Local Chili Cook-Off


 
Gary H. NJ

Gary H. NJ

TVWBB Platinum Member
Didn't win, but had a lot of fun. Even got to know a few neighbors. Thanks much to friends Don Cash and Jeff Biesinger for their advice and recommendations. I went with a Texan Style chili; no beans. The texture of the stew/gravy was smooth, which may have been a bit off-putting to the judges. I know I'll change things up a bit next time.
I got to taste the competition. First place was delicious and my personal choice as well. Second place was vegetarian. Oh well.
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Adding some smoke and char to the beef chuck before adding to the pot.

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A "Bowl of Red" and cornbread.

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Thanks for looking. - G
 
looks just about right!

Its always the weird chili that people gravitate towards.

No bragging rights, but you got a good recipe and made some friends (which is about the extent of my comp career
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">where was the comp? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Very local. Just a neighborhood comp in West Milford.
<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">Its always the weird chili that people gravitate towards.</span>
Not in this case I think. Not weird, just northeast style. Plenty of ground beef chili and I think they all had beans except mine. Some seemed to be mostly beans. I liked the winner a lot; a combo of ground and cubed beef and beans. Good flavor.
Thanks to all for kind words of support. Anyone with chili comp experience out there with future comp suggestions for me?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gary H. NJ:
Anyone with chili comp experience out there with future comp suggestions for me? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Many years ago I won a local cook off two years in a row with a variation of my go to chili recipe (one with ground turkey and one with rabbit). I also judged the two years following because I had won in previous years. I find in the northeast you've got to have beans because people up here grew up with beans in their chili. I also find that for comps you need a bit more heat than you would normally use because people expect chili to be hot. I personally prefer complex flavors over taste bud annihilation...but I know allot of people like it hot in comps.

My basic recipe uses generic chili seasoning components, ground meat of some sort (usually turkey), diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, celery, corn, black beans, a good dark beer, bell peppers and chipotles. I always, always cook it in a crock pot since I go for at least 12 hours at low temps to really get the flavors to develop. Using the diced tomatoes means that my finished product doesn't have a stew like consistency, but the low heat also means the tomatoes stay somewhat intact and it's chock full of vegetables.

Sometimes the key to winning a chili comp, or placing high, means having a different product than everyone else. I could see the vegetarian one placing high because there was nothing else to compare it to. If 10 people make a Texas style chili then you've got to be the best of 10 to have a chance at a call...but that's just my opinion.
 
take 287 to 24 to Summit then through the reservation to rt. 22 and I'm 5 minutes from there! Or I can meet you somewhere. It looks fantastic.
 
Looks great, Gary.

How was the comp judged? The one I enter yearly is very informal too, just a bunch of friends getting together for bragging rights. It's judged by everyone at the party individually voting (anonymously) for their favorite...sometimes I feel like it's more of a popularity comp than a chili comp. No biggie, it's still one of my favorite parties of the year.
 
Myself - I make a lot of chili vegetarian and meat styles. But the favorite is a version of Texas red. No ground meat, no tomatoes, no beans. Cubed tri tip or chuck.

I grew up on the tomato, ground beef, bean loaded (Northeast style?) chilli and loved it.

Texas red recipes have been my favorite though since. And I find when I get the old style I don't like it as much. Although I still like it just fine.

Nice post Gary and that chilli looks awesome. It's how it ought to be IMHO!!

Excellent.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">How was the comp judged? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Chilies were judged one at a time by three volunteer judges from the community. It was organized and serious in that respect, which makes it more fun, really. Everyone got to taste the chilies too. People brought their little kids and family, so the atmosphere was very neighborly. All in all, a fun, successful event.
 
Great looking and I'll bet tasting chili. Just this weekend I was told about and invited to cook in a friendly neighborhood chili cook next October in a friend's neighborhood. I'm already looking at and thinking about tweaking recipes that I have. And I'll do a lot of practicing in hopes of coming up a winner or at least making an edible chili.
 
Gary, that looks great.

Second guessing what the judges want vs. what we like is what baffles us most as competitors, regardless of the food competition.
 
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