Chili – My go-to freezer meal

If you are like me, there are busy days when the last thing you want to do is cook dinner. Those are the nights I reach for pre-done dishes in my freezer. One item I have in my freezer year-round is chili. I have my favorite recipe (see below), and I am sure you have yours. Chili can be a polarizing topic – beans, no-beans, beef, chicken, etc. This Cooking Tip will parse out some of those differences.

For me, I want both meat and beans in my chili, but others disagree. I really do not care about the different chili categories; I just want it to taste good. Others, though, feel passionately about what recipe can be called by what name.

Typical ingredients found in chili recipes include the following. Note, though, that regional differences exist.

• Meat – beef, pork, turkey, chicken
• Beans – kidney, black, pinto
• Vegetables – tomatoes, onions, bell peppers
• Chili peppers
• Spices – cumin, chili powder, garlic, paprika, Mexican oregano
• Toppings – jalapenos, onions, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, bacon, avocado, lime wedges

The International Chili Society (ICS) is the sponsor of national chili cook-offs. For their purposes, they break chili into four categories.

Traditional Red Chili

• Any kind of meat (or combination) cooked with red chili peppers, spices and other ingredients.
• Beans, rice or pasta are not allowed.

Homestyle Chili

• Any kind of meat (or combination) and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers (any color), spices and other ingredients.

Chili Verde

• Any kind of meat (or combination) cooked with green chili peppers, spices and other ingredients.
• Beans, rice or pasta are not allowed.

Vegetarian Chili

• Any kind of vegetable, or meatless product cooked with chili peppers, spices and other ingredients.
• Beans are allowed but not required.

Chili is one of those dishes that varies by region of the country. Here are a few of the most popular versions.

Chili Con Carne

• Specialty of Texas
• Other names include Texas Red, Traditional Red, Bowl of Red.
• Typical ingredients are beef, red chili peppers, paprika, cumin and Mexican oregano.
• Everyone agrees that authentic Texas chili does not include beans.
• There is a bit of debate about whether tomatoes are allowed.

Cincinnati Chili

• Specialty of Ohio
• Also known as Skyline Chili
• This chili is more of a sauce than a stew-like dish and is served as a topping over spaghetti.
• Usual ingredients are beef, tomato paste, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, chili powder and cumin. It may also include cocoa powder.

Hoosier Chili

• As the name implies, this chili hails from Indiana.
• It is similar to Cincinnati chili, but the recipe calls for mixing the spaghetti (or elbow macaroni) into the chili.
• It has more of a soup-like consistency.
• A standard recipe includes beef, beans, tomato juice, pasta and chili powder.

Tavern Style Chili

• This is also called Springfield chilli (spelled with two “l”s), named for the city in Illinois.
• It is characterized by the use of beef suet or tallow, which lends an oily layer on top.
• Other ingredients include beef, beans, tomato juice, chili powder, cumin, and at times, beer.

Oklahoma Chili

• Named for the state, this type of chili resembles Texas red chili with beans.
• Usual ingredients include beef, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce/paste, chili powder, cumin and oregano.

Kansas City Chili

• Hailing from Missouri, this is not just one type, but can have many variations.
• Recipes usually include beef and/or brisket or pork shoulder, beans, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, cumin and chili powder.

Chili Verde

• This is the green chili known throughout New Mexico.
• It uses the Hatch green chili, which is grown in the town of Hatch, New Mexico.
• Another difference from most chili is that the meat is pork shoulder, not beef.
• Other ingredients include green chilis, tomatillos, and garlic. Other optional ingredients are onions, cumin, Mexican oregano and cilantro.

White Chili

• White chili has become very popular and is white due to the absence of red meat and tomatoes.
• It is made with chicken, white beans, mild green chilis and other spices.
• It is typically less spicy than other types of chili.

Turkey Chili

• This could be termed a white chili, but it is made with lean turkey rather than chicken.

My favorite chili would probably fall into the ICS Homestyle Chili category, as it has both beef and beans. It began as a recipe published in a 1978 Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. I have made some alterations to the recipe, and this is what is in my freezer at all times. The name is Spicy Hot Chili, but I tend to moderate the spice to a lower level.

Another source of chili recipes is the International Chili Society’s website. You can check out the winning recipes here. Link to ICS Chili Cookoffs Winning Recipes

Whether you just make chili occasionally or it is a freezer staple as it is at my house, it is a delicious and filling meal. I hope you have your own favorite style!