Puester wrote:
George Shirley wrote:


Not at a fair but I've competed in several chili cook-offs over the
years. Made second place one time and was very happy to get that. Not
much more difficult than entering something in a canning contest
except you will be time limited.



I've always wondered about chili competitions, George.

Does overall flavor count more, or mainly the heat level?
Too many people, in my opinion, try for knock-your-socks-off heat when
they make chili and that's all you can taste.
That seems to be more common than it was back in the sixties and
seventies, when taste counted.

Beans or no beans?
Put beans in chili and you just made soup. G Most chili cookoffs today
have a category for each. I NEVER put beans in my chili, I cook a pot of
pinto beans on the side, preferably pink pintos when I can find them,
and the heathrens can add beans in their bowl.

Ground beef or chunks?
I've used both, depends on the rules of the cookoff. Not chunks really
but shredded beef. Normally, around the house I just use ground chuck.
If'n I'm showing off I might shred some beef chuck.

Inquiring minds want to know....

gloria p

Now you know. always get the rules in hand before you sign up for a cook
off. I was in one where they let people put POTATOES in their chili.
THAT definitely ain't chili. In another I didn't even place because the
judges didn't think it was "hot" enough but the spectators ate up all my
chili first. Go figure.

George