It's Too Warm For Chili

I thought chili is supposed to be cooked when it's cold, not in Texas it ain't. Competition chili cook offs are all year long here.
Last weekend we had a cook off that was close enough to the house to go to, so at the last minute we thought what the heck.
Normally we would spend several days planning and getting ready, but it has been three months since our last competition so we just jumped in the truck.

We didn't take the full set up, only a table and the cooker. It was much easier that way. One half of our team had other obligations so it was just me, the wife and the girls. We even had some friends come by and showed their support. I can't think of many things I would have rather been doing. Well except fishing of course.

The oldest was up from college and took this lovely picture of me, the wife and Captain Morgan. I don't know which one I love the most.
Good times right there. 

150 cooks showed up to the cook off. They gave trophies to the first 22 places and I did not receive one. I don't feel too bad about it though. The five past and the current world champions did not place either.
I am changing up a few things with my recipe after this one. I am trying out three new chili powders and a few new tricks I learnt. The new MDR chili will be revealed May 10th at the next cook off in Collinsville Texas.      

End the end we had a blast. I really enjoy doing these cook offs, but I can't see myself cooking chili in the summer. In May we have four cook offs back to back to attend and then I think I am shutting it down till November. 

That's all I got for now, Y'all have a good one and just to set the record straight, Captain Morgan may be great but, I love the wife more.    

Buried In Projects Again

The break was nice, but it's time to get back to work.
Before I went on vacation I was doing research on some of the new projects that I have on the drawing board. I am excited to do them all and found myself almost starting three at one time. By doing that it will take longer to finish just one so I had to dial it back a little and do them in order.

First off I got roped into building thirteen trophies for the November 17th Chili Cook off we will be at. They saw the ones I build for my at home cook off and now the pod wants them for theirs. I have to build first through tenth for the chili and first through third for show. I will take pictures when they are done to show the detail that has gone into them. The good thing is that it's not all me, my teammates are doing the sanding, staining and painting. All I did was design them and cut all the wood. After I get them back then I will have to assemble all them.
While on vacation I took my scroll saw and cut out all the detailed pieces. Well, I didn't have nothing else to do so why not.    

I have my beer can solar heater all designed and ready to go. I am still collecting parts and materials, but I have enough to get started. The front glass will be from a storm door I kept because I thought I would need it someday. It will hold 100 cans and be on a swivel so I can turn it with the sun all day long. The air will be forced in, through the cans and out the top by the same solar fan I have in the dehydrator.
Tonight I start on the frame.

The next project I am ready to start is the Biosand filter. The water distiller did not work for me no matter what I did to it so for drinking water this sand filter will make the rain water from the storage tanks potable. Of course I will test the water before I drink it, but in the end this filter should do the trick.
I have been studying on this for about a year now and I am ready to pull the trigger.

The list goes on but these are the ones at the top. I am excited about the heater and filter and want them done as quick as possible. Now with a shop, my projects are being able to be completed rain or shine and the possibilities are endless.

This weekend we will be cooking chili in a little town about an hour and a half from here so wish us luck. Tomorrow night will be all about getting ready for that and believe me, it takes all evening to get ready.
The money will benefit the Wrightright Fire Department. 
We might stand a chance this weekend because all the big dogs are down south at the National Cook Off. Being this is our first year we were not invited because we did not have enough points yet. The good news is, we have already qualified for next year to enter in show so it may be a possibility to go except the drive is about 11 hours, but we will see.

That's all I got for now.     

Weekend Results

This weekend was our Chili Teams first official chili cook off held on the outskirts of a small rural town only fifteen miles from the house. I could have sworn none of the big dogs would have wasted their time driving this far to cook in this little event, but boy was I wrong.

Being a seasoned cook and being around cook offs my whole life, I have always had high thoughts about my abilities to excel at whatever I am cooking. Of course most home cooks would say the same about their own abilities as well. Talk to any self taught master chef and they will say the same thing about their ribs being the best in the state or their brisket is world renowned and don't even get me started on bean cooks. Plus it seams everyone has their own secret recipe and technique that has been handed down from generation to generation and if they told you anything about them, they would have to kill you.
Chili cooks are no different. Though some offer pointers and procedures that may help you, in general they still hold their own slice of knowledge and well kept secrets to themselves. Each cook has a proven method true to their own. One team even floats a pork chop in their chili to give it a pork flavor.            

 Intimidation also plays a big part in these chili cook offs. While setting everything up for our booth this weekend we had several cooks come by to introduce themselves and hang around for some idle chit-chat.
At one point everyone got quiet and started whispering. I walked over to see what was going on and one guy told me in a low voice that the last year International Champion just showed up. I could tell it too because he walked with a strut and the arrogance about him that was unrecognizable. I noticed people started wringing their hands and moving around aimlessly trying not to make eye contact with the champ for fear of whatever. After the kind gentleman told me what the fuss was all about I simple said, "So what!". The looks I got after that comment you would have thought I just called all their mommas fat or something.  I guess you don't have to be a champ to have arrogance.    

Our team won best in show both Saturday and Sunday so I am proud of that. We now have more trophies to add to the collection. Our individual chilies did not do so well. We had some spot on chili so to be honest I don't know what these folks are looking for.
I got upset not because I didn't win, but because when I tasted the first place chili, it was not as good as mine. I am sure everyone else thought the same thing though.  
Next weekend we will at another cook off in Van Alstyne so we will see what happens. I have made a few small adjustments to my recipe just to see.