Red Chili is the most common type of chili served in the U.S. It ranges in flavor and spiciness from the winners of the many Chili Cook-offs (blistering) to the bland chili served over spaghetti noodles in the Northeast of the country. Somewhere in between are the absolutely great, peppery hot dog chili (no beans, lots of black pepper) served by the Bridgeport, WV, Dairy Queen (much to the chagrin of the franchise) and this recipe.
Whether to add beans to red chili is another topic to be added to religion and politics which are to be avoided in polite gatherings. Some people cook the beans in the chili, some serve them as a side dish and let each diner decide, others treat them like a french chef treats catsup. Think about where this dish came from. Meat was not of high quality, easy to get or cheap. Poor cuts would be stewed so that they would be edible, highly spiced so that they would be tasty, and the dish would be 'filled' with vegetables to feed the whole group. Potatoes are used for this purpose in traditional stews, but there weren't many potatoes in the Southwest. There were, however, lots of beans - Pinto beans in particular. Pintos are easy to carry and store, easy to cook, and fairly bland tasting. They also are healthy, providing lots of fiber along with essential nutriants. My favorite example of the effect of beans is shown in the campfire scene of Mel Brook's movie: Blazing Saddles. If you don't remember, or have never seen the movie, that scene alone is worth the price of a movie rental.
MY RULE ON BEANS: I use them if the chili is a main dish. If the chili is a side dish (for instance - served on hot dogs) then I don't use them. The recipe doesn't need to change other than the beans.
1 lb ground beef (I use a very low fat mix)
1 medium onion, diced
1 can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) of tomato sauce
4 teaspoons of red chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
1 can (16 to 20 oz) pinto beans, drained
In a 4 quart saucepan over high heat, cook the beef and onions, stirring occasionally and crumbling the beef, until browned. Stir in chili powder and cook for another few minutes so that all pan juices evaporate. This binds the chili flavoring to the fat which is now locked into the cooked meat.
Stir in the tomatoes and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for half an hour at least. Stir in the drained beans and bring to another boil, if desired, just before serving.
Most often I will lay a flour tortilla flat on a large plate, place a ladle-full of red chili on top and spread it around like you would pizza sauce. Then a layer of shredded lettuce, some diced, fresh tomatoes, and shredded chedder or jack cheese. To control the 'heat' of the dish, add dabs of sour cream to cool it down or spoonfulls of salsa to spice it up. I have to admit that I use both, just because I like the combination of colors: deep brown chili, light green lettuce, bright red tomatoes and salsa, yellow cheese and white sour cream. It looks as good as it tastes.
On the other hand, a plain bowl of chili works for me if I'm in a hurry.