Where Texas Chili Legends Are Born: The Biggest Cook-Off is Here!

Texans love chili, so I'm here to tell you where to get a lot of it!

Texas Chili Masters

Texas chili is it's own category of cuisine. Chunks of beef (usually), chilies, spices, and more combine into a perfect "bowl of red". I guess we'll just save the debate about beans for some other time. The use of tomatoes is also debated, as is the role of onions—are they a spice, or a distinct ingredient?". Chili seems simple, but there are so many variables in a "special recipe" that chili competitions are a regular thing here.

The Biggest In Texas

If you'd like to be a part of the biggest chili competition in Texas, then it's off to Terlingua for you. This mostly-a-ghost-town hosts an annual event like no other. Now, I need to stress this is an "International Chili Cookoff" so your winner may or may not be from the Lone Star State. The chances of that are very low, and I can tell you that the 2024 winners were all from Texas (across the board).

The Event

The Terlingua Chili Cookoff is billed as "A Party With A Purpose". The main beneficiary for the event is the ALS association of Texas. The cookoff raised $80,000 for ALS last year.  Thousands descend up the town every year to cook and go just a little bit crazy. The event happens every year on the first Saturday in November. If you're an aspiring chili cook, you'll need to qualify to enter. Terlingua is on the southern border of Texas, between Big Bend Ranch State Park and  Big Bend National Park.