My Dad’s Recipe for Winning 3 Chili Cook-Offs—Discover the Secrets to the Ultimate Texas Chili

Although my dad isn’t a native Texan, one taste of his chili, and you’d swear he was born and raised in the heart of the state.

How do I know his chili is that good? He’s got the awards to prove it. With multiple chili cook-off victories, my dad’s recipe stands out—even among lifelong Texans.

But success doesn’t come easy: perfecting his recipe took years of trial and error. Whether you’re cooking for game day or competing in your own chili contest, these tips will ensure you’re serving up the best bowl of Texas chili.

The Secret Ingredients Behind My Dad’s Championship-Worthy Texas Chili

If you're worried about me revealing my dad’s secret recipe, don’t be. When I asked if I could share it, his reply came with not one, but three exclamation points. If your dad is anything like mine, you know it’s a big deal when a text doesn’t end with a period or is just a thumbs-up emoji. I’ll take that as his way of saying he’s excited to have this article join the list of reasons he’s a Texas chili master.

Over the years, my dad’s recipe has evolved, but his staple chili is Lady Bird Johnson’s Pedernales River Chili. It’s similar to the classic Texas chili, just with a few personal twists.

Texas chili is good, but winning cook-offs requires something special. Here’s what sets my dad’s chili apart from the rest.

Swap Ground Beef for Brisket

His top tip? Ditch the ground beef and go for brisket. While ground beef will do, brisket takes it to the next level. He usually uses leftover brisket from grilling the night before. Since grilling is another of his specialties, making chili is a perfect way to repurpose that delicious meat and keep the dinner train rolling for several nights.

There are several ways to get your hands on some brisket. My dad would argue that you should make it yourself—this is Texas, after all—but you could also buy it pre-cooked or, preferably, make friends with a Texan who knows how to cook up a mean brisket.

Let the Chili Simmer

According to my dad, the key to great chili is letting it simmer for about eight hours to bring out the full flavor. Don’t worry about overcooking the brisket—he insists that as long as there’s enough liquid, you can’t go wrong.

Letting your chili cook for hours might sound like a lot of effort, but my dad suggests keeping the real secret to yourself. Instead, tell everyone you’re busy stirring the pot for eight hours while you kick back and watch football. After all that ‘hard work,’ you’ll be rewarded with the best chili around. Win-win!

Replace Water With Beer

Occasionally, my dad swaps the water in his chili for beer. While the alcohol evaporates, the beer leaves behind a rich flavor. To stay true to his Texas roots, he always uses Shiner Bock, fearing that a Texas chili might ‘reject’ a non-Texan beer.

Sure, you could use a cheap beer or one you don’t mind getting rid of, but my dad insists the beer should be good enough that you’d actually enjoy drinking one while ‘cooking’ your chili for eight hours. This recipe doesn’t require a whole six-pack, though…

Do Not Add Beans—Ever

You can’t call it Texas chili if it has beans. My dad is adamant about this—no beans in his chili. It’s a point of pride, even if it ruffles the feathers of chili fans outside Texas. The reason? Beans only distract from the true star: the meat. Make chili however you like, but don’t serve it with beans and call it chili, especially if you’re serving it to a Texan—especially my dad.

Top With Fritos and Enjoy

My dad always finishes his chili with a generous topping of Fritos. I prefer to layer them at the bottom like a classic Fritos pie, making the scoop-shaped Fritos the perfect choice. Top it off with some sour cream and cheese, and you’re all set to dive into a bowl of true Texas chili.