2023’s Best Texas Cities for Chili Lovers

What kind of beef is best for making chili?

Lean beef (chuck or round) ground

What is one pepper you’d recommend adding to chili to spice it up or deepen the flavor?

To add a flavorful and zesty heat factor to the chili, use green and red Thai chili peppers.

What are the best beef alternatives for vegans and vegetarians who love chili?

Some beef alternatives include tofu, yellow potatoes, or shitake mushrooms.

How can Texans make their chili recipe stand out at their next gathering or local competition?

One way to make chili stand out is by incorporating cinnamon, brown sugar, ginger, and nutmeg.

Why are some Texans so against adding beans to chili?

I am not from Texas; however, I would assume that Texas chili does not include beans in order to make more room for extra beef, tomato, and spices.

Besides cornbread, what is the best side dish to serve with chili?

A fantastic side dish with chili could include various styles of grilled India Naan bread.

What kind of beef is best for making chili?

Ground beef is the most familiar –– 80/20. If grinding my own, I would choose sirloin for its beefy flavor profile.

If not using ground, it becomes more of a stew, for which I would choose chuck. Delicious, but again, not as familiar to your diners.

What is one pepper you’d recommend adding to chili to spice it up or deepen the flavor?

Peppers play a huge role in how we experience chili. Capsaicin provides much of the heat and is primarily found in the seeds and inner membrane of the pepper. Seeds can be removed if desired heat is milder.

I have found that a habanero pepper has the most intense flavor profile to work with, it is just too hot sometimes –– in that case, remove the seeds.

What are the best beef alternatives for vegans and vegetarians who love chili?

Texans will hate this, but beans are a great protein source and provide some texture to your chili.

I have used lentils in many stews and curries in lieu of beans. Chili is by all rights a stew.

How can Texans make their chili recipe stand out at their next gathering or local competition?

Be very selective with your ingredients. Don’t just use a prepared spice mix, any old hot pepper, and any old ground beef. Pay attention to what attributes each ingredient brings to the dish.

Why are some Texans so against adding beans to chili?

Tradition! I grew up with beans in the chili, now I can’t imagine it without. I am sure it is a similar reason.

Besides cornbread, what is the best side dish to serve with chili?

I need some crunch with my chili, and haven’t found a more economical choice than some chili cheese Fritos!!!

I have also done corn fritters or fried green tomatoes, which are more labor-intensive but a great way to add crunch and another flavor profile.

What kind of beef is best for making chili?

I personally like to use a combination of a course ground beef and brisket. I like having the chunks for a different textural component as well as a beefier flavor.

What is one pepper you’d recommend adding to chili to spice it up or deepen the flavor?

I like blending a little chipotle in adobo into my chili. It adds a nice smokiness to the chili. But anchos are very nice if you grill them. Get a little char onto the pepper to really bring out the flavors.

What are the best beef alternatives for vegans and vegetarians who love chili?

I have had great results adding soy crumbles to chili as a meat alternative. I also ramp up the beans in that case, using a couple of different kinds, including black beans, kidney beans, and lentils.

How can Texans make their chili recipe stand out at their next gathering or local competition?

I think that the addition of cocoa powder and cinnamon to chili can be a dark horse that really adds a rich warmth to your chili that is unexpected. It pairs well with the tomato and cumin.

Why are some Texans so against adding beans to chili?

They don’t think they belong. Texans tend to be purists when it comes to chili and they think that the addition of beans muddies the flavor of the chili.

Besides cornbread, what is the best side dish to serve with chili?

I’m from the Midwest and grew up eating chili with Fritos and will always fall back to that, but my wife introduced me to the idea of cinnamon rolls with chili. She grew up with that, and I’ve gotta say, I’m not mad at it!

The warmth of the cinnamon, as I said before, pairs nicely with the other flavors, and that touch of sweetness really makes it all pop. They lose me, though, when they add peanut butter to the cinnamon rolls with their chili.