My cousin called my chili 'a bit thin' and it changed my whole bean game

I was making my usual pot of chili (you know, the cheap ground beef and kidney beans kind) and my cousin tried a bowl. He said, 'It tastes good, but it's a bit thin, man.' I realized I was draining all the liquid from the canned beans, which was just throwing away free flavor and thickness. Now I pour the whole can, liquid and all, right into the pot. It makes the chili way heartier without adding any extra cost. Anyone else have a cheap trick like that for making soups or stews feel more filling?

2 comments

2 Comments

paigec141mo ago

Wait, is the bean liquid really that big of a deal? I've always drained mine and my chili turns out fine, maybe a little soupy sometimes but it tastes good. Seems like a minor thing to get hung up on.

harper_gibson21mo ago

Have you ever tasted the liquid from a can of beans? It's basically seasoned starch that thickens your chili naturally, paigec14. Skipping it means you lose flavor and have to fix the texture later.