Chili - Soup or Stew

Brew12 · Nov 20, 2016

Cold weather has hit and to me, that means football and chili. I like my chili to be thick with big chunks of goodness. Around where I live, it seems like people prefer it to be made with ground beef and to be thin like soup.
I am having some friends over tonight and making a batch right now. So, should chili be a soup or a stew?
Here is my base before I start adding tomatoes and spices.

tomtom2245 · Nov 20, 2016

Stew all the way. I need to be able to make a chili dog with it and not have it fall off!

Chrisfish · Nov 20, 2016

Well obviously it's a preference but I guess you would say mine is a stew, CHUNKY, sometimes ground beef sometimes, steak, sausage or chicken if it's white chili. Cans of diced tomatoes, a little tomatoes sauce and some paste for thickness if needed, peppers, onions, seasonings and good to go. Ok I'm hungry now:p

Willz · Nov 20, 2016

Brew12 said:
Cold weather has hit and to me, that means football and chili. I like my chili to be thick with big chunks of goodness. Around where I live, it seems like people prefer it to be made with ground beef and to be thin like soup.
I am having some friends over tonight and making a batch right now. So, should chili be a soup or a stew?
Here is my base before I start adding tomatoes and spices.

Definitely stew. Also, props for no beans. Real chili doesn't have beans ;)

Brew12 · Nov 20, 2016

Chrisfish said:
Well obviously it's a preference but I guess you would say mine is a stew, CHUNKY, sometimes ground beef sometimes, steak, sausage or chicken if it's white chili. Cans of diced tomatoes, a little tomatoes sauce and some paste for thickness if needed, peppers, onions, seasonings and good to go. Ok I'm hungry now:p

That is almost exactly like I do it. Other than I never use ground beef. Just not the same to me.

Chrisfish · Nov 20, 2016

Brew12 said:
That is almost exactly like I do it. Other than I never use ground beef. Just not the same to me.

Lol, it depends on what I have in my freezer :D

Brew12 · Nov 20, 2016

I entered my chili into a company competition as a fund raiser last year. Judges said my chili had the best flavor but it was too thick to be considered a chili. o_O
Maybe that is just a northern Alabama thing. Life is a bit different here! ;)

Lionfish Lair · Nov 20, 2016

That looks delicious.

I grew up with chili being made with ground beef, but it had texture. Then there's the ground beef soupy stuff and I don't like that at all.

Shep · Nov 20, 2016

To be honest I like it some where in the middle but if I had to pick, stew all the way!

WilRams · Nov 20, 2016

I'm somewhere in the middle as well. After going to Fox Bros in Atlanta I make mine with Brisket instead of ground beef.

Vincent100 · Nov 20, 2016

I don't care how it looks , just send me some lol:)
Brew iv never seen it made that way in UK
Always ground beef soup looking
Next time I make it I'm gonna try it your way

Brew12 · Nov 20, 2016

WilRams said:
I'm somewhere in the middle as well. After going to Fox Bros in Atlanta I make mine with Brisket instead of ground beef.

Ohhh... I like this idea!!! Smoked brisket would be excellent!

Chrisfish · Nov 20, 2016

Brew12 said:
Ohhh... I like this idea!!! Smoked brisket would be excellent!

I agree!

Brew12 · Nov 20, 2016

Done with a 1/2 hr to spare before friends show up. And yes, I did have to run out and get some kidney beans to put in it at the request of one of my buddies. I'm good either way but default without them.