Fall Fest Chili Cook-Off. Saturday, November 21, in Princeton, TX
The champ is already in. Your move.
A Texas state chili cook-off champion has signed up. Twenty spots, $775 in prizes, and a crowd with tasting tickets deciding who else gets bragging rights.
Enter your team$25 per team. Sign-up closes November 14 or when 20 teams are in.
How the day runs
Cooks get a three-hour head start before the gates open. Plan your pot around the 1 PM turn-in.
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8:00Cook setupCheck in, find your spot, light your burner.
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11:00Gates openGuests and the public start wandering your way.
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1:00Turn-inJudges' cups go in for blind judging. Public tasting runs after.
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2:30Winners announcedJudges' Choice and People's Choice.
What you're cooking for
Judges' Choice
A two-night weekend in one of our new Geocabins, plus a seat at the judging table next year. You'll get to be the one deciding whether the champ still has it.
People's Choice
A Countryview cast-iron pot, plus free entry and first pick of cook spots next year. Every guest with a tasting kit gets tickets. Every ticket is a taste, and every ticket is a vote. Most tickets in the jar wins.
What to bring
- RequiredBurner and fuel, pots, and your ingredients
- RequiredA fire extinguisher at your cook site
- RequiredA stem thermometer to keep your chili hot through tasting
- RequiredAbout 2.5 gallons of finished chili, enough for roughly 150 two-ounce tastes
- Your callTent, table, chairs, and whatever makes your spot look like a winner
The short version of the rules
Everything cooks on site. No chili made at home ahead of time. Prep your ingredients all you want, but the cooking happens here.
Open category. Beans are allowed. Traditionalists are free to judge you silently.
One entry per team. Your judges' cup goes in at 1 PM sharp, and the rest of your pot goes to tasting.
Prize values are approximate retail: the Geocabin weekend is 2 nights at $300, and People's Choice is the engraved pot plus next year's $25 entry.
We'll send the full cook packet, with your spot assignment and check-in details, after you sign up.
Enter your team
Fill this out and your spot is held. We'll follow up with the cook packet and anything else you need before the 21st.
Staying with us that weekend? Let us know on the form so we can put you close to your site.
Entries close November 14, or sooner if all 20 spots fill.
Form not showing up? Text your team name to 214-449-1533 and we'll get you signed up.
Bring the whole crew
The cook-off is the main event, but there's a full day on the ranch around it. Guests first, and the gate is open to the public.
- Hay ridesAcross the property
- FishingAt the pond
- Highland cattle and mini donkeysAt the fence line, best photo op on the property
- Mini pumpkin painting
- Bounce housesFor the kids
- Photo boothFall family photo, handled
- Local vendors
- Live musicWe're working on it