So we're doing a friendly chili competition at our friends place and I want to bring something legit. I usually just throw stuff together but this year I want to actually follow a recipe and do it right. Anyone here have a go-to dutch oven chili that actually wins? Looking for something with good depth of flavor. I've got all day Sunday to prep if needed.
Dutch oven chili cook off sounds incredible. What kind of competition rules are you working with? Some places don't allow beans, some don't allow certain ingredients. That might help determine your strategy.
Nice, a chili competition sounds fun. I'd recommend getting your ingredients prepped the night before so you're not stressed Saturday morning trying to juggle everything with the kids. Then you can actually focus on nailing the cook.
Bro, if you're going up against actual chili heads, you gotta commit to a recipe this time instead of winging it. I'd say find one that lets you brown your meat real good first - that's where the flavor happens. Good luck taking down your friends.
For a cook off I'd go with something classic and really nail the execution. My go-to is a Texas red chili with no beans, dried chiles, good beef chuck, and I let it simmer for like four hours. Most people don't expect it to be that good when it's simple.
Make it your own thing. I did a burritos-inspired chili once with chorizo and peppers and it killed. The key is tasting it constantly and adjusting seasonings as you go. Don't be afraid to let it cook low and slow.
Sign in to join the conversation.
This is awesome that you're doing this. My advice is whatever recipe you pick, do a test run before Saturday. Nothing worse than showing up with a chili that tastes like you experimented on game day.