WANTED: The best chili in town!

Posted on April 2, 2021

Break out your big pot and start stirring!

The 19th annual Taylor County Chili Challenge will be held Saturday, April 10, at high noon in conjunction with the Florida State Bluegrass Festival.

The entry fee is $30, and all proceeds benefit Special Olympics of Taylor County, Shop with a Cop and the Perry Rotary Club.

Cash prizes ($200, $100 and $50 respectively) will be awarded for first, second and third place winners.

The following rules and regulations apply:

• Chili is defined as any kind of tomato sauces, meat, combination of meats, cooked with red or green chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients, including, but not limited to beans and pasta.

• Chili cook-off entries may be pre-cooked and prepared prior to the date of the contest or prepared on-site.

• Chili cook-off entries must be completely prepared and ready to be served by noon on Saturday, April 10, or will be excluded from judging.

• Chili entries may be kept warm with the use of crock pots or other warming devices during the contest, and electrical outlets will be provided.

• Judging of chili entries will be conducted during a one-hour period immediately following the noon serving deadline.

• Contestants are responsible for supplying their own chili containers, utensils, serving spoons or ladles and any sides (crackers, cheese, sour cream, bread, etc.) they may wish.

• Each contestant must cook and provide at least a minimum of two gallons of chili at the time the contest begins for judging and serving purposes.

• Each contestant will be assigned a contestant number by the chili cook-off chairperson and must provide at least three, eight-ounce samples of chili for the judging panel in a pre-marked cup with that contestant’s number displayed on the outside.

• Judging will be based on the following major considerations: taste (combination of meat, peppers, spices, etc., with no particular ingredient being dominant, but rather a blend of flavors), good flavor, texture, consistency (ratio between sauce and meat, i.e. not dry, watery, grainy, lumpy or greasy), blend of spices, aroma, bite and color.

• Bowls and spoons will be provided by the Chili Cook-Off Committee, and those attending the 19th annual Florida State Bluegrass Festival will be invited to purchase a bowl for $5.