Texas Tidbits: Chili, It's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

Breakfast of Champions

Chili. There are as many ways to make it as there are cooks. Getting these cooks to convene at one place at one time is called a Chili Cook Off. There must be thousands of these cook offs every year in Texas, and some of them are serious business. With cash and prestige on the line, the competition is fierce. The recipes for the best chili at these cook offs are guarded like the gold at Fort Knox. Or like the Top Secret Crabby Patty Formula at the Krusty Krab. I love Spongebob. The arrival of Spring signals the beginning of the Chili Cook Off season in Texas. Below I'll list a few links to some of the more popular and well-known chili cook offs in the state.

• 2011 Lone Star Chili Cook Off  - Believe it or not, this cook off takes place in New York City! It won't come as such a big surprise that it is held by the Texas Exes and the New York a & M Club. The one time that Longhorns and Aggies come together as one.  :)

• "Texas Men's Chili Cook Off and BBQ Championship - From the cook off website: Blanco County Fairgrounds in Johnson City. This Texas tradition is fun for the whole family on the banks of the Pedernales River. Cooking begins Friday evening. On Saturday vendors will offer treats and treasures from throughout the Hill Country, while the cooking continues. Live music on Saturday, 42 domino tournaments. Fun for the whole family. Come early to judge or just taste chili, barbecue, beans, and hot wings made by the best in Texas. Sponsored by CASI". 
• Terlingua International Chili Championship - This is the Grand Daddy of them all. Enough said. 

This is, of course, a very short list of the Chili Cook Offs held in Texas each year. I used Google Fu to find a list of many of the Chili Cook Offs going on in Texas throughout the year. I'm sure that I'll locate more chili cook offs over the course of time, and when I do, you'll be the first to hear of them.

If you know of a bad ass chili recipe, please feel free to send it to me at threestatesplusone AT gmail DOT com. I'll be more than happy to share it with the rest of the world.