Which bean is best for chili?
Hey there! I'm recipe developing a super simple bean chili. I've nailed down the method and other ingredients (such as chili powder, onion, and poblanos). The only remaining Q is: Which bean? Right now, I'm torn between pinto (creamy!) and kidney (classic!). Which would you prefer? And why?
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One last thing: Beans are very lean. Many people are turned off by them when the mouth feel is mealy. You must add fat to any bean dish to make that go away. A lot of fat. It won't kill you or cause you to gain weight because, as I said above, the beans are totally lean by themselves.
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From experience and hearing people talk about them, would have guessed kidney beans much more eaten than pinto, so would have recommended pinto to encourage something new.
But looking at statistics in usa to 2016, pintos are consumed about 5-6x volume of kidney beans (2.65 lb vs 0.47 lb). So that argument goes away.
On taste and texture, I favor pinto beans.