Peanut Butter And Chili? In The Midwest, It's A Staple Combo

We go crazy for a good peanut butter sandwich — especially when we hit upon a new sandwich idea that's not traditional — but dipping one in chili was news to us. Yet, the more we explore this idea, the closer we get to becoming full-blown converts. Apparently, in pockets of the Midwest and Appalachia, peanut butter sandwiches served alongside chili is a capital-T Thing. 

"I grew up in Indiana and this is how I always eat my chili," claimed a poster on Reddit. "If I remember correctly not only did we do this at home, but it's how it was served in school lunches!" Notably, the Midwestern tradition does not use a PB&J; instead, it's plain bread spread with your choice of peanut butter. This quirky food trend may be in the process of culturally diffusing across regional lines, as the National Peanut Board called the combo an emerging favorite. 

The debate over what carb to serve alongside chili is almost as heated a question as the "beans in chili" debate. Chili may be served with buttery cornbread, salty crackers, or even grilled cheese, depending on your preferences. Why not a peanut butter sandwich? When you think about the flavor profiles of both peanut butter and chili, as well as historic use of the condiment as a filler in certain chili recipes, what seems at first glance to be an oddball marriage sort of transforms into a culinary match made in heaven.

Pairing PB and chili is a study in contrasts. Peanut butter is long on natural oils that can tame the aggressive spiciness of a particularly hot chili, for one thing. Even if the chili is mild, the typical sweetness of peanut butter is a great contrast to the bold umami flavors in this beloved stew. Then, there's the play on textures: creamy peanut butter just feels good on the tongue alongside some chunky, chewy chili. Note as a bonus point of interest that some vegetarian chilis use peanut butter right in the pot to add nuttiness and some thickening texture. As many Midwesterners already know, these two foods together actually work.

Even more social media users report that peanut butter and chili was dished up in school cafeterias around the 1970s, smack dab in the midst of the Great Inflation. What's more, the ingredients for chili are cheap, along with peanut butter, so historically it may also have been the case that some enterprising folks decided to make the best of what was available. 

Whether the duo of peanut butter and chili was driven by great taste or necessity, we ain't mad about it. Next time you crack open some canned chili, or even take the time to whip up Robert Redford's version, which uses lamb, consider slapping together some peanut butter sandwiches and trying out a unique, yet highly compatible lunch special. You might be pleasantly surprised by a new gotta-have-it pairing that becomes part of your regular rotation.