Ya'll better watch out now y'hear? We don take kindly to that kind'a hate speech 'round these parts. Equal weight beans and beef, you skimp out either and yain't fixin' chili; you might'ina even be inclined to leave for everyone's sake.
I can't believe I've never seen this before. "Kinda" does not mean "kind of." "Kind of" is not the proper way to write "kinda." They aren't interchangeable.
Kind'a is a contraction and specifically means kind of. Brilliant.
As a Texan, this is true. Traditional chili is based on the Mexican "chili con carne," meaning "chilies with meat."
Chili normally is a stew with 1 inch cubes of a tougher meat like chuck steak that's been stewed down until tender in a liquid (water or beef stock, sometimes even beer or coffee added) and a puree of reconstituted dried chiles (not chili powder) and other spices. Nothing else goes into traditional Texan chili. Beans are sometimes served on the side though. Adding beans is perceived as a cheap filter and skimping out on the meat.
This is the dish that started all of these other non-mexican versions of chili and you're missing out of you've never had it!
I'm southern with family from Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas and chili is all about the beans. I call chili with chiles, beans and tomatoes "Chili" and if I make it with beans, chiles, tomatoes and meat (stew meat never hamburger) "Meat Chili". Would take chili with beans & corn over chili without beans any day of the week.
Chili with hamburger without beans is something to put on a hot dog or bun. Not a meal, it's like hamburger helper nonsense.
ETA: this is not to say I've never made stew meat in Chile sauce. Cubed brisket finished in sauce of anchos and tomatillos is heavenly. I just never call that chili.