What do you put in chili in your state?

34 comments

1. I make a mean turkey chili.

   It has beans and ground turkey. Also rushed tomato, red bell pepper, and smoked chipotles.

   The trick is doing real granular ground turkey at the beginning, browned up and seasoned. Then near the end you drop in the rest of the ground turkey in big solid chunks.

   Yeah it includes beans… come at me texas bros.

2. I don’t make Cincinnati chili so I don’t make my state’s chili.

   I do make regular chili with ground beef, beans, chili peppers (if I have them), tomato sauce/diced tomatoes (I don’t like chunks of tomato in my chili), green peppers, onion, sometimes corn, cumin, chili powder and garlic. For garnishes I put out cheese, sour cream, diced onions, homemade tortilla strips. My husband doesn’t like spicy foods so I keep it pretty mild and just jazz my bowl up with hot sauce.

3. meat and spices.

4. I don’t think most states have a signature chili style. Texas is really anti-bean, Ohio (or at least Cincinnati) has its weird cinnamon-based recipe… other than that, it’s really a matter of personal preference and style.

   Personally, I like making it with a blend of ground beef and turkey, diced tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeños, beans (sorry, Texas), and a spice blend that I do a little differently every time but that usually involves cumin, cayenne, and smoked paprika.

5. I have found corn to be a polarizing ingredient

6. My family makes relatively simple chili. V8, tomato paste, ground beef, kidney beans, corn, spices, fritos, sour cream, cheese (my family also puts blackbeans but I’m not a fan). We’re from Ohio but I’ve never had someone make chili as good as this is.

7. Green chilis

8. Beef. Tomatoes. Chili. Sometimes beans.

9. Here in northern IL I’ve noticed lots of recipes try to make chili as spicy as possible, which can really drown out the flavor.

   I don’t understand Texans being against beans in chili. Trying different bean and meat combinations leads to some interesting recipes.

10. I like to use stew beef, ground pork, and maybe some kielbasa. Traditionally in Texas chili is made without beans but I like beans so sometimes I add beans.

11. I do not have a chili recipe. I’ve always seen it as a sort of peasant dish, you can throw a little bit of whatever you have in there. I usually make chili by cleaning out the freezer and using odd cuts of meat that I have on hand.

    I do not like the chili purists (looking at you, Texas) who don’t think the dish should include beans. It seems that chili was originally a way to stretch a little bit of meat that you had and make a nice meal from it.

12. HITCHHIKERS. Just kidding.

    Hot Italian sausage

13. I don’t care what my state does for chili. When I make chili I use ground turkey and use tomatoes as the filler. I don’t like beans and noodles in chili is just a pasta. I use the chili seasoning mix, but I also add in garlic powder (or crused garlic if I have it), onion powder, and red garlic (seasoning blend of jalapeños and garlic). Outside of the seasoning and tomatoes, I’ll also add in diced up jalapeños to help give it some kick but not a lot.

14. Noodles, beans and peanut butter.

    Don’t @ me.

15. Elk. Mostly elk

16. Maple syrup. Not sure that’s a state thing, but I have like 6 gallons of maple syrup in my basement that needs to be used.

17. Rumor has it Nebraskans eat chili with cinnamon rolls as a side. I did not grow up with that and honestly first heard about it maybe 10ish years ago. But corn bread is a go-to for me so I suppose it’s not totally outlandish.

18. Meat, meat and more meat.

19. Scott Tenorman’s parents

20. Can’t claim this is from any state, just personal preference.

    I don’t like large pieces of fruits in my chili (tomatoes or peppers).

    I do like some beans for texture.

    I don’t like any pasta in my chili.

    I do like a lot of heat and spice and (probably most importantly) a lot of red meat (beef/elk/venison combo is tops for me).

    —–

    Then for additives to the chili:

    Either regular Fritos or oyster crackers or saltines. I’m good with any of them, but prefer them in the order listed.

    Sour cream.

    Shredded cheddar.

    —–

    Then for an added bonus:

    A wide selection of weird hot sauces that can be added to the chili for a new experience.

21. My wife’s family is from Oklahoma and puts chili on spaghetti. They also make it with a crap ton of chili powder, so maybe the spaghetti is to dampen the chili powder taste. I’m not a fan.

22. I don’t think this is really a state thing but…

    Beans, beef (sausage is acceptable too,) cumin, chili powder, onions, celery, jalapenos, crushed tomatoes, oregano, garlic. Top with cheese and/or tortilla chips, put on pasta or a hot dog.

    And then white bean chili is it’s own thing (that I really think of as more of a soup.)

23. Whatever is served at Wendy’s, has to have beans and meat.

24. Ground beef, beans, diced green chilis, green bell peppers, onions, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, hot sauce..etc. I like to eat chili on top of white rice.

25. There isn’t a regional style here that I know of. People make it how they want. I made a big pot of turkey chili this weekend:

    One yellow onion, one red, 3 bell peppers, two large cans crushed tomatoes, 4 cans of beans (kidney, black, red), can of corn, some garlic cloves. Seasoned with pretty standard stuff, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, onion powder, crushed red pepper, chili powder, a fuckton of cumin, apple cider vinegar. There was a jar of some green chili sauce/paste in the fridge that I put in there too

26. It’s not a state based thing. I’m in Mass so there’s not a lot of gatekeeping chili.

    Just how ever you like it.

    I make a yummy chili. Beans, lots of ground beef, tomatoes (sometimes tomato paste if it’s missing a bit of depth), onions, no peppers, garlic, cumin, chili powder, a bit of chili flakes, maybe some dark beer or cocoa, dash of sugar, pepper & salt. At the end of cooking put some roasted corn on the cob in. It adds a bit of sweet to counter the savory and spiciness.

    I serve with some cilantro, corn bread, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

27. If you get a bowl at a restaurant or bar in Michigan it’s going to be the basic ground beef, kidney bean, and chili powder style. Cheddar, diced onion, and saltines are pretty common on the side.

    I make it all different ways at home. Texas style red, sweet potato and turkey, brisket and black bean, whatever…there are no rules or gatekeeping to chili for me, it’s all delicious.

28. Grass-fed Oklahoma beef, Ranch Style beans, Ro-tel tomatoes all topped over fritos

29. Ground Reindeer.

    Sorry Kids.

30. Elk & bison with a 3 bean blend

31. Beef, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, dark red kidney beans, onions, seasonings, and a shit ton of jalapeños.

32. Ground beef, rotel, black beans, red beans, pinto beans, top with some potato salad or coleslaw

33. In Cinci, where I used to live, cinnamon and noodles.

    But most people I know really don’t like that.

34. The most famous restaurant chili in Hawaii has Peanutbutter.