So You Want To Be A Chilihead A starters guide to chili cookoff’s
Preface Chili: A simple dish of many interpretations Chili, Chili Con Carne, Texas Red – Whatever you call that savory concoction of meat and fire, is the natural child of the arguing state of mind. There’s no recipe for it, on disputation, and almost anyone’s first thought that after a taste of somebody else’s version, no matter how much it pleasures the throat, is that they could make it better. Please note that Chili Cookoff rules vary from event to event. Be sure to check the rules of the event that you are participating in……..Good Luck!
Contents Common Questions Chili Rules Chili Judging What to Take to a Cookoff What Happens at a Chili Cookoff Chili Tips Terlingua Championship Chili Recipe
Common Questions What is a Chili Cookoff? It is a celebration of chili that involves cooking competition. Chili is prepared from scratch at the cookoff site and judged on set criteria by a panel of judges in a blind tasting.
Where Are Chili Cookoffs Held? Chili cook offs are held anywhere two or more people get together to see who can cook the winning chili. They range from backyard affairs "just for fun" to very large, highly organized special events. They are held at state fairs, historical or holiday events, hot air balloon races, parks, parking lots or shopping centers or anywhere people gather.
Who Puts On These Cook Offs? Chili cook offs usually are sponsored by an organization and are most often conducted for the benefit of a charitable cause. Cook Offs can be sanctioned (e.g., by CASI – the Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc.) or unsanctioned. CASI-affiliated Pods (local chili organizations) can provide advice concerning the organization and promotion of chili cook offs.
Chili Rules ⇒
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Peoples Choice Chili o Anything goes!!!!
This is fun chili!! No rules for what goes in the chili.
Chili cooked on site
All chili must be cooked on site, the day of the cookoff from scratch. All chili must be prepared out in the open. •
Chili cooked from scratch
Scratch is defined as starting with raw meat. Commercial chili powder is permissible but complete commercial chili mixes are not permitted. Marinating of meat is not allowed. Marinating is defined as adding anything to the raw meat (chili powder, wine, vinegar, salt, etc.) The Health Dept. prohibits home kill meat and suggests that you cut your meat prior to the cookoff.
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One chili per cook
Each head cook is responsible for cooking one pot of chili and turning in one judging cup from that pot. The head cook must prepare chili that he or she intends to be judged. No more than one judging sample can be taken from any one pot. •
Sanitation
Cooks are to prepare and cook the chili as sanitary a manner as possible. You will need three containers. One with soap and water (to wash spoons, hands, etc.), one with clear water (rinse) and one with a cap full of bleach (sanitize). The Health Dept. also requires that we cook under cover (awning or umbrella). For first time cooks there is always room under other cooks cover. The Health Dept. does not allow porcelain cookware.
Chili Judging “Chili” should smell, look and taste good. Accordingly each is judged on five criteria. •
Aroma
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Red Color
Chili may range from reddish to reddish brown. Not so good are shades of grey, black, pink or camouflage. Excess grease may also mar the appearance. •
Consistency
Chili should be a good balance or meat and gravy. Meat should be tender but not broken down. •
Taste
Chili should taste good above all else. Although individual opinions will vary, a really good taste will stand out. •
Aftertaste
Residual taste should be pleasant. Also present may be afterbite which is that glow that develops in the mouth and throat that says this is Chili rather than spaghetti sauce, stew or soup. The absence, presence, or level of bite is a matter of personal preference.
What to take to a cookoff The following list is some of the things you might want to take to a cookoff: Stove and Fuel Table Chairs Cooler for your meat and beverages Chili pot and lid (Health Dept. does not allow porcelain pots) Skillet (if needed) Cooking utensils (spoons, can opener, etc) Three open containers for washing (soapy water, water, bleach & water) Bleach Chili ingredients (spices, onions) Chili meat (you must start with raw meat which can be cut/ground prior to the cookoff) Recipe (if needed) Awning (cover is required by the Health Dept.) Sun screen, hat, apron, pot holder Garbage bag Camera Maybe some sandwiches, chips, etc. (remember you are given 3-4 hours to cook your chili and the judging may take 2-3 hours.) Whatever you need for doing show (costumes, booth etc.) if doing show.
What happens at a chili cookoff • • •
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When you get to the site of the cookoff, get there early enough to get all set up and ready to cook before the cookoff is scheduled to begin. After you get set up, you can sign in at the judging area. Next, the Head Judge will call for the cooks meeting. You will be given any special instructions and be told when and where to turn in your Chili. Please remember you must start with raw un- marinated meat with no chili-powder, salt, vinegar, etc. added You will obtain your sample cup from the head judge
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Take the ticket out of your sample cup and sign the back of it. Put the ticket in a safe place. This ticket has a duplicate in the envelope taped to the outside of your sample cup and will be the only way to identify your Chili. You must sign your ticket, in ink, with both your first and last name in front of a cookoff official.
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If you damage or lose your sample cup or ticket, contact the Head Judge as soon as possible.
After the meeting most people begin cooking their chili but you may begin before the meeting. The Head Judge will instruct you on how much Chili to put in your sample cup at turn in time (usually 2/3 to 7/8 full). •
Turn in time will be announced at the cooks meeting. It is usually 3-4 hours after the cooks meeting.
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Just before Chili turn in time, fill your sample cup to the level that was given at the Cooks Meeting, put the lid on and take the cup to the turn in area.
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Try not to spill any Chili sown the side of the cup. If you do wipe the cup off with a damp cloth.
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Do not tamper or mark the outside of the cup in any manner. If the Head Judge sees any apparent attempt to mark the outside or inside of the cup you will be disqualified.
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The cups are now taken to the judging area and the judging begins…
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The Head Judge will inform you when the judging is completed and announcement of the winners will begin.
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The Chili winners will be announced. The ticket will be removed from the side of the finishers cups and the number will be read. If the number matches the one you have, you have won! You will have to present the signed, matching ticket to claim your award.
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Remember to clean up your area before you leave. Our sponsors expect us to leave the area as clean as we found it.
Chili Tips •
Meat should be cubed in about ¼ to ½ inch cubes. Chili Grind can be used but cubed meat seems to place better.
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If you use any fresh ingredients (onions, peppers, garlic, etc.), run them through a blender to make them as smooth as possible. Chunks of anything except meat could get lower scores from some judges.
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Some judges do not like the taste of beer or booze in their chili.
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Use the two spoon method to taste your chili. Take the chili out of your post with one spoon and drop chili into your tasting spoon. This enables you to taste your chili without putting the spoon from your mouth into the chili pot. Never put a spoon that’s been in your mouth into the chili pot.
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Before you start serving the public, take a sample of your chili and put it in a container to take home. This will let you taste and critique your chili the next day.
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Volunteer to be a preliminary judge. You can judge the preliminary tables even if you have cooked. This gives you a chance to taste other chili’s just like the judges do which may give you ideas to improve your chili in the future.
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Ask other cooks to critique your chili…everyone is glad to help.
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Don’t change your chili recipe too rapidly. Small changes will let you keep track of what works and what doesn’t.
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Try your recipe at home. Have your friends, family and co-workers critique it.
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Remember you are trying to please the judges, not yourself. At the cookoff, sample the chili of the top cooks to see what is winning. Taste the samples as soon as possible after turn-in. If the chili has sat cooking in the pot for a while after turn-in, it could taste completely different then what was turned in.
2001 Terlingua International Chili Championship Winning Recipe (more recipes at http://www.chili.org/recipes.html) Randy’s Fool’s Gold Chili – Randy Moore Gray 2 pounds of cubed chuck tender beef (or chili grind). Add: 1 14-1/2 oz. Can – Swanson’s Beef Broth 1 8-oz. Can – Contadina Tomato Sauce 1 Cube – Beef Bouillon 1 Cube – Chicken Bouillon Float 1 Jalapeno Pepper and 1 Serrano Pepper. Bring to a boil and add: 2 tsp. – Pendery’s Onion Powder 1 tsp. – Pendery’s Garlic Powder 1 Tbls. - Pendery’s Fort Worth Light Chili Powder 2 Tbls. - Gunpowder Foods Texas Red Chili Powder ¼ tsp. - Black Pepper 1 packet - Sazon Goya Cut back heat and simmer for about an hour, then add: ½ tsp. – Pendery’s Mexican Oregano ½ tsp. – Pendery’s Onion Powder ½ tsp. – Pendery’s Garlic Powder 1 Tbls. – Pendery’s Fort Worth Light Chili Powder 2 Tbls. - Gebhardt’s Chili Powder ¼ tsp. – Black Pepper ¼ tsp. – Cayenne Pepper ½ packet – Sazon Goya Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Squeeze peppers and discard pulp. Add: 1 Tbls. – Pendery’s Ground Cumin ¼ tsp. – Cayenne Pepper ½ packet – Sazon Goya Simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and cayenne as needed.
