Texas Vs Oklahoma-Style Chili: What's The Difference?

Beans or no beans, that is the question — and it's only one of the differences between Texas chili and Oklahoma-style chili. If you're a purist and a Texan, the answer is easy: Beans don't go in chili. If you're from Oklahoma, you're good sans beans or with piling them on. 

Perhaps the concept of putting beans in chili goes back to the chuck wagon days when cowboys prepared beans separately from the chili. They were served as a side dish to complete the plate. Naturally, they ended up mixed together. Did that qualify as chili? Technically, yes. Chili is defined as a slow-cooked stew containing ground meat and chile peppers. It may also incorporate tomatoes, spices, and beans. However, the addition of beans keeps the chili from being labeled Texas-style. 

So, are Texans and purists wrong? No. People from various parts of the U.S. and the world have put their own spin on the dish inspired by Mexican, Native American, and Spanish cuisine. Chili with meat (aka chili con carne) is thought to have been created in San Antonio, Texas. In 1860, it became popular when a group of enterprising businesswomen began preparing the dish and serving it at Military Plaza. These women became known as the Chili Queens and they served their chili with a side of beans. Their food stands, which were in place until the 1930s, introduced Mexican food to the working class.

The absence of beans isn't the only difference between the two styles of chili. Texas red, a name adopted by the Texas legislature in 1977, has chunks of beef and lots of red chiles. The state dish can't include any fillers, and that also includes tomatoes. Supposedly, it takes a native Texan to identify a true bowl of red.

The original Texas chili was made of dried beef and chiles blended with suet. It was a nutritious dish that could be quickly reliquefied by the cowboys on the range. Today, cooks use cuts of meat with plenty of fat and flavor — think chuck, short ribs, or even oxtail. The meat can be diced or cubed but never ground.

A traditional Texas chili uses pureed whole chilies instead of chili powder, along with onions, garlic, homemade beef stock or water, and seasonings. Masa harina  (corn flour) is added to thicken the chili. Texans stick to their established recipe. Anything that deviates from it isn't considered authentic.

In a word, Oklahoma-style chili is flexible. Oklahomans aren't dogmatic about what goes into their chili. The Oklahoman dish welcomes the styles from Texas (adding masa harina to the pot and the use of dried chiles) and even Cincinnati-style chili. One might say the state's Southwest location and diversity are the real influences on its chili.

Oklahoma's multiculturalism can be seen in the variety of chili dishes. The flavors are complex — there are recipes that call for apple cider vinegar and cocoa powder — and reflect Mexican, Native American, and even Texan styles. Oklahoman chili can have beans (or not), tomatoes (or not), chile peppers (or chili powder), or red meat (and even chicken). No one can agree on one recipe that is the state's standard. 

The only thing everyone can agree on is what goes on top of their chili. Cheddar cheese, corn chips (or tortilla chips), diced raw onions, and sour cream are some of the options you might find served on the side.