Briggs Freeman’s Annual Chili Cook-Off: Here’s What’s in Those Secret Recipes

This is the SECOND year Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International has invited me to their sleek Turtle Creek offices to judge what is now becoming the most fun event of the year: the annual Halloween costume and chili cook-off.

The costumes are fab, my favorite still being Maria Cintron’s Frieda Kahlo-inspired look, right down to her red hairband. Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s management judges the best costume; I get to stir, taste and try the chili and declare the winner. And I tasted a LOT.

Nine entries this year, all delicious. Most had beans of some sort. I hate beans, but I love Briggs Freeman agents so much I just eat ’em and depart filled with way more fiber.

Imagine my delight when chili number one this year was laden with chick-peas! And ground chicken, not beef. Delicious and one of the tastier.

But not the winner.

The winner went to Bess Dickson’s bubbly pot of carne asada chili made with beer — not Shiner Boch, her usual go-to — but another type of beer. It was super hearty, beautiful chili pepper red, thick, and tasted like it just came out of a black pot cooked on the range over a campfire. In fact, Bess does seer her meat in a black pot, she said. She grows her own peppers and puts in whatever is ripe. So that flavor was fresh from the garden.

“Mine is more kitchen sink chili,” says Bess. “Whatever I have on hand, I use. That’s why I never make it the same way twice.”

Second place went to Ginny Macaulay: a hearty, thick, tasty beautiful red chili that also had a lot of red beans but despite that, the flavor was yum. To be the honest taste-tester, I may have tasted a tad more salt in this one.

Third place was Chili #9, a delicious brew of veggies and — get this — pineapple! Gave it a sweetness I had not anticipated and rather enjoyed.

“I got my inspiration from putting pineapple on pizza,” says the chef, BFS agent Patrick Bukowitz.

Forth place was another hearty, and really great concoction by Harlan Ray. The deepest red in color, you can tell it had really been cooked a long time to perfection. This was the recipe of agent Harlan Ray, who specializes in Farm and Ranch properties. His secret winning ingredients? Wagu beef and red wine!