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Dixie Johnson Lamar, Missouri "Bess's Best Chili" 2000 Terlingua International Chili Championship Winner |
| Hello I am Dixie Johnson, and along with my husband Junior live in Lamar a small town of 5500 people located in the very Southwest part of the State of Missouri. In 1994 I retired from The United States Department of Agriculture working 36 years for Agriculture Stabilization & Conservation Service. Lamar is the Birthplace of Former President Harry S Truman / with Junior calling his Chili "Ole Harry T's" .......with us living on Truman Avenue, and 5 Blocks from the Birthplace I chose to name my Chili after Former First Lady Bess Truman .........calling it "Bess's Best Chili". After watching Junior cook for 2 years, my interest in Chili had grown and I wanted to get involved, in 1986 I joined CASI and in 1987 was one of the Co-Founders of the Mo/Kan Chili Pod. I believe in CASI and try to support it in every way I can. We have attended Terlingua every year since 1986, and only missed 2 Great Peppers Meetings since 1987. Chili has taken me to 10 states and Washington D.C.. I am the past winner of several State Titles but I have also left many cook-offs in 14 years with nothing, Never Give Up On Your Chili! The friends and memories I have made and accumulated over the years associated with Chili ......No Amount of Money on this Earth could replace. Dixie Johnson Mo/Kan Chili Pod Lamar, Missouri Dixie's Championship Recipe Gray 3 pounds of cubed beef chuck tender (or chili grind) in 1 TBSP Crisco Add 1 Can - 8 oz Hunt's Tomato Sauce 1/2 Can - 14-1/2 oz can Swanson Chicken Broth 1/2 tsp - Cayenne Pepper 2 tsp - Wylers Chicken Instant Bouillon 1 tbsp - Pendery's Fort Worth Light Chili Powder 2 - Serrano Pepper (seeded) 1 Can - 14-1/2 oz Swanson Beef Broth 1-1/2 tbsp - Onion Powder 2 tsp - Wyler Beef Instant Bouillon 1 tsp - Pendery's Cumin Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 hour (depends on whether you are using cubed or ground meat). Remove the peppers and add the following: 3/4 tsp - Pendery's White Pepper 1 Packet - Sazon Goya 1/4 tsp - Salt 3 tbsp - Gunpowder Foods Texas Red Chili Powder 1 tsp - Garlic Powder 1 tbsp - Pendery's Cumin 2 tbsp - Pendery's Fort Worth Light Chili Powder Adjust liquid with remainder of chicken broth or water. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add the following: 1/4 tsp - Brown Sugar 1 tbsp - Pendery's Fort Worth Light Chili Powder 1/4 tsp - Gunpowder Foods Hot Stuff 1 tsp - Pendery's Cumin Reduce heat and simmer/cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust chili final taste for salt and front and back heat. Dixie Johnson Bess's Best Chili |
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