lupine.]

Sounds like another Charles Barkley joke.

[@cgourin]

Being French I got no beef in the controversy but beans do seem like a natural addition to make it if anything else cheaper, better balanced, rice, potatoes, pasta, mushrooms could do but the color and meatiness of beans seems to me a perfect match.

[@badbeachparty]

@@cgourin some texans dont like adding beans cause chili con carne with ground beef (common in San Antonio cause cheap) is added as a topper to things like tamales, enchiladas, etc. and then there are beans on the side (charro, refried, etc). If I am making standalone chili and cornbread, I add beans, but not if im making chili con carne for enchiladas or christmas (which is usually for tamales!) but I am also a white girl from San Antonio so I could be wrong :) there are definitely people more cultured in the bean vs no bean debate. I love both!

[@cgourin]

@@badbeachparty I just believe in the universal template for stews: brown onions, add local spices, add local meat, add local veggies, add local liquid (water, broth, wine, beer), forget about it until it smells to good to wait more, server with starch, re-heat next day.

[@antiisocial]

Yes please

[@arienrhod4166]

I am a displaced Texan. My Texas chili is similar to this recipe but I add a can of tomato purée, cumin, and a couple diced jalapeños. NO BEANS. No one here in North Carolina understands that this is true chili.

[@nessuno9945]

I am firmly in the 'beans in my chili, please!' camp. Max, the way to get the best from dry flavorings like chili powder, cumin, oregano etc. is to always cook them a little in the fat of your pan, then add the liquid. I learned that from watching Indian cooks make curries. Definitely makes a difference to the flavor.

[@MsLeenite]

Yes, curry seasonings need to be cooked with some fat, to mellow out the sharp rawness. Or at least, blended with a source of fat and allowed to mingle for awhile, as when adding a curry powder to mayonnaise to make a dip, or curried chicken salad.

[@guyanomaly]

I’m a chili-with-beans truther, but I think chili, like any good stew, is best made with whatever the hell you have in your pantry. My parents always made it with rice, which is sacrilegious to some, but my mom grew up in SE Asia, so rice was a stew necessity for her. I think the many variants of chili are inescapable and beautiful.

[@Orthodoxyandlife]

I grew up eating chili with rice all the time and I still do! My family is Chinese/Hawaiian, so rice is eaten with everything. Chili with rice. Meatloaf with rice on the side. Fried bologna and rice. Canned corned beef and rice...etc

[@hufflepunkslitherclaw7436]

My mom always threw her chili on top of rice, made it more palatable for us kids and bulked it up. We are Ukranian/Canadian so I don't think we really have an excuse for it

[@pietrayday9915]

Agreed completely - and speaking of the comparison to stew, I agree with what the man said in the video about chili being like any good stew in that it always tastes even better given a few hours of rest for the flavors to integrate and combine! I love chili on rice and on pasta, chili with tomatoes, beans, corn, salsa, peppers, and whatever is available. I've never had any problem with chili made from beef, sausage, turkey, or venison, and I dare say I could eat chili made from just about any meat I'd be willing to eat outside of chili, and probably quite a few kinds of meat I probably wouldn't eat without the benefit of being disguised by a spicy chili! I discovered that I could dress up otherwise bland canned chili by adding some salsa and spices, pouring it into a baking dish, topping it with cornbread batter, and baking it in the oven, and that it works just as well to heat chili in a crock pot with a layer of cornbread batter on top to "bake" the cornbread that way. Crackers and buttermilk biscuits and Texas toast with garlic butter go great in chili. When I finally had a chance to try curry later in life, I immediately compared it to chili, and love curry as a chili alternative. Goulash seems to me like the ancestor of the chili-mac thing, as a sort of paprika-heavy variant on the chili theme with pasta and tomatoes and mushrooms, and I love goulash, too. Cincinnati chili is wonderful stuff, a great comfort food - I'm lucky I can easily find it where I live now. It all seems to work for me, though I've never had a chance to try those niche green and white chilis! Some day I'll get around to trying those, too.

[@mas5949]

This may sound weird, but I also enjoy chili with beans on rice and spaghetti noodles. It's a hearty filling meal.

[@jackm4714]

Hawaiian here, but now Texan. I grew up eating chili with rice, always will❤

[@MarcelloTheBandit]

As a man with a TexMex mother and a Hawaiian father, I love watching the infighting in the chili world. As a young chunk, my bowl of chili ended up with a slice of cornbread, sliced hot dog or spicy sausage, sticky white rice, and of course beans. Pinto and Kidney normally. 😂 She also makes it with tomatoes.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

In the end what matters is that it tastes good and is filling. Mix and match whatever tradition together to create the one chili that is right for you.

[@nosferatu2]

@@HappyBeezerStudiosyeah I put breast milk tapioca pearls in my chili

[@Frame_Late]

​@@nosferatu2lmao

[@ochervelvet9687]

I spent 6 months in Hawaii a long time ago. I got a little addicted to Zippy’s chili rice. 😅

[@DanzaFantasma]

Chili and sticky white rice is such a goated combo

[@shannoncraig509]

Such a good exploration of my favorite dish. Thank you :)

[@jamesturner3709]

NPR posted a Chili Queen Chili Recipe in 2004 that is quite good. I have made it a few times. It was passed on from one of the family members of a chili queen. It’s a lot more involved though you need to make the chili powder from scratch and toast the peppers and seeds. It is still online in case anyone wants to try it. It tastes a lot like Wolf’s Chili to me.

[@harmomeme]

Chili just feels like one of those dishes that is really just whatever you have on hand and less of a specific recipe

[@jaredwright5644]

Like any other stew-like recipe since the beginning of cookery, yeah. Spot on.

[@mytimetravellingdog]

If you want good chili you have a specific recipe. To make the best chili and make it consistent I realised I had to actually measure spices and stuff. Makes a huge difference.

[@YoungGirlz8463]

this

[@harmomeme]

@@mytimetravellingdog whats your favorite chili recipe?

[@kd1841]

My favorite has a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder in it as well as the chili powders. I never measure the chili powders tho, I just adjust it till I like the flavor. That may frustrate some, but my family has always enjoyed my chili, even when the ingredients evolve. Mmmmmmm😋

[@FoxDragon]

My husband's family (Hispanic) has an old family recipe passed down through generations for 'salsa' that is basically ground beef, garlic and onions cooked for several hours in a mix of tomato sauce and tomato paste, with a few good tablespoons (depending on personal preference) of (and this is very specific and important) red New Mexico hatch chili powder. It's generally served over potatoes or rice and I strongly suspect it is an old version of chili.

[@jlshel42]

It sounds really good either way.

[@danielludwig647]

That sounds delicious

[@71lizgoeshardt]

That sounds delicious !

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

NM Chiles are one redeeming factor to the place

[@KidCorporate]

@@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger It's true, I live in NM and call it "Afghanistan with better food."

[@SnorVogel]

I love how this guy is just doing what he likes while teaching things in the process, also love the pokemon decorations

[@elissamanor8599]

Cincinnati chili actually has more in common with Eastern Mediterranean meat stew because it was developed by Macedonian immigrants, the Kiradjieff brothers. They just used the name chili because it was something that Americans recognized. All the chili parlors in the Cincinnati area can trace back to the Greek and Macedonian immigrants that would get jobs at Empress before starting their own shops. You should do a episode about it sometime. It's a fascinating story.

[@LadyAryun]

I absolutely would love to see him do a genuine Greek Chili recipe! The real stuff is so delicious and I always get so upset people get nasty and call it an 'affront to god' and yet, they've never had it because they're scared. The good stuff, like Dixie, Empress, and Camp Washington will /always/ trump the mainstream places like Skyline that try to 'westernize' it and make it spicy hot. It doesn't need to be hot. It's fantastic as is.

[@chrispramas2288]

I'm a Greek-American who grew up in New England. The first time I had Cincinnati chili, I said, "Wait a minute, this tastes like my mom's spaghetti sauce!"

[@carolnartker]

I grew up in Cincinnati & love Cincinnati chili❤️Would love to see an episode on it Max!

[@elissamanor8599]

When my cousin was stationed overseas with the Airforce, my mom and I used to send him care packages with Cincinnati chili seasoning packets in them. He told us that was the thing he look forward to the most when he would see a box with our address on the return label.

[@harveywallbanger3123]

Ya, Cincinnati chili is really a sweet/tangy Greek meat sauce meant to top other things, usually spaghetti and hot dogs. It is sweet, tangy & ground to a fine consistency (like hot dog sauce) for easy application. Mexican chili con carne is too chunky and spicy to use the same way and the spice profile is different.

[@Gibbstronic]

Texas history is so great because of all the ethnicities that come into play. We have Mexican, Spanish, French, German, Irish, Native American and so much more. They come together to create a unique blend of cultures that is uniquely Texan.

[@dallasalice1346]

Czech too. Don’t forget the Kolaches!

[@HenriFaust]

@@dallasalice1346 Yes, there are kolache shops everywhere.

[@victorkreig6089]

You forgot english, a LOT of people from the english descended regions of new england came down to tehas when they declared independence and even moreso after it gained statehood

[@ernestsmith3581]

​@@victorkreig6089 Even before independence. Many of Green Dewitt's colonists were from New York (as was he).

[@Amy_the_Lizard]

​@@victorkreig6089 Yeah, my family's mostly English descent, except for my maternal great-grandfather, who was Irish and came to escape the Potato Famine, and my great-great-grandmother, who was Native American (one of the Eastern tribes, not local. Her family snuck off the boat taking them to a reservation in Oklahoma when it was passing through Louisiana, where they stayed for a while before eventually moving to Texas)

[@CLabmusic]

I got my mom your book for mother's day and she loves it! We bonded over sharing your videos when the pandemic had us all glued to the internet. I wanted to thank you for getting us through it and making such great content!

[@hillsmanjackson6318]

Hi Max, it is cold here in Dallas so to inaugurate my Staub Dutch oven, I decided to give your/Gebhardt’s chili recipe a spin. As a photographer that use to shoot film and sometimes would venture into non silver printing processes, it is a rule that the fewer the chemicals the more archival the print would be. A chili with seven ingredients is right up my alley. Thank you sir.

[@RockMongler]

Texan here. I put beans in my chili because it's a good filler, and makes it easier to feed more people on the cheap. I've also won local chili competitions with my recipe. Sure, I get crap for it, but what matters more than beans or no beans, is "Is it tasty?" To which the answer is definitely "Yes."

[@Domidious12]

Exactly!

[@savannahwise7058]

I'm a Texan, but also a broke college student. I put beans into my chili so that I can stretch out my dishes for a few more servings!

[@WobblesandBean]

I'll never understand why southern people are so damn stuffy about their food. I make great biscuits and gravy, but I don't make my biscuits "southern style", so I get way too much crap for it when I made it for people from the south. Same goes for beans in chili. Is it chili? Yes. Is it made in Texas? Yes. Boom, texan chili.

[@gloriouslumi]

Same here. As a native Texan of four decades, I 100% put beans in my chili. We do have some pretty snobby traditionalists, and yet any time I ask them to justify not adding beans, the best they can muster is "that's not how it's done". Sorry, buddy, but using what you have on hand to feed your family is pure Texan, through and through. Add in the fact that beans are delicious, cheap, shelf-stable, and filling, and you've got yourself a pot of pure gold, Texas C.

[@ProfessorYana]

To paraphrase the late, great Duke Ellington: "If it tastes good, it *IS* good!"

[@melmatthew4472]

I’m so glad I found this channel, ever since I watched my first video I’ve been hooked by all of the fun and exciting recipes you make and the historical contexts behind them! Keep up the good work!

[@TastingHistory]

Thanks Mel!

[@AGMundy]

I agree. I came across Tasting History back in 2021 and have watched every one since and numerous ones more than once. Ketchup with Max & Jose is also enjoyable. Max is a natural broadcaster as well being as more than a few have said "a Disney Prince". He deserves his success, and I for one am more than happy to be one of his Patreons.

[@Pygar2]

@@TastingHistory Max, you startled me. It's amazing how much "cumin" sounds like "human"!

[@mizar010]

I'm from Texas and I will admit I will put beans in my chili if I need to bulk the chili up at the last minute. That being said, this recipe is basically the same as the one I use to make chili.

[@dallasalice1346]

Same. I actually like beans in chili. I also like to use Shiner instead of water and serve over Fritos, topping with cheese and chopped fresh onions.

[@RandomDudeOne]

I like the contrast in the textures between the beans and meat.

[@Director_Orson_Krennic]

@@dallasalice1346 holy shit that sounds delicious. Never a drought in Shiner

[@chanceDdog2009]

​@dallasalice1346 long time Texan here. Beans are addition poor people add.. I grew up poor and arguably still am. . Sometimes our chill was nothing but beans with Chilli powder and spices. Delicious.

[@WobblesandBean]

@@dallasalice1346 I feel dumb for asking, but what's shiner?

[@gordonhi5032]

I absolutely love this channel! What this dish reminds me of (I`m german) is the so called "Gulasch". SInce I was a kid my mum used to cook this for us. She said its a Hungarian dish. It is cooked nearly the same way, but its totally european. (I study History and languages for my own since i am a kid, i spend a year at a universaty studying japanese and history. (lack of money stopped it and i went to the army 😅 ) i am more than happy to see someone as interested in nearly everything, as i am! (i cook for fun and managed to work in berlins more fancy french and south german restaurants) Your skill comes from dedication and love! keep on max! you are awesome! Greetings from abroad, Gordo

[@JustJimWillDo]

As an Australian sailor on secondment to Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, Tx, I was invited to be a guest judge at the Buffalo Lodge annual chilli cook-off. What an eye-opener!

[@cammobunker]

Likely cleared the sinuses out at the same time too. It's not a good bowl of chili if you don't have to stop and blow your nose at least once.

[@lindastansbury2067]

I'm a native Texan and a devoted fan of yours. You were spot on with this episode and you stole my heart when you said you normally eat cornbread with your chili. (Truth be told, you've had it since I discovered Tasting History a couple of years ago.)

[@enjolireyes643]

This is the history of San Antonio I have wanted to hear about. I love the city but hadn’t gotten a chance to dive into it’s history. You have given me the push I needed!

[@psycher7]

So true about the next day. I found an easy slow cooker recipe that I used to make my chili, and while I liked the taste the first time I made it, I found the kick to be a little lacking. So the second time I made it I upped the cayenne, along with some Ancho chilies (not so much for the heat but to add a really nice bit of smoky sweetness to the flavor profile). One of the better things I've made, really proud of that one. And it really does just get better the further you get into the pot and the more the ingredients melt together.

[@NagaTales]

I grew up on thick and hearty red bean chili. Practically 50/50 ground beef and beans, a few bite-sized chunks of tomato, and a generous helping, of course, of chili powder to taste, then sprinkled over lightly with shredded cheese. Served with either buttered cornbread (or buttered plain bread if pressed for time), and it made a lot of cold winter nights quite a bit warmer.

[@Zzyzzyzzs]

Living in Australia, my default chili is made with kangaroo mince with added chunks of suet fat or lard (rounds off the flavour and it sorta needs it as roo is very lean). The gaminess of roo is such an improvement on the insipid, industrial beef we get. I also have a lot of fun experimenting with all the imported dried Mexican chilies. Staples are ancho, chipotle, pasilla and mulatto, but I really love playing around with moritas, cascabels, guajillos and even non-Mexican varieties like Peruvian aji panca. My latest hack has been meco chilies, which are basically double-smoked chipotles. They add so much smokiness. Then sweetened with maple syrup, dark soy sauce for salt and savouriness, a good slug of whiskey and, yes, beans for bulk and balance (I'm honestly surprised this is such a controversial issue; beans add so much character and they're a classic poverty food. Anyone who has a problem with beans in chili is likely the 1800s equivalent of an out-of-touch upper-classer who can't understand why the poors can't just cook more meat if they're hungry).

[@MrGeorge514131]

Yes our beef is not what it was because quality is exported , Roo and Wallaby are underrated without doubt. For deeper flavour profiles I add lamb or mutton to stews or braises .

[@niall_sanderson]

Kangaroo chili isn’t something I’d ever considered, but that does sound real nice. Is adding extra fat to kangaroo meat dishes done often?

[@MrGeorge514131]

@@niall_sanderson it depends on what you’re making but generally yes. I love using Roo tail which like ox tail when done long and slow produces deep rich flavours,

[@vectorwolf]

Ancho, pasilla, and guajillo are bar none my favorite chilis, you have fine taste, ser.

[@thedirtprincess3293]

@@MrGeorge514131 what is the flavor like? I didnt know people ate kangaroo or wallaby. Is it a red meat? Heavy like cattle? In the early 20th century poor people ate all kinds of fur bearing critters (in the Appalachians anyway) but people have gotten away from that here.

[@mariannetalbot9384]

The absolute best part of any episode is Max's facial expressions when he takes that first bite!! 😍😍

[@BigT2664]

This is my favorite episode. I've been in San Antonio, and I had the fortune to go to a chili cook-off... Amazing!

[@3dflux]

This San Antonian salutes your bravery! Haha. I prefer beanless chili myself, but have no dogma about it. Also, your mention of the Canary Islanders, Gebhardt, and the Phoenix Saloon (New Braunfels) was wonderful! Thanks for telling some of our culinary history!

[@bluedingo1186]

Native San Antonian! I've never had any issue with beans in chili. My mom actually used to add kidney beans to hers and we all loved it. While Gebhardt is definitely a tried and true chili powder, the go-to for a lot of us here in the south central Texas area is Bolner's Fiesta Brand. They have a wide range of seasoning blends, which I'm pretty sure includes a chili spice blend. Max, it is so awesome to see you do a video on the history of food from my hometown! Living there and going through everyday life, it is so easy to forget that San Antonio has such a strong link to the Wild West, and such a vibrant and old food culture. Last month, the entire city celebrated Fiesta. It is a week-long celebration with events all over the city, and each major event seems to revolve around food. I'm not asking for a video on the history of Fiesta (but it would be really cool tbh) but I highly recommend you check it out!

[@NotUlpoadingAnything]

The fat from the lard and tallow probably helped combat the heat from the spice because fat coats the capsaicin and makes it easier to handle. Food Theory has done a few episodes about testing which foods work best to combat spice heat.

[@bananawitchcraft]

He also took only one bite before judging the hotness. Cardinal mistake IMO, the spiciness gets worse as you eat more, due to having a cumulative effect.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Which is also why milk, oil and bread are things you see at chilli eating contests. Oil and things that can soak the heat.

[@joyfulinhope1210]

Lard was also just commonly used for cooking and frying. It’s not like they had Pam cooking spray on the chuckwagon.

[@JohnClark-tt2bl]

It's why whole milk works better to stop the burn, rather than something like 2%.

[@joanbeaudry8371]

So the story I read said chill came from the cattle drives of the 19th century. The cowboys would drive there stars from Texas to the markets in the east. The cook would slaughter a steer to feed them. If the beef became fragrant, ie. (rotten) the cook would add chili pepper to make it more palitable. If they were coming to the the end of the cattle drive the cook might add beans to the chili to extend the food so they would not have to slaughter an other stear.

[@chuckt4558]

Absolutely loved that you threw in the insanity pepper reference :D. Really enjoying your videos, thanks for creating them.

[@nathangamble125]

The density of Vitamin C in chilli is actually about 3 times the amount in oranges and lemons; and even bell peppers have about 50% more vitamin C than citrus. The stereotypical vitamin C source can't stand up to peppers. This is very surprising to me, but great to know. Thanks, Max!

[@andreffrosa]

Although that is true, vitamin C is destroyed by heat so, in order for you to benefit from that, you should eat the peppers raw

[@Муня-ж7з]

@@andreffrosa in Ukraine we do this by chopping peppers in salad foods together with tomatoes and onions

[@Ghosts_in_the_Attic]

​@@andreffrosait's not entirely gone. Some remains, and when the amount is as high as it is, you are still able to get a decent amount.

[@jessicazaytsoff1494]

​@@Муня-ж7зwhich is delicious!

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@Муня-ж7з peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, some white cheese. Now that is a tasty salad.

[@asmodiusjones9563]

Love this episode! My great-grandfather was Tejano, and had a Mexican-style restaurant in his small border town Texas. My grandfather then also had a restaurant when he moved to the west coast in the late 50s. They served a chili con carne very similar to this. Although this dish is related to American chili, it’s only distantly. When people talk about beans or no beans, it’s not this kind of chili, that’s American chili, which is more stew-like. This Mexican chili con carne is almost always served with beans, so it wouldn’t make sense to also put them in the sauce.

[@iggysmice3087]

I'm a fan of the German guy who ran a chili restaurant/alligator pit. What a combination! They really did just let business owners do Whatever back in the day!

[@FoodNerds]

Only in Texas!

[@miguelserna793]

The Phoenix is still there. In New Braunfels, downtown by the roundabout. Still serves original recipe chili (with or without beans) and it’s damn good!!! No alligator pit in the back anymore but the bar is nice and I recommend the chili.

[@airgunfun4248]

As it should be

[@ilznidiotic]

He was also the first saloon operator in TX to serve women.

[@OfficeMusic]

My family is from Mexico City but my great grandmothers were from Guanajuato. They were born around early 1900s about the time of the mexican revolution and this recipe. They prepared a dish similar but with chiles that were dried, then pureed, then strained, to make the paste. This dish is 1000% Mexican dating back centuries PD...we use pork PDD...we cook them with potatoes and then add refried beans after.

[@lelandunruh7896]

I have an old cookbook in which one recipe is essentially this (it even mentions Gebhardt's) but says you can used cubes of beef or coarsely ground beef. It also calls for cumin. If it is too fatty or loose for your tastes, it says to take some fat out and make a slurry with some masa harina, then stir it back in. I'm a big fan of the flavor and thickness added by that last step.

[@tabbieedwards4195]

If you don't have any masa on hand I've ground up tortillas in a pinch in a blender and it works as well.

[@lelandunruh7896]

@@tabbieedwards4195 Haha, that's actually quite clever!

[@deniselongino6769]

Growing up we always kept a bag of masa harina in the freezer for our chili!

[@sportytone1]

You should try Frito Pie, a Texas concoction served at high-school football games. It's Fritos, chili, diced onion & cheese served in the Frito's package. It works in a bowl, too.

[@montymccoy5336]

❤ oh yeah next to corn bread

[@zach446]

we call that a walking taco up north

[@amstrad00]

My understanding is a Frito Pie is more traditionally served in a dish, but can be served in the Frito Package. As already mentioned the idea has spread to other parts of the country and is often called a Walking Taco.

[@nautifella]

We call that _"Pepper Belly."_ It has been the favorite dish served at all the little league and Junior All American Football games since the 70s.

[@KvltKommando]

@@amstrad00 they called it a frito boat at my school on the west coast back in the mid 90's. What drives me nuts is that I can't remember if it had any beans or not. It was served in a paper side dish container like you'd have for fries or a hot dog or something.

[@bennett8535]

My Tejano family hails from a small border town. They make chili without beans, but eat it on white rice (soaks up the yummy gravy and makes it less oily overall) with a bit of diced onion atop. Simple and delicious. As a full meal, there will be frijoles de olla, pico de gallo, and flour tortillas. All homemade of course.

[@pietrayday9915]

Sounds fantastic! I love chili on rice, and that combination from the full meal sounds great! Most of the Mexican restaurants I've been to here in the midwest USA serve carne asada, a sort of fried spicy steak meal that reminds me a lot of the chili recipe in this video... they serve it usually with rice, spicy black beans or refried pintos, flour tortillas, pico de gallo, and maybe a little shredded cheddar, sour cream, and/or guacamole... it sounds like much the same arrangement isn't unusual for this sort of chili!

[@86eastbay]

I made a recipe from NPR that has you cube meat and then coat it in flour. Also, you pulverize about 5-6 dried Pasillas and something else 🤔. The flour thickens the chili snd it’s definitely very similar to building say, Jambalaya. I used beef and pork and it was quite delicious

[@mil_enrama]

When I was learning the Nahuatl language, my instructor taught us that in Mexico, the indigenous Nahua people make a dish called chiltlacualli ("cheel-tla-kwal-lee"), which means "a dish of chillis". It's the same as Texan chilli: you stew meat in fat with hot chillis, except that they use pork or chicken instead of beef. He taught us that this dish is prepared and served by the elderly men at festivals and gatherings.

[@richardmh1987]

Cows, pigs and chickens were brought to Mexico with the arrival of the spanish, prior to 1521 the only meat they would be using would have been turkey (guajolote)

[@b.elzebub9252]

@@richardmh1987 hmm.. I'm sure they'd have a few more options that just Turkey though.

[@richardmh1987]

@@b.elzebub9252 yes, the did, insects, other poultry like ducks and some quails, some deers and a variety of fish. However, the base of mesoamerican cuisine was corn. Once the spanish brought chikens, pigs and cows they were incorporated into local cuisine but that was after 1521

[@janelkeim414]

I had no idea how incomplete my life was before I learned about the Chili Queens of San Antonio. I'm so happy now.

[@brgorham68]

So glad you mentioned Cincinnati style chili. It's one of my favorites. I'm not sure if its origins are old enough to be considered history, but its background and unique flavor might make for a good video.

[@LowRidingHobbit]

Cincinnati chili dates back to the 1920's, and has nothing to do with chili con carne aside from the name. Dan Woellert (a food historian who's focus is on Cincinnati cuisine) wrote an excellent book on the subject, as well as many articles. I think it would make a great tasting history episode as it highlights to immigrant experience in the US and is a very misunderstood subject (like with people thinking it contains chocolate).

[@kkattrap]

Yep, if Max wants another simple to make dish the Hungarian / Eastern Europe roots of Cincinnati Chili would be a good one. I grew up with Tony Packos chili hot dogs and only recently learned about Cincinnati Chili.

[@brgorham68]

@@LowRidingHobbit Thanks. I knew it had Eastern European roots. You can definitely tell from the taste and I know the Skyline founder was Greek. But yeah, any story involving immigration is very interesting. The impact to an area lasts for many decades. Cincinnati for example has the second largest Oktoberfest in the world because of all the German immigrants that settled there in the city's early years.

[@jamesmancuso3666]

Born and raised in Southeast Texas and I use beans!! Pinto to be specific and rice or cornbread is a must.

[@Kat_3219]

My mother's family is Texan, and every December we go to the Family Christmas Party on Port Arthur, and the family has a chili contest. Entrants will bring their own chili recipes, which is them voted on by the family members. All the recipes have beans (usually red/kidney beans); it's one of the few consistent features of them. Edit: Though, the older generations were fairly poor, so that might be why we use beans in chili...

[@bubblesarusland6568]

I grew up in South Texas, and my dad was born and raised in San Antonio. We always put pinto beans in our chili. We also eat it with tortilla chips. The first time I saw it with corn, I was so offended 😂.

[@michellehainze3345]

Same here, I am from Austin and a multi generational Texan on both sides. We would never replace our pintos with red beans or corn. Plain tortilla chips are best for chili eating.

[@RLKmedic0315]

A good friend of mine once entered into a "Hot Chili cookoff". And he was disqualified. They told him his chili was too spicy. Yeah... his chili was too spicy for a spicy chili contest. He wears that disqualification proudly.

[@ffwast]

"Can you get that to me in writing? I'd like to frame it."

[@johnedward-yk6rt]

🥵

[@THE-Ayala5090]

This recipe was on point and has become a family favorite. Thank you so much for your research and hard work

[@purelife9000]

I grew up dirt poor in Texas and mom always made chili WITH beans and I still do to this day...and yes, hot buttered cornbread is a must (unless you have Saltines at hand)!

[@UwU-ms8fq]

Or Fritos or Tortilla chips

[@kd1841]

I loved this video! I am Texan and grew up on my Grandma's chili with no beans. However, my mother sometimes put pinto beans in the chili. I serve it with Bolita or Anasazi beans about 50% of the time when I remember to plan ahead and soak some beans or have a can of Ranch Style Beans handy. I make my own chili powder blends because the premixed blends tend to have things I can't tolerate. In my opinion a great Chili should always have some Ancho chilis in it to provide depth in the chili profile. I do usually add some tomatoes but I will try this recipe with none to see how I like it. Thanks Max!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@jessicas.8776]

My mom, 80, still insists Gebhardt's is THE chili powder to use. Over time I learned it is not very spicy, and that is probably why she sticks with it. :)

[@pwnd1138]

I made this recipe today because I wanted to try it out. My dad's from San Antonio, so it was a nice way to connect with my roots. It has a nice flavor and aroma, it reminds me of a local chili brand called XLNT which has a similar smell. It made great tacos, I used thick flour tortillas which is more traditional Texmex. Overall it was very simple and easy to make. I simmered mine for a about an hour and a half without the lid then I put the lid on and put on low heat just to keep it hot until dinner time. The meat was nice and tender without falling apart, it was very greasy but not nauseatingly so. I was really surprised how thick the sauce became without any thickeners like flour or starch. It's definitely going to become a new dish in the rotation for the family. Great video and wonderful recipe, and a big thumbs up for creating something that connects with my San Antonio roots.

[@28meerak]

I never clicked on a Max Miller video faster. As a proud San Antonian, nothing brings me more joy than watching our city's history. Especially food!

[@goldengnome1951]

Apologies if anyone mentioned this already, but this video made my heart sing! Of couse, proud Texan here, but I love learning about the history of our food. If you haven't, I'd recommend The Tex Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes an Photos - a book by Robb Walsh (also an amazing historian of food and cooking!) He has so many good ones, but such a fun read.. and don't come after me, but I do like beans in my chili. Shhh...

[@firghteningtruth7173]

The audacity! 🤣 Texan here, I joke. Do whatever you like. But if we meet in public, I will give you a swift "NO BEANS!" 🤣🤣 Same as I mess with our OU brothers up north. If you got a flat tire, I still got you. But I'll complain about your bumper stickers in various and more creative ways. 🤣 Do whatever works for you. 😉

[@goldengnome1951]

@@firghteningtruth7173 🤣 as with most things- blame MOM. she came from Indiana by way of California (I know). So, her chili wasn't "authentic" by any means, but that's what I was brought up eating. Kidney beans! Horrifying.

[@mobus1603]

@@goldengnome1951Beans are a huge staple in Mexico and originally came from South and Central America and moved their way into North America, so this idea that beans are a Yankee addition to chili is utterly ridiculous.

[@goldengnome1951]

@@mobus1603 One yankee did it my house.. don't know where the hell she got her ideas. You seriously want to argue about beans? we were joking about beans. then the holier than though "bean educator" came in.🙄

[@roarkesq]

ditto re Walsh's book

[@IndridCool54]

I’m an old dude and a native of Tucson, Az. I consider myself an aficionado of Sonoran style Chili Colorado. The best I ever had came from older Mexican ladies who I would definitely consider Chili Queens! A bowl and a couple big thin Sonoran flour tortillas… oh, and a cold beer! 😋

[@kdevon4736]

Chili Colorado in a warm flour tortilla with a few pickled red onions... Delicious!!

[@Warrior_By_birth]

Grew up in Chile Colorado with a a side of beans and fresh home made flour tortillas. The beans were in the side and you eat it grabbing a little meat with some beans.

[@voidlight6006]

Sonora gang represent 🌵

[@stinkyfungus]

Talk to me. Sounds GREAT Please tell me those old Mexican ladies made those flour tortillas right... with lard... Right? 🤤

[@ArchArturo]

Native Sonoran here (Hermosillo), a burro de Carne con Chile is a must when it’s a weekend/after work/during work (I’m an architect, so I can sneak some food at job sites every now and then)/lunch/hangover breakfast.

[@chazymotto126]

I felt that when you said your mom used to pass off turkey chili as beef. My mom fed us fish sticks for many years and told us they were chicken fingers. I haven't had fish since.

[@okiedokieartichokie772]

Texan here. I was 33 before i ever tasted "cow chili" because in east texas most everyone is a deer hunter so every potluck had 13 different versions of "deer chilli". Mom made it with venison, red kidney beans, the fires of hell, and chilipowder. And she wonders why the whole family has acid reflux. Though she swears it was Alamo False Alarm chilli power. Personally....i just make wolf brand mild no beans and call it a day if im not feeding it to anyone else.

[@kantemirovskaya1lightninga30]

Max, thank you... I knew you are the type to listen to random folks at book signings, the mall or the bar! You know just when a story needs to be told and "shared" !

[@jscanlan22]

“Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cook-off. The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge’s table, asking for directions to the Coors Light truck, when the call came in… I was assured by the other two judges (Native New Mexicans) that the chili wouldn’t be all that spicy; and, besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted and became Judge 3.” Here are the scorecard notes from the event: CHILI # 1 - MIKE’S MANIAC MONSTER CHILI Judge # 1 - A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick. Judge # 2 - Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild. Judge # 3 (Frank) - Holy crap, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put the flames out. I hope that’s the worst one. These New Mexicans are crazy. CHILI # 2 - EL RANCHO’S AFTERBURNER CHILI Judge # 1 - Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang. Judge # 2 - Exciting BBQflavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously. Judge # 3 - Keep this out of the reach of children. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face. CHILI # 3 - ALFREDO’S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI Judge # 1 - Excellent firehouse chili. Great kick. Judge # 2 - A bit salty, good use of peppers. Judge # 3 - Call the EPA. I’ve located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Get me more beer before I ignite. Barmaid pounded me on the back, now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I’m getting red-faced from all of the beer. CHILI # 4=2 0- BUBBA’S BLACK MAGIC Judge # 1 - Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing. Judge # 2 - Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili. Judge # 3 - I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Is it possible to burn out taste buds? Sally, the beer maid, was standing behind me with fresh refills. This 300 lb. Woman is starting to look HOT … Just like this nuclear waste I’m eating! Is chili an aphrodisiac? CHILI # 5 - LISA’S LEGAL LIP REMOVER Judge # 1 - Meaty, strong chili. Jalapeno peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive. Judge # 2 - Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit the jalapeno peppers make a strong statement. Judge # 3 - My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can no longer focus my eyes. I farted, and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly on it from the pitcher. I wonder if I’m burning my lips off. It really ticks me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. CHILI # 6 - VARGA’S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY Judge # 1 - Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spices and peppers. Judge # 2 - The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, garlic. Superb. Judge # 3 - My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames. I crapped on myself when I farted, and I’m worried it will eat through the chair. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that Sally. Can’t feel my lips anymore. I need to wipe my butt with a snow cone. CHILI # 7 - SUSAN’S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI Judge # 1 - A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers. Judge # 2 - Ho hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment **I should take note that I am worried about Judge # 3. He appears to be in a bit of distress as he is cursing uncontrollably. Judge # 3 - You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn’t feel a thing. I’ve lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. At least during the autopsy, they’ll know what killed me. I’ve decided to stop breathing. It’s too painful. I’m not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I’ll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach. CHILI # 8 - BIG TOM’S TOENAIL CURLING CHILI Judge # 1 - The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili. Not too bold but spicy enough to declare its existence. Judge # 2 - This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge # 3 farted, passed out, fell over and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he’s going to make it. Poor fella, wonder how he’d have reacted to really hot chili? Judge # 3 - No report.

[@DamonNomad82]

Nice! Aside from the great humor of the account, Judge #3's biggest mistake was using beer as an accompaniment for the chili, as anything containing alcohol or carbonation, let alone both, will simply increase the burn of spicy foods. A shot glass of plain lemon or lime juice, a spoonful of sour cream, and a bite of raw bell pepper (taken in turn to counter excessive spice), along with plenty of plain ice water (as a palate cleanser after the remedy or for actual thirst, not to counter spice burn) are a much better "kit" for a judge at a chili contest to have.

[@aarongonzalez7482]

hahahaha

[@rhondawileman1466]

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 Best comment ever!!! Lol! Thanks...I needed that laugh! Had a terrible day today and is nice to end my day with a good laugh. Best of health to you and everyone else in the comments and your loved ones. ✌🏻🙋🏼‍♀️🤘🏻💙🤗👍🏻

[@Corsair721]

This is pure comedy gold! Thank you sir for making me laugh like a man possesed at work

[@nairsheasterling9457]

Certified Boomer Moment

[@grantbreazeale4432]

I have lived in Texas literally my entire life, I live an hour from Dallas, beans in chili are fine

[@kiki0girlify]

Beans were good for “padding” the stew back when meat was expensive/ scarce. It’s possible that the Texans had two types of recipes? Maybe one for winter (when there’s a lack of game so they included beans) and one for summer

[@andreasfjellborg1810]

Probably the other way around, easier to keep meat in the winter but way harder in the summer so make more sense to eat it while it's fresh.

[@Laticia1990]

Like the succotash recipes Townsends covered. They had a winter and summer version.

[@Objective-Observer]

I've never heard a native Texan fuss about beans in the chili. And that is holding true in these comments.

[@asmodiusjones9563]

The two types of recipes were between Hispanic Tejano Texans, who had been Mexican citizens before the US expanded its border, and Anglo (white) Texans who came at that time. Tejano Texans would have beans and corn tortillas as their main staple, so this chili was like a side or add-on to the normal beans and tortilla meal. Anglo Texans moved chili to be more stew-like and like a whole meal rather than a dish, more consistent with Anglo cuisine, and put the beans in the chili. As Max hinted at, the Chili Queens were Hispanic Tejanos which the upper crust of San Antonio (Anglo) pushed out from public space.

[@markuskaranthus7182]

Beans are just good, fullstop.

[@elisodrakulia]

Mexican here!!! The origin is definitely Mexican, you have sooo many variation of carne con Chile y chile con carne all the way around Mexico ( and Latin America), but it is a fact that Texans made it their own and is an style on its own Texan carne con Chile, thanks for the recipe!! Something to try here at the south of our neighbors

[@richardmh1987]

What are you talking about? That thing is definitely from US. It looks like some one tried to make Cochinita Pibil or Frijoles Charros and didn´t really know how to do them.

[@b.elzebub9252]

Pretty sure this dish was around before the Europeans ever set food in the Americas. So claiming the origin as 'Mexican' is a little disingenuous..

[@isaaceiland-hall425]

From everything I've read (which I read before watching this video), it seems to me the dish evolved over time. It has roots with indigenous Americans, but evolved with the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico and with the Americans in Texas and elsewhere. From other sources, nobody's sure exactly where various versions come from, although it seems that San Antonio is important to the story. But it seems like it was a dish that evolved as different people made it in different places. I would personally celebrate chili as being largely a credit to the influences of Mexico and Texas, both. I also put serious doubt on anyone who believes they can say "definitely" as to pretty much any part of the origin of the dish. But maybe you're smarter than all the sources I've read thus far on the subject. I don't mean that as sarcasm, although I know it sounds like I'm being insulting, but I mean it literally - maybe you know something other experts don't. Either way, gimme a great bowl of chili and I'm a happy camper :)

[@brianwelch1579]

I read that "made it their own" to be "Forcibly took it despite opposition", same as basically everything in Texas.

[@isaaceiland-hall425]

@@brianwelch1579 mmm-kay

[@xXBrutalBuddhaXx]

As a Texan, a San Antonian, and as someone getting a degree in Texas history, I appreciate this video very much. Also I appreciate the Volcarona in the video. Also I'll eat chili with beans

[@sgholt]

As a Texan and San Antonian, I approve this video.... :) We put Cumin, Oregano and Chile Powder in our chili...Chilie con karrne (peppers with meat) We thicken it with masa de harina...yum!

[@marystone860]

YAY! So glad you did this one! I was born and grew up in San Antonio! And, yes, Chili and how it's made, is a VERY big deal! When I was taught how to make it, beans were a VERY big no-no, beans in it that is, lol! This one was so cool, brought back a lot of good childhood memories! I have quite a bit of Mexican realitives, my grandmother was Mexican! All from my father's side of the family. During your GREAT video, I was like:' Yup, Yup, exactly!' 'That's how it is!' 'That's how I learned to make it!' The info was right on the nose! 🥰

[@TheBryanScout]

I use a mix of dried chiles (2 each of guajillo, New Mexico, ancho, pasilla, chipotle, and arbol) that I rehydrate and blend into a paste instead of a powder. Really adds a lot of nice depth! I also like adding a packet of unflavored gelatin if I’m using canned stock instead of homemade, which helps thicken the gravy.

[@hadronoftheseus8829]

That sounds like a really, really good mix, but are the two arbols for heat alone? It seems like they couldn't add much flavor with all those much larger chilis.

[@TheBryanScout]

@@hadronoftheseus8829 yeah, they’re mainly just for heat. In a pinch, a simplified version of the blend would just be 4 chiles each of guajillo, ancho, and chipotle.

[@jeannastephen283]

Thanks for featuring the history of San Antonio and the chili queens! Although not the original Texas chili recipe, you might like to try the Bolner's Fiesta chili recipe. The Bolner family had a meat market and a company which sold spices produced in San Antonio. Mr. Bolner visited the San Antonio Public Library branch [ where I worked] to show people how to make tamales and gave away some Fiesta spices. The family company has been in San Antonio, Texas, for four generations.

[@livesouthernable]

Since chili was originally a food for ordinary people (most of whom were poor), I can see why it contained beans, as beans are a cheap source of protein. I wonder if that’s also why Texans later took the beans out of their chili, to “elevate” the dish. Now me, I never met a bean I didn’t like. 😂

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

I love me a bean!

[@livesouthernable]

@@ThinWhiteAxe yes! I could probably live on beans and rice with a little salted pork thrown in. 🤤

[@naamadossantossilva4736]

​@@livesouthernable Most people could.

[@skippyjonjones23]

Beans are amazing! If they didn’t destroy my insides due to their high FODMAP content I’d eat them every day. Homemade pinto chili over homemade bread was my comfort meal growing up.

[@livesouthernable]

@@skippyjonjones23 I completely understand your FODMAP issues. 😩 I have lots of food sensitivities myself. Much love from another sufferer! ❤️