My neighbor's 3-layer bean trick changed how I do chili

I was at my neighbor's house last Saturday for a potluck and she brought out a slow cooker of chili that had this perfect texture. She told me she layers her beans - black on bottom, pinto in the middle, kidney on top - instead of mixing them all together. The bottom beans get mushy and thicken the broth while the top ones stay whole for bite. I tried it this Tuesday with my usual 2-pound ground beef batch and it actually worked. Has anyone else experimented with layering ingredients instead of dumping everything in at once?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant.richard28d ago

I read about this on a cooking blog last year where a chef talked about layering beans in a cassoulet to get different textures. He said the bottom layer basically melts into the sauce while the top beans stay firm no matter how long you simmer it. I tried it with my chili last week and the difference was subtle but real, especially with the broth getting thicker.

betty_reed6128d ago

Three days ago I tried layering beans in my famous chili and the bottom ones turned into total bean paste. Guess who forgot to stir and now has a brick of bean cement stuck to the bottom of her pot. My husband says it adds "character" but I think he just means I better order takeout tomorrow.