Well, at least you're not asking for much.
Before getting into recipe specifics, I need to know what the rules are for the type of chili you're cooking. It's probably a good idea for you to know them too.
The best cuts for cubed, long-simmered chili are usually the best cuts for cubed, long-simmered anything else: chuck, round and/or bottom sirloin -- but it depends. One of the things it depends on what if anything you're allowed to do to the meat before putting it into the chil pot.
What are the rules?
Speaking of long-simmered red, I like to use a few oxtails along with the cubed meat, and shred the meat at the very end.
Brisket shreds, but not in the good way. Flat gets stringy and tough when shredded and point tends to be too faffy.
Some competitions are
beef only. Some allow you to mix in armadillo or other meats; most "red" competitions do not.
What are the rules?
Competition cooking is often more about pleasing the judges -- who have been given a specific set of criteria -- than cooking some wildly creative and original dish. "The same but better," is usually the goal. See if you can find out what's been successful for the past few years. If your relatives insist you should make your patented clam/partridge tarragon chili, the with all the capers... don't invite them.
I have a friend who smokes
tenderloin with a cocoa rub over mesquite to not-quite rare. He finishes it by cooking it off in a separately prepared chili colorado style sauce. Good stuff. Could you do something like that? Good question.
What are the rules?
It may be worthwhile for you to toast your cumin and other seeds onsite before grinding to make your "chili powder." That's the kind of touch which pays big dividends. Make sure you have a grinder and electricity. You'll probably want a blender too. Some comps let you power your stuff with a genny; a very few have juice available; sometimes you're working off battery power.
What are the rules?
Roast your fresh peppers over a charcoal fire before chopping them?
What are the rules?
A lot of people don't use chili powder anymore. They soak dry chilis in hot water to soften, then puree them in the blender with some other seasonings. Then add the mush as the first liquid after the "dry" ingredients have been browned, sweated, softened, sauteed or whatever. I'm not telling you to do this, just sayin' is all.
Getting back to ingredient specifics: If you don't already have a very good idea of what goes into chili; if you're so lost that you don't even have a starting point, should you be leading the team?
Use flowcharts with check boxes. One flowchart for each major task like "packing the car," "setting up the site," "prepping the
beef" and so on.
Assign specific tasks to team members and have at least one run through before goint to the contest. Don't try to figure it out onsite.
Figure out what equipment you need; and make sure it all works. If you're schlepping recharcheable battery/invertes (like Schumachers, e.g.) to power your equipment, make sure they're charged, in good condition and that you have
two.
Bring extra propane for your burners.
Will you be cooking sides? Allowed to supply sides like chopped onions, grated cheese, and/or sour cream?
A competition is part cooking and part campout. Be prepared for difficult weather. Have appropriate clothes, extra hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, folding chairs, and so on. Make sure you have plenty of ice and fluids -- at least some of it non-alcoholic.
What are the rules? Find out now. Don't wait to learn them until you're there. Try and speak to people who have done it. Often, they'll be online.
A butter finish can be a very good thing.
What are the rules?
So, what's the first thing you're going to check on?
BDL
