Next time tell your wife to put the beans in a separate pan. When you scoop up your chili, you have the option to scoop up some beans too.
That said, the best chili is made using dried chilies like anchos, pasilla, chipotle, etc. You seed the chilies, toast them briefly on a hot cast iron pan, soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes, and either pass them through a food mill or put in a blender with a little bit of water or soaking water, blend all up, and force the result through a wire strainer. The idea is to get the pulp and leave out the skins.
Then you fry that pulp up in an enamel cast iron dutch oven with a tbsp or two of oil oil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. I like to add a touch of sugar, some roasted garlic, a tsp or three of mexican oregano, and let that mixture get a dark brick-red but don't burn it! Then you add your meat which has been browned previously, either hamburger or chunks of beef (chuck roast is great for this...) Add some chopped tomatoes, a can of green chilies, beef stock, beer, whatever you like. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Then cover and put it over very low heat or just stick it in the oven at 275 for about four hours, until the meat is tender.
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