World Championship-Inspired Traditional Red Chili with a Bold 'n Spicy Twist

There's chili, and then there's competition chili. Anyone who has spent time around a serious chili cook-off knows that the difference goes well beyond the ingredients. Competition chili is all about developing layers of flavor, balancing spices, cooking meat to the right tenderness, and creating a rich, flavorful gravy that brings everything together. Every ingredient has a purpose, and the timing of when those ingredients are added can be just as important as what goes into the pot.

I've competed in plenty of barbecue competitions over the years, but I've also taken my cooking skills into the world of competitive chili. One of my Traditional Red Chili recipes took me all the way to the finals of the International Chili Society World Championship Chili Cook-off. That original recipe featured cubed tri-tip beef, a carefully developed broth and chile base, and multiple additions of seasonings throughout the cooking process. It was a recipe designed for competition, where a few spoonfuls of chili have to make a lasting impression on the judges.

For this version, I've taken the foundation of that finalist recipe and adapted it into something anyone can make at home, using a handful of Croix Valley seasonings to replace some of the specialty competition spices. The result is a hearty, deeply flavored Traditional Red Chili featuring our Southwest Barbecue Booster, Carolina Rub, Garlic Booster, and Bold 'n Spicy Bloody Mary Seasoning.

What Makes Traditional Red Chili Different?

If you're accustomed to making chili with ground beef, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and a packet of seasoning, Traditional Red Chili might surprise you. In competitions sanctioned by the International Chili Society (ICS), Traditional Red is a specific category of chili made with meat, red chile peppers, spices, and other ingredients, but without beans, rice, pasta, or similar fillers.

That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with beans in chili. They're simply part of a different style. In fact, the ICS has a separate Homestyle Chili category where beans are required. Traditional Red focuses on the relationship between the meat, the chile flavors, and the gravy that surrounds it.

For my original competition recipe, I chose tri-tip beef, cut into small cubes and browned in cast iron. Tri-tip has excellent beef flavor, and when it's cooked properly, the individual pieces become tender while maintaining enough structure to give the chili some substance. Rather than relying on ground beef to thicken the mixture, the goal is to develop a smooth, concentrated red gravy that coats every piece of meat.

The finished chili should have a deep reddish-brown color, tender pieces of beef, and a rich consistency. It shouldn't be watery, but it doesn't need to be thick enough to stand a spoon in, either. Finding that balance is part of what makes competition chili such an interesting cooking challenge.

The Secret of Competition Chili: Spice Dumps

One of the techniques commonly used by competition chili cooks is something called a spice dump. Despite the name, it's actually a deliberate way of adding seasonings at different stages of the cooking process.

Rather than adding every spice at the beginning and letting everything simmer together, cooks divide their seasonings into separate additions. Some spices go in early to establish the foundation of the chili, others are introduced after the meat has cooked for a while, and a final addition is made closer to serving time. This approach allows the cook to develop depth while preserving some of the brighter, more distinctive flavors of the finishing seasonings.

There's no single spice dump schedule that every championship cook follows. Recipes vary considerably, and experienced competitors develop their own methods. For this version, I've kept things straightforward with three additions that each serve a different purpose.

The first dump happens before the meat even goes into the pot. I season the cubed tri-tip with Croix Valley Southwest Barbecue Booster before browning it in cast iron. This gives the beef a savory, Southwest-inspired foundation while the hot pan develops the browned flavors that make the finished chili so satisfying.

The second dump features Croix Valley Carolina Rub. This is the primary dry seasoning in the recipe, added after the onions, broths, tomato sauce, and chile sauces have been combined. It brings the flavor of the chili together as the beef slowly simmers and tenderizes.

The final dump is where this version really departs from my original competition recipe. Instead of adding another blend of dry chili spices, I use Croix Valley Bold 'n Spicy Bloody Mary Seasoning, followed by Garlic Booster.

Why Bloody Mary Seasoning Works in Chili

Most people think of Bloody Mary seasoning as something reserved for cocktails, but I've always believed a good seasoning should have more than one job in the kitchen. Our Bold 'n Spicy Bloody Mary Seasoning is a concentrated liquid blend of savory spices with garlic, onion, and a medium level of heat. Those are exactly the kinds of flavors that work in a great pot of chili.

Because it's a liquid concentrate rather than a ready-to-drink Bloody Mary mix, it can be used almost like a concentrated liquid spice blend. Adding it toward the end of the cooking process gives the chili another layer of savory flavor without requiring a cabinet full of individual seasonings.

And this isn't a recipe where we're adding a token splash just to say it's included. A full quarter cup of Bold 'n Spicy goes into this relatively small batch, making it a meaningful part of the finished chili's flavor. A finishing addition of Garlic Booster rounds things out, adding another layer of savory seasoning just before the chili is ready to serve.

The result is a recipe that remains true to the spirit of Traditional Red Chili while demonstrating just how versatile Bloody Mary seasoning can be beyond the cocktail glass.

Bringing Championship Chili Into Your Home Kitchen

One of the challenges with recreating competition chili at home is that many championship recipes call for an extensive collection of specialized chili powders, seasoning blends, and ingredients that aren't necessarily available at the neighborhood grocery store. Competitive cooks spend years refining their combinations, and some recipes contain a dozen or more individual seasonings.

I wanted this version to be more approachable without losing the things that made my original recipe successful. We're still using tri-tip, building a flavorful broth and chile base, and adding our seasonings in stages. But instead of chasing down several specialty competition chili powders, we're relying on a few versatile Croix Valley products that can be used for plenty of other meals.

There are also a couple of ingredients from the original recipe that I chose to keep. El Pato's Salsa de Jalapeño and Salsa de Chile Fresco bring distinctive chile flavor to the gravy, while a packet of Sazón Goya adds another layer of savory depth. Both are relatively easy to find in many grocery stores or Latin food markets.

You also don't need specialized competition cooking equipment. A heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven works beautifully, and a cast iron skillet is excellent for browning the beef. The most important thing is to maintain a gentle simmer, allow enough time for the meat to become tender, and pay attention to the consistency of the gravy.

Competition chili is often prepared against a strict turn-in deadline, but at home there's no judge waiting for your sample cup. If the beef needs a little more time, give it a little more time. If the gravy needs to reduce, leave the lid off for a few minutes. The goal is great chili, not racing the clock.

A World Championship-Inspired Chili Worth Making at Home

This isn't the exact recipe I turned in at the International Chili Society World Championship. It's a new interpretation of that finalist chili, built around the same techniques and philosophy while incorporating the seasonings we manufacture at Croix Valley Foods.

For anyone who has never made Traditional Red Chili, I think this is a great introduction to the style. And for experienced chili cooks, it's an opportunity to experiment with a different approach to building flavor, especially the use of concentrated Bloody Mary seasoning as a finishing spice dump.

Whether you're cooking for a family dinner, a weekend gathering, or your own backyard chili competition, this is a pot of chili that brings a little championship cooking experience into your kitchen. And if you're inspired to try the White Pork Chili that won me the 1st Place World Open Chili Champion title at the 55th annual ICS Championships, check out the full recipe - it's a showstopper!

Find the complete World Championship-Inspired Bold 'n Spicy Red Chili recipe below, including ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.