Chili - The Threads
Let it be known that Ellen Rains Harris is speaking the true chili gospel. Note that it is spelled with an "i". Chile is the pepper. Chili con carne or just plain chili is the wonderful stuff invented and made in Texas. If you use beans the name becomes chili con carne y frijoles but that would never refer to true chili. The ground dried peppers, onions, and garlic are considered spices and herbs. The original recipes called for equal amounts of chopped up meat (usually beef, but pork, venison, cabron, and mutton were okay too) and roasted peppers. The first peppers used were most likely the wild chilipiquíns. It was only later that domesticated chile (peppers) were used. Yeah, they would use onions or garlic if they had them. Hey, they were poor and used what they could get.

There was a Texas Chili stand at the Chicago World Fair in 1893. The first chili powder was not invented and marketed for another nine years when a German immigrant, Gustav Gebherdt came up with a blend of spices and ground chiles. Ironically he was trying to make up some curry powder to sell to the the British expats in the San Antonio area. His chili powder became the basis for chili throughout the US.

Here is a good Basic Chili Recipe:
Printer version of this recipe

Beef cut up into small cubes (not ground)
1 can chipotle (smoked jalapeno peppers)

Fill a large dutch oven about half full of meat.
Sear the meat. Use a little oil if needed. Add the chile.
Fill the dutch oven with water and bring to boil.
Turn down heat and simmer all day, adding more water if needed.
When the meat is falling apart, cook it down until the liquid makes a thick soup.
Serve with saltines, corn bread, or corn tortilla chips.

That's chili! If you can't find the smoked jalapeno peppers use lots of chili powder. Measuring chili powder by the teaspoon doesn't make good chile. If I use chili powder I'll use about five or six tablespoons per pound of beef (depending on how hot the powder is).

BTW, if you add beans use pinto. Texans barely know what kidney beans are and garbanzo is only found on yuppy salad bars. I think those beans are imported for the carpet baggers living here.

And an Addendum:
Yes, I use onion, garlic, and other spices when I make chili. I will also use sugar if the peppers are too bitter. The secret to cooking anything is to taste it and adjust according.

One more thing, if the liquid is not thick enough I combine a little flour and corn meal which I've mixed with water to form a thin paste. I add this and cook the chili for another 10 minutes or so.