Looking for The Best Canned Chili (2018)? This is Your Ultimate Guide!

1. Tomatoes, Beans, and Meat

A great chili has the best combination of these big three ingredients: beans, tomatoes, and meat. Unless it’s a vegetarian chili, the right blend of these three can make the difference between the best and the worst chili, even in the canned variety.

First, the sauce should be rich, hearty, fresh, and bright from the taste of real tomatoes. Second, the meat should not only be tasty but also fork-tender with a flavor that is not overpowering yet also not masked by the sauce. Lastly, the beans should be soft, rich, and creamy to add texture and substance to the chili, as well as make it super filling.

2. The right kind of spice

The other thing that made chili the dish loved by many is the delicate hint of tangy, hot, chili peppers that come with it. Everybody wants a punch of heat from their chili, but not too much to send you choking on the sauce or running for milk or water.

Of course, the spice level depends on your personal preference, but any level should be able to provide a punch that jives with the fresh, bright tomato flavor. There should also be a nice smokey flavor that does not send every other taste to retreat into the background.

Some chilis even have spice meters on their labels that can help you get an estimate of their spiciness. For a first-time buy, it might be best to go for medium or mild heat.

3. Soup Thickness

An ideal chili thickness falls right between a stew-like consistency to a solid chunk of tomato paste and beef patty. It should not be runny or watery like tomato soup. It should be the consistency of a thick and rich sauce, making it a great partner for hot dogs and nachos.

4. Cubed or ground meat?

Chili traditionalists and enthusiasts have a long argument over which is superior: ground meat or cubed meat. And while we all love the large, chunky goodness of tender, rich meat cubes, others won’t even consider chili as real chili if it uses anything other than ground meat.

However, you’ll find that ground meat is the more popular choice for canned chili. It’s mainly because ground meat can be a great mix of pork and beef or other kinds of meat. If you are on a meat-only diet, make sure to check the label of any canned chili.

However, whichever way you should go, chili meat should be tender, not rubbery, savory, and with no weird metallic taste.

5. Chili with beans or chili without beans?

Another big controversy revolving around chili is whether or not it should have beans in it. As you might have noticed in the first item on this list, chili with beans is more popular. However, I also respect meat-only chili lovers.

What you should know is that most brands that make chili produce both varieties with the same flavors. If you like your chili with beans, as apparently many people do, then find a canned chili with tender beans that are neither mushy nor overcooked.

6. BPA-Free cans

Just like in airtight plastic food containers, BPA should not be present in canned food. BPA is bisphenol A, an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of resins and plastics and is also used as an inner coating in cans.

Research has shown that BPA can mix into food or beverages, which can affect the brain, especially those of infants, children, or the fetus of a pregnant woman. It can also cause high blood pressure and behavioral changes.

Although FDA or the Food and Drug Administration allows a small amount of BPA in certain food products, it’s best to reduce your exposure to the substance by choosing BPA-Free labeled products.

7. Nutritional Values

When buying canned chili, check the nutrition facts for vitamins, calcium, and magnesium. Most chilis contain high amounts of magnesium, some calcium, and vitamins A and C. You can also find information on its carbohydrate, fat, protein and calorie contents per serving.

You can use this data for comparing nutritional values among brands and controlling your caloric intake.

8. Low Sodium Content

Salt or sodium chloride is both needed by the body and is a common ingredient in most food products, like canned chili. So, sodium is not necessarily bad for you, and it should not be eliminated from your diet.

However, the key to enjoying your food and staying healthy is moderation and control. Nobody wants a bland chili, but looking for low-sodium options could save you from kidney problems in the long run.

9. Non-traditional Chili

Aside from the issue regarding meat and beans, the classic chili formula doesn’t always work with a lot of health and diet needs. Because of this, other types of chilis (believing otherwise is up to you) are vegetable chili and white chili.

Veggie chili is not entirely an insult to the classic chili, thanks to the many excellent substitutes for meat already available today. These chilis are made with soy or vegetable protein-based textured “meats”.

You might not even notice the difference from the real thing. In fact, the surprisingly good “bite” of these vegan-friendly options make these meatless versions definitely worth a try.

Another twist on the classic chili is white chili, made with roasted chicken and white beans in a cream-based sauce without the iconic tomato paste or chunks. This is gentler for acid-sensitive tummies that react unpleasantly to meat and tomatoes.

But this can be a good addition to a chili buffet and can be fun, too.