From Baked Beans to Chili

When I made my Southwestern baked beans, Southwestern Baked Beans, I made a lot, as usual, which means I had a lot left over. HMMMMM! I know. This is SOOOOO unlike me. 🙂 So I took all the leftover beans out of the freezer and turned them into chili con carne. Then I served the chili over a baked potato, topped with sour cream and cheese for Larry, and Fritos. I like my chili topped with Fritos too, which is a very Southern way of eating chili. I served it with a very smooth, red velvety blend on the side to make the meal complete.

I had to laugh at Larry last night when he said “[I] don’t eat leftovers”. What do you mean??? I eat leftovers ALL the time AND I reinvent them into something completely different than what they were before. He seems to enjoy my recreations all the time, but I guess my re-creative efforts are going unnoticed.

From baked beans to chili con carne. Con carne means with meat, and to me, that’s the only way to eat chili. Chili con carne is the official state dish of Texas, and as most of you already know, I am 1/2 Texan. My mother was born and raised in Southeast Texas. Chili is classic American comfort food. Even though it varies from place to place — namely in the Southwest and Midwest — people everywhere agree that this hearty dish isn’t just a stew, topping, or bulky soup: It’s chili. As purists would have it, traditional red (chili con carne) hasn’t changed much over the years. It still consists of meat, red chili peppers, and spices—no beans, rice, pasta, or other fillers, aside from vegetables, according to ICS criteria. I like it with beans too though. Beans and meat together with the different chilies just make the meal. The addition of beans makes the meal heartier and adds texture and flavor too.

The earliest description of chili comes from an 1828 journal. Recounting a visit to San Antonio, J. C. Clopper writes about it as “a kind of hash with nearly as many peppers as there are pieces of meat – this is all stewed together.” The International Chili Society, which holds the World Championship Chili Cook-off, divides chili into the following categories: traditional red, chili verde, homestyle chili, and veggie chili. I love green chili, or chili verde, and red chili, but veggie chili is chili without meat and/or beans is just soup to me.

Historians often cite Texas as the birthplace of chili con carne. But how did chili crop up in Texas? Chili became popular campfire fare among cowboys on the cattle trail (most of whom were Mexican) and gold-seekers (called forty-niners) on their way to California.  In short, beef, fat, chile peppers, and seasoning were combined into blocks, dubbed “chili bricks,” which were stored in saddlebags. Plunging part of a chili block into a pot of boiling water transformed it into a convenient, filling meal.

Southwestern Chili Con Carne

Since EVERY chili recipe is different, I am not going to give you an actual recipe this time. I am just going to tell you how I made it – this time. 🙂

4 cups cooked Southwestern baked beans

1-1 1/2 lbs cubed steak

flour

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

1-2 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup red wine

1 cup broth

olive oil and butter

Coat the beef cubes with flour and salt & pepper. Get a large skillet or pot very hot, add the butter and olive oil, then brown the meat.

Add the peppers and onions and continue to cook until softened. You may need to add more olive oil.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix together thoroughly, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook for about 30-40 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporate