Texas Chili & The Chili Queens of San Antonio

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Subtitles: Jose Mendoza | IG @worldagainstjose

PHOTO CREDITS

#tastinghistory #chili #texas

[antoniaosterhout]

My mom and I were the ones at the book signing. Her name is Billie and she told you about the San Antonio Chili Queens. Thanks for taking her suggestion! We are both just tickled pink that you included them (and us). By the way, I didn't say at the signing that you have a remarkable gift for languages!

[joelwright]

As a native of San Antonio, my rule of thumb on beans and chili: If the chili is using chunks of beef, then no beans. If the chili is using ground beef, then beans are a necessity to add some texture.

[ThePyramidone]

I grew up in San Antonio. My mother and her family were farmers in the 1920s-1930s and would often bring their produce to El Mercado (Farmer's Market) in San Antonio. My mom and uncles shared how they would set up their stands interspaced with the Chili Queen stands, with the troubadours or Mariachis and after the Farmer's closed at noon, would be given some money and they would go to the movie theaters. There they, with all the other kids and youngsters watched the newsreels, serials, and movies for a dime. Soft drinks were a nickel, as were popcorn and peanuts, and hard candy was pennies for sticks or bags. Mom and Dad would have a date at a restaurant sans the kids and they would meet up again at 5 pm, load up the truck and go home.

[Sweetrottenapple]

It is so interesting. I am Hungarian, and we make our meat stews exactly like this chili is made. The only difference is in the paprika. We use our famous sweet noble paprika powder and we add it in with the meat. Such a lovely dish! 😍

[ingridkeller]

My Norwegian grandparents moved to Freeport, Texas in the 1920's because my grandfather was a sea captain. My grandmother learned to make local dishes and was an incredible cook. When we grandchildren visited and went to the beach she made a big pot of chili (no beans), wrapped the hot dish in newspaper, and put it in the trunk of the car. After swimming all morning we'd stand around the car trunk in our swimsuits eating spicy chili with saltines. It definitely had a lot of sand blown into it but it was delicious. Food brings back wonderful memories! Thanks Max!

[SheyD]

I love that story of the women reclaiming their pots of chilli from the opposing army. I can just hear a lady speaking furiously in Spanish as she walks in, picks up a pot off the fire and walks out again yelling at the men constantly, almost like a mother scolding a child.

[lawrencetaylor]

My Dad told me of a BBQ at a Texas ranch when he was a strapping young lad. There was a table with three trays of meat labelled Beef, Pork and Goat. Of course everyone was eating the beef and pork and raving about how good it tasted. My Dad sneaked behind the barn to where he was roasting the meats. And there was nothing but goats being roasted.

[Firebvalles]

My wife who is from Durango Mexico, makes a dish that is called carne con Chile rojo or meat with red chili. You can use small squares of beef or ground beef. You can also add frijoles de la olla or beans freshly cook from the pot. It is delicious and I'm thinking that might have been or close to it what the original recipe was like.

[TrippingtheBrightFantastic]

Daughter of a Texan here. My family always put beans in chili. If you're poor in the US South, beans are a great way to stretch meat. Red beans (usually cooked with a ham bone) and cornbread was the Texas "struggle meal" we used to enjoy when I was growing up.

[BigSeth]

This is just my thought on the Texan exclusion of beans: in the time of my parents and grandparents (going back to the 1920s), in the standard rural Texas home, you pretty much always had a pot of beans, reheating it for every meal. You’d eat chili often, but not nearly as often as beans. So you didn’t cook them together, you made two pots and folks blended (or didn’t) to their taste. My dad likes his chili with beans and crushed saltines, my brother likes his with beans, cheese, and crumbled cornbread, and I like my chili with cheese, and the beans and [carbohydrate] on the side. And when we make beans and chili, we all end up happy!

[phemyda]

A Greek friend of mine tried Cincinnati chili while traveling in the US and was astonished to find that it was exactly like a recipe her grandmother made back in Greece. Her grandmother was from Argos Orestiko, just like the original "inventors" of Cincinnati chili. Turns out it's basically just an Americanized version of the classic Greek makaronia me kima.

[lindastansbury]

I'm a native Texan and a devoted fan of yours. You were spot on with this episode and you stole my heart when you said you normally eat cornbread with your chili. (Truth be told, you've had it since I discovered Tasting History a couple of years ago.)

[dwharbin]

My mother (A Hispanic women born and raised in Texas) would have probably referred to this as Chili Colorado, her chili had beans in it and specifically pinto beans, not kidney beans as you will often see called for in recipes. She grew up in a small farming town and it's likely the beans were to stretch out the meal, she also used more onion and crushed tomatoes and big slices of fresh jalapeno.

[Eosion]

As someone from San Antonio I am glad that the Chili Queens got an episode, and that you did not listen to the snobs that say that their way is the only way. Chili is and has always been a bit of a community food, customized to the tastes of those who eat it. My family uses 2 kinds of beans, tomatoes, and bell peppers in addition to the spices and meat, and we find that this gives a much more filling meal. Do as you please with your recipe, it is yours.

[CombusTyan]

This video is awesome, my family has photos of them since we are San Antonio natives for 5 generations. They have old pictures / news clippings of them selling chili and other things. It is very cool to see that history being represented on your channel! The family is very proud of this heritage and all loved the video! My grandmother owns a bunch of pots they even used back then and they owned a molino where they sold tortillas and tamales as well as "Chili Con Carne" (Little Mexican grocery store)

[AZFlyingCook]

Sentence I bet Max never thought he'd say in his life: "But while the parrot and badger fights are long gone ..." 🤣

[kitchentroll]

From my great grandmother's cookbook (circa 1911) she has a recipe for "meat stew seasoned with hot peppers" (no mention of beans). Her recipe is much as yours shown in the video, but she uses "a peck" of raw hot peppers "minced very finely and passed through a food mill to remove most of the seeds", cumin seeds crushed in a mortar, a sprig of fresh oregano rather than a prepared chili powder. She instructs us to "watch the pot closely so that it is never allowed to boil, stirring often, until the gravy of the stew is formed to your liking". A small note added at an unknown date: "Best served with corn fritters"

[JennyCoe]

The massive disappointment in Max's voice in regard to his mom's turkey chili is a mood and a half!

[ant]

Update on my last comment. I've made this chilli twice so far. First time I just ate a bowlful as it was. I'm well used to hot food, but this was without a doubt one of the most insanely hot things I've ever put in my mouth. As for the next day, without getting too graphic, I can attest that it is a most effective gut cleanser. The second time I made it I also made some salsa & bought some tortillas to put with it. Very nice indeed, and much kinder on the guts!

[davidwoolsey]

Max, Chili con Carne (chile with meat) when I was a kid in the 1960's and my Grandfather from Texas was in Texas winning chili contests, my grandpa taught me that on the Mexican side of the border, "chili" was a bean dish, and when you crossed the border into Texas, the Mexicans could afford a bit of meat, hence "con carne", and THEN as you moved farther away from the border, you got less beans and more meat, until folks would make it without beans. Especially in areas where they didn't need to "stretch" the meat because they could afford to make it without beans at all.