Trying to win a Chili cook off


 

JonBerto

New member
My friend has been having a chili cook off for the past few years. I've been in the middle of the pack the past two years with an authentic Texas red recipe that I thought would impress the judges. Turns out that nobody cares about authentic Texas red chili except one guy. Everybody who attends the party has a vote, so it's not a few experts doing the judging. The winner last year basically made a smoked brisket in a thin chili broth. There are no rules on the contest, so basically everyone shows up with chili already made and just heats it up.

I've made my own beef broth before, and I made chili powder from Alton Browns recipe a couple times. I recently bought a Weber Smokey Mountain and I have smoked some good brisket. Last weekend I smoked some red jalapeno and made a pretty good chipotle sauce.

I'm wondering if anyone has some advice on how to win this chili cook off so I can have bragging rights. I'd like to smoke a brisket, use some homemade beef stock, and dry or smoke some peppers and make my own chili powder if possible.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks:

Jon
 
I did a pulled pork Mexican-influenced chili one time. Was great. Also smoked turkey chili is awesome; did that too!
 
I know what you mean. I cooked for two days and lost to a lady who opened a few cans and heated up her "chili". I had pulled pork, brisket, and all the works. Man it was good! ...but the judges went with a 15 minute chicken "chili". So...I got nothin for ya but a tear in my beer. LOL
 
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when there are no standards and everyone is a judge you are going to have tough time. Many people don't know what good food really is and if it is different it isn't good. Cook what you like to eat and go with it from there...if you lose oh well but at least you know there is some good chili to be eaten :)
 
Bob Bass, I used a winning recipe from an International Chili Society contest last year. I even mail ordered the same powder from Texas, but nobody was impressed.

Thanks for that suggestion, Timothy, I might give that a shot.

That sucks, Dwain. I hate that feeling, but most of the fun for me is the tinkering in the kitchen and the test runs... And the trash talk.

I made some chipoltes a few weeks ago and turned it in to a really good hot sauce. I think I am going to experiment with making my own powder from scratch, use the leftover brisket, and serve that hot sauce on the side. I feel like the hot sauce will be a little something that makes my entry stand out.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.
 
Forget about judges and forget about winning. Just put out your best stuff, have fun and enjoy, that's what life is all about.
 
Jon...
Congratulation for giving it your all !!!

I agree with Tom Golden. It's more than just a possibility those judging don't know what award winning Chili is.
The same is true with BBQ. The majority of the general public have no idea what award winning BBQ is.
They just want their ribs to be fall off the bone and spicy sweet (yuck) ;)

Might be an opportunity to teach those people and thereby raising the chili bar.

My Best Wishing to you in your future chili cooks !
 

 

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