Secrete chili receipe

OK, so I have a family chili competition coming up in a few weeks, and I have made some (IMHO) some damn good chili in the past, but never cracked into the top 3.

I know there’s some AMAZING cooks out there, so what’s your favorite secret ingredient(s) out there that helps makes some truly award winning chili?

Cooking is like great sex, it’s the attention to detail and originality that makes it GREAT!

I need some suggestions.

Your thoughts?

I add chorizo to mine. Really punches up the flavor

Links or loose?

Mystery meat.
- deer-

We have almost every spice made.
Pinch of this, or that, or whatever.
Cumin always, dash of paprika
Bunch of other stuff from the spice rack.
Yes, chorizo.
Couple white onions and a couple bell peppers
Garlic cloves,
Sometimes a bottle of spicy salsa.
Pitcher of ice cold bear is always on standby as a chaser.
My last batch a few weeks ago was 3 parts deer, 2 parts cow, and one part pork. We combined two different recipes.

Everything except the beer goes into a large crackpot. Simmer all night. It all disappeared in one Sunday afternoon during the football playoffs.

NO BEANS!!!

Sounds AMAZING Unique! I used to use venison when I was younger, but since my sons moved on with families of their own, it’s just me that likes it. Last one I shot was about 5 years ago and I kept the steaks and chops and had the rest done up in sticks and jerky.

I agree with you McLovin. I’ve got a terrific Texas Red receipe and get the 5 kinds of dried peppers from the Latino market in South O and cook up the tenderest brisket for it. It’s delicious, but unfortunately it doesn’t score well with this group. I made it once and finished in the middle of the pack of the 14 pots that year.

Oh yeah, and the cold beer is a MUST!

A peice of dark chocolate candy bar!!!!!

I also mix ground round steak w ground beef and ground pork. Make sure to get some peices of fat from the steak in there for a good coarse bite

I toss in hatch green chilis

Links or loose? Originally Posted by Dane4040

Ground chorizo. I use ground spicy Italian sausage and ground chorizo

Lately I have been using ground chicken instead of beef. I always start with a quart of home canned tomatoes and quart of home canned tomato juice, which taste way better than what you can buy at the store. Yes, I know how to do my own canning!

I have also found that the quality of the spices used makes a huge difference. The name brands you buy at the grocery stores (e.g. Tones or McCormick) tend to contain a lot of fillers and are not as flavorful as the organic spices you can buy at Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, or Trader Joe’s. Over the holidays I stumbled across a spice store in Tumacacori, Arizona which is about 20 miles north of the border south of Tucson. It’s called the Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Company, and they sell chili and other pepper spices with heat ratings ranging from mild to OMFG call the paramedics!

https://santacruzchili.com/online-products

NO BEANS!!! Originally Posted by Mclovin54

Chili isn't chili if it doesn't have beans.

My wife adds refried beans to thicken the chili.

NO BEANS!!! Originally Posted by Mclovin54

He said chili, not hamburger soup.

Chili is beef in a red sauce/gravy. There's nothing soupy about it, and it certainly doesn't have beans.