Chili didn’t start with beans. Historians say cowboys invented it on the trail. They had dried beef, suet, and peppers. Beans? Too heavy to carry. So original chili was meat-only stew.
Then, immigrants arrived. German and Mexican cooks in San Antonio added beans to stretch the meal. Poor folks loved it. Rich folks? They called it “slumgullion.” Quirky fact: the first canned chili, from 1908, had beans because it was cheaper.
Today, the International Chili Society (yes, that’s a real thing) bans beans in competition chili. But the World Championship Chili Cookoff in Texas? They don’t even let beans in the building. Hilarious.
Why it’s fun to fight about
Beans or no beans is a personality test. If you say no beans, you’re a purist. A rugged individualist. You probably own a cowboy hat. If you love beans, you’re a pragmatist. A plucky inventor. You’d add chocolate to chili just to see what happens.
Here’s a funny detail: in 2010, a man in Colorado sued his neighbor for putting beans in chili at a potluck. The judge threw it out. But the headline read “Bean War Ends in Court.” We live in a beautiful world.
Even scientists have opinions. A 2016 study from the University of Texas claimed beans add fiber and protein. But Texans protested, burning the study online. No joke. The study was retweeted into oblivion.
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