Readers overseas, and in the northern part of the USA, may not understand that in the southern USA, particularly those states bordering Mexico, chili is not so much a meal as a religion. With or without beans? What about this, or that, or the other spice or seasoning? Pork, beef or roadkill? What size to cut the meat cubes? Slow and tender, or fast and furious? The variations on the theme are endless, as is shown by the many chili cook-off competitions held all over this part of the world during the summer months. Disputes over ingredients and methods have, I understand, actually led to divorces, not to mention shootouts in the bad old days.
I've learned to enjoy chili, but being from a more, shall we say, temperate part of the world, I can't handle the really hot variety that connoisseurs may find in abundance around here. I'll eat it, by all means, but I'll usually add sour cream and grated cheese, and maybe some salsa or guacamole, to tame the hot-and-spicy bite and make it easier on my stomach. There are, of course, those who would call me a wimp for so doing. (The classic, oft-repeated chili judging joke says it all.) I also like to taste "alternative" chilis: turkey, chicken, even fish. I'm not very good at making them, but I try, and now and then I come up with something quite tasty.
That said, I think canned chili could be a useful addition to emergency supplies. It comes fully cooked and ready to eat - it doesn't even need to be heated, and can be wolfed down cold from the can. However, in an emergency we'll want to eat food that's as tasty as possible. With all the other miseries that'll be going on, we'll need to be cheered up by what's on our plate, rather than depressed! Unfortunately, I've never found a red meat canned chili that was really tasty. Most of them have the visual appearance of brown sludge, to say the least: some might be described in rather more scatological detail (but let's keep this family-friendly, shall we?). Their taste isn't much better. "Mediocre" is about all I can say for most of them. (I have discovered a chicken chili that seems to be a cut above the rest, but it's very hard to find in this part of the world, since it comes from a producer in a northern state not renowned for its chilis. I buy a few cans as and when I come across them, and I'm slowly building up a stash of the stuff.)
So, dear chili-eating readers, what canned chili can you recommend as being worthy of including in an emergency food stash? Is there one out there that actually tastes good, and has the right texture, and all that sort of thing? If you do, please let us know in Comments. I'm sure I'm not the only person who'll thank you.
Peter
I haven’t found a brand of canned chili that’s worth buying after a quick perusal of the label. Every one I’ve seen is chock full of soy, TVP, or other by-products. That’s a deal-breaker as far as I’m concerned.
ReplyDeleteIMHO nothing labeled chili deserves the name. The varieties of Nalley brand canned chili aren't bad eating though not really chili.
ReplyDeleteStagg Classic Chili with beans is a recent been a recent find: no MSG, does not look like dog food, has an easy open pop top, and is actually pretty tasty cold, right out of the can. Ironically, the "classic" with beans and is higher in protein and lower in fat than their "no beans" version.
ReplyDeleteCanned chili isn't real Chili in the Texas sense of the word.
ReplyDeleteWhat is edible in a can is Lean Beef No Bean Wolfe Brand. It's ok over hot dogs or corn chips. Also can be eaten cold.
Thus far, my attempts to research same have been negative. Far too fatty, a gruel-like texture, no good seasoning. Will be interested if any are found. Maybe the RCIR rations...
ReplyDeletethe local store brand is not too bad. has beans and I think
ReplyDeletegood to fair taste. Weis brand, not sure who makes it and most other brands I have tried sucked in one way or another.
I add corn chips broken up to mine and sometime cheese
as well. as for making chili, I just use the old el Paso brand mix and add stuff to it. use Salsa and maybe peppers
stir fry mix to it. but like everything else in life, it might be what you want.
I had thrown a case of Nalley chili from Costco in the stockpile, but after the wife discovered her gluten allergy, I'm the only one who eats it. We have a case of the Stagg chili now. No gluten.
ReplyDeleteThey're both just okay.
I cook large batches and home can them. I know what is in it and it is spiced to my taste. Home canned food lasts far longer that advertised as long as two criteria are met, the glass jars are stored away from light and the seal is unbroken when you go to use it. I have eaten home canned food that was over twelve years old and as long as it was properly stored it was just fine.
ReplyDeleteThe expiration dates on commercially canned food are also meaningless. The Chef Prepper You Tube channel is very rewarding to preppers that are focused on a tight budget and he tested some canned food that was well past it's use date. I highly recommend his channel.
Peter, if you're looking for a good canned chili, well... that's a tough one. Any canned chili is a compromise, and tastes vary widely. Mediocre is what you get from canned chili.
ReplyDeleteCampbell's Chunky Chili with beans isn't too bad. If you're looking for an easy to find chicken chili, try Hormel Turkey Chili. Note that Hormel owns Stagg, so they're essentially the same. They also make many of the store brands. I used to like Wolf brand, but the last can I had was more like chili soup.
If you're up for just a bit more work, why not mix it up yourself? This won't work so well with one person, but should be okay with two. A can of chili beans, a can of chicken breast, spice to your liking, and voila!
Stagg and Wolf are the only ones I really care for, well except for Hormel no beans on top of hot dogs. Lots of different styles in those two brands so some chance of finding one you like. I generally go no beans in either.
ReplyDeleteThe trick to making canned chili good is adding a half can of Rotel to each can of chili. I use wolf brand chili and get the one without beans, if you just have to have beans to stretch it, then add a can of beans, but don't start stretching it before you have to.
ReplyDeleteI've always enjoyed Wendy's Chili (w/ crackers - Umm MMM!) and I've recently seen Wendy's CANNED chili for sale, about $3.50 a can iirc. If its the same product, I'd certainly give it a try.
ReplyDeleteTrader Joe’s makes a good one. Mix with shredded for a cold chili cheese dip.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that I will be screamed at for this, but....
ReplyDeleteFor years, I have kept several cans of Wolf Brand Chilly (No beans) in my pantry and I rotate through them regularly. I usually eat it with fritos and grated cheddar cheese (the sharper the better).
I almost always have six or more (sometimes many more) cans in my pantry.
During hubby's days after his divorce he found Vetties chili (not the correct spelling but phonetic spelling) and loved the stuff. We bought it when we could find it and then one day it was just gone from any store we checked. They were bought out and of course put it out after they monkeyed with the recipe. It was his comfort food just not mine. But it tasted much better than any I tried from a can.
ReplyDeleteFirst to answer your question, most any of the brand name cans of chili will do if I'm hungry, let me go look at my 30 day stash of canned goods.. it's Hormel, must have been on sale when I was buying for the stash. I can add hot sauce to get it to my taste if I want.
ReplyDeleteI'm from the west coast and chili is chili, however it comes & whenever it comes. I usually make it when I want it. Whatever meat I have, the proper spices and I do put beans in my Chili con carne! Time of the year and the weather is not important when I want a bowl of chili.
My spouse is from the east coast and to HER chili is a cold weather food & to her it only comes with beef. She's is adjusting and if I'm shopping for chili ingredients I'll get beef because that's what she likes.. If I just want chili, whatever meat that is on hand work .. even canned meat.
Never tried it with fish, don't really plan on it either.
I'd have to say Skyline Chili, you can get it on Amazon, and to have it properly you need to serve it over spaghetti with lots of onions, cheese, and the tears of Texans crying that you aren't eating your own food the way they want you to.
ReplyDeleteIt's canned food, so never as good as fresh, no one expects Dinty Moore to be bœuf bourguignon. I like the Stagg and Nalley, our Costco also has a Cattle Drive Gold chili that is pretty good.
In general for emergency food, however, I avoid the pop top cans, they don't have near the shelf life.
We make our chili based on Wick Fowlers' chili seasoning boxes, about 3 lb of cubed beef per box, 1.5 lb cooked diced onions, 1 lb diced Bell peppers, .5 lb smoked Anchos, and a large can of tomato paste per 2 boxes. We use additional spices to taste.
ReplyDeleteWe cook this in the oven untlil the beef is done, then can or freeze it like this, and add the canned diced tomatoes and beans if we use them when we are ready to serve it. Sometimes we add salsa as well, for the fresher flavors.
I've never found a canned chili that we liked. Maybe we're just too picky.
John in Indy
Is there any real difference between a can of Alpo and a Can of Chili other than Fido's dog food doesn't have beans and chili seasoning?
ReplyDeleteI agree Wendys chili is good
ReplyDeleteI just checked and Wendy's chili is available on Amazon.
$4+ /can
I think my next AZ order will include a can just to see if its the same as in the restaurant.
"Wolf Mild Chili No Beans"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.heb.com/product-detail/wolf-mild-chili-no-beans-15-oz/30442
As Jerry Pournelle said, good enough !
I forgot to mention that my wife throws corn, navy beans, and red kidney beans into the Wolf Mild Chili. Pretty tasty and not too spicy. Especially on a cold evening on the Texas Gulf Coast.
ReplyDeleteAny store bought canned chili labeled "no beans" is full of soy flour. Yuck. If it has to be store bought canned, get it with beans. I recommend Wendy's also.
ReplyDeleteHomemade is the way to go.
Wolf brand chili used to be pretty good. Now it is chili-flavored soup.
ReplyDeleteI grew up near Corsicana Tx. the original home of WOLF BRAND chili, so for me, that has always been the benchmark for 'canned' chili. But chili is so easy to throw together, the only time I do canned these days is to pour onto a big plate of scrambled eggs.(another favorite i grew up on)
ReplyDeleteYou're in Texas, so it's easy to find--Wolf brand, no beans.
ReplyDeleteWe can et it here now, but before, when the folks went to Texas to visit Dad's side of the family (if I couldn't get free to go), I always had them bring back a flat each of Blackburn's syrup & Wolf chili.
--Tennessee Budd
Better off with pork and beans and vienna sausages
ReplyDeleteNope on the canned chili. My dad's side of the family is from Texas. I can make a pound of beef in chili fixin's in 20 minutes but it needs to simmer for 2 hours to get all of the flavors to melt together. There are no beans in chili. I like to add chopped Vidalia onions, Monterey Jack cheese, and crumbled saltines to my chili.
ReplyDeleteTsquared
In the heart of onion country
Skyler the Weird- There's a taco empire in San Antonio that I swear, they don't even bother to tear the labels off the bargain brand dog food they serve. But for some reason Mexicans luuuve Tiko-Tako.
ReplyDeleteI honestly can't taste that much of a difference in most canned chili.
For all you purists out there that insist that "real" chili doesn't have beans in it...
On cattle drives where modern chili's origins were-
The basic starter for almost EVERYTHING was beans and probably onions and whatever else the cook could round up.
We are Kansas and West Virginia. We like Wolf chili with beans. It still has the chili afterburn, but mild enough for country folk raised on American food.
ReplyDeleteFrom the emergency food supply angle, canned Chili is an excellent idea as it has a LOT more protein in it than anything except canned meat itself (a can has 38g of protein in it.) I also have Water Crackers and regular crackers stored with it in my kit.
ReplyDeleteMy local Costco carries Cattle Drive Gold, which is good enough though I'm not a huge fan of 'texturized soy proteins'. When rotating it out I usually brown some ground beef first then pour in the can, let it boil, and serve it with some tortilla chips for crunch. It isn't particularly spicy, and is further diluted when mixed with the ground beef.
Kurt. I was told by my relatives in New Orleans to never buy the chilli dogs from street vendors as the chilli was made with the cheapest brand of dog food. That and beware of the dancers on Bourbon Street as they're probably Trannies was good advice.
ReplyDeleteFor several years now my canned brand is Hormel chunky with no beans. Never been a bean in chili guy for some reason. It is decent stuff out of the can and when I like I can add some hot sauce or shredded cheese. And I always keep crackers around for chili and soup. I used to eat both Wolf and Hormel a lot for years but came to notice the meat bits got smaller and it just wasn't as good any more.\
ReplyDeleteThat or I got older. After I turned 30 I started getting indigestion from chili. Even gave it up for a few years. Now I just stir in some powdered garlic and onion and I don't get indigestion.
I second the motion on Stagg's Silverado Beef Chili with Beans. It's a little zingy but not a gut-grenade, and if you're dosing it with cheese and sour cream you should enjoy it (though it's fine right out of the can). Best of the canned chili I've tried to date, although the purists are right about "real" chili assembled and simmered with care at home.
ReplyDeletemarie callender's is good. it was the bomb, but this last batch we got was kinda watered down. still, lights out/no power, it'll warm your belly.
ReplyDeleteI use Muir Glen Chili starter & add what we like. I believe it's at Amazon too.
ReplyDeleteGotta agree that Wolf Brand is about the best of the canned chili, and is edible at least.
ReplyDelete