I was invited by the market to vote and to be a deciding judge in the event of a tie.

The teams were market vendors, market supporters and local chefs. The rules were simple: Some of the ingredients had to come from local producers.

“The challenge provides a forum where the community can learn about the locally sourced product options available at a winter market which is vibrant and plentiful year-round,” says Lee Mortensen, executive director for the market.

The teams included Charles Sheppard of Sir Charles Gourmet Sauce, Massey Creek Farm with Savory Spice Shop, Meadows Family Farm, The Next Supper, Pine Trough Branch Farm, Rothchild’s Angus Beef Farm, Six Gunn Farm, Thyme Well Spent and Weatherhand Farm.

The winner was determined by popular vote. For $5 – which benefits the market – patrons got a sample of all nine chilis, cornbread by Feebert’s Bakery and grits crackers made by market vendor Pat Koegel.

Live acoustic music provided ambiance for the event in the market’s Harvest Room.

The event raised more than $1,000 for the non-profit market.

The flavors of the chili entries ranged from the smoky flavor of Chipotle chile pepper and chocolate in more traditional beef chili to a venison chili to the complicated flavors of a Thai-inspired vegetarian chili.

Steve and Heather Caldwell’s Chicken Chorizo Chili was popular. It took second place.

Steve Caldwell says most people think of a “white” chili when it comes to chicken.

“I just don’t believe in that,” he said.

So he prepared a more traditional chili base with dried Pasilla chile peppers and Chorizo sausage from San Miguel Market in Greensboro. He topped each serving with a drizzle of cilantro cream.

The Thyme Well Spent team – personal chef Lynn Wells and chef Mary Lacklen, who has participated in several market cooking events – offered a pot of beef brisket chunks simmered in a sauce of locally-grown tomatoes, beer and chocolate.

The Next Supper team – John Jones, who has been helping out with the Small Potatoes Mobile Kitchen, and Kerry Thomas – thought way beyond the traditional chili in preparing their Chiang Mai Fire Pot, a Thai-inspired vegetarian chili.

“We didn’t want to do a traditional chili,” Jones says. “It’s about using the chiles such as Anaheim, Mulato and Bird’s Eye. It’s good over noodles.”

Speaking of noodles, the team of Rothchild’s Beef prepared a Cincinnati-style chili from a family recipe. Cincinnati chili is traditionally served with spaghetti noodles.

Stacy Gunn of Six Gun Farm kept it simple with a chili made from the farm’s grass-fed beef with “lots of chile powder.”

“Nothing really fancy, just basic chili,” Gunn laughs.

By noon, most of the pots were empty and market patrons had cast their votes. Team Massey Creek Farm with Savory Spice Shop’s No Beans, No Bull Chili garnered the most votes.

This is the second win for Garland McCollum of Massey Creek. He won the first challenge four years ago.

McCollum favors a Texas red-style chili with no beans. He says he started preparing the chili two-days in advance.

“Chili is best when it’s had a night to contemplate it’s fate,” McCollum says he once read.

During development of the recipe with Ashley Stricker, manager of the Savory Spice Shop (3354 W. Friendly Ave., No. 142) at the Shops at Friendly Center in Greensboro, the not-so-secret ingredient of the chili turned out to be tomato powder. And lots of Red Oak beer.

No Beans, No Bull Chili

2 tablespoon lard or butter

1 large onion, chopped

4 pounds pork butt cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 pound fresh Chorizo, casings removed

3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 Poblano chili peppers, chopped

3 Ancho chili peppers, pureed (see note)

1 Guajillo chili pepper, pureed (see note)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

3 tablespoon Black Canyon Chili Powder (available at Savory Spice Shop)

8 ounces tomato powder (available at Savory Spice Shop)

12 ounces Red Oak beer

Optional garnishes: grated Cheddar or Jack cheese, chopped Jalapeno peppers, chopped onions, sour cream, juice from sliced limes, red chili powder and, from Savory Spice Shop, Ghost Pepper Salt and Makrut Lime Sea Salt

In batches, brown pork butt in lard. Place in pot or slow cooker.

Deglaze pan with water or beer and add to pot. Add beer and enough water to cover meat and bring to simmer.

Brown Chorizo in lard. Add chopped onions and Poblano peppers, Ancho and Guajillo puree, garlic, Cumin, Oregano and half of the chili powder and cook until onions are opaque. Add to pot.

Deglaze pan and add to pot. Simmer chili, stirring occasionally and adding water or beer as needed to keep meat covered. Add remaining chili powder.

Makes one gallon.

Note: Look for dried Ancho and Guajillos chili peppers, available at Savory Spice Shop, most grocers and Hispanic markets.

Break off stems and, for less heat, break pods open and remove seeds.

Soak in hot water for 15 minutes to reconstitute. Puree chilies in a blender with some of the soaking liquid.

Chili is best reheated the day after.