WEST DES MOINES, IA - May 26, 2009 - For the 46th year, the best grillers in Iowa will gather to compete for the title "Iowa Cookout Champion" at the Iowa State Fair. The contest allows the state's finest outdoor grillers to showcase their culinary talents, while giving locals and visitors a taste of Iowa's finest meat products.
The hunt for a new champion begins this summer when county Farm Bureaus host local contests to determine winners in several categories. Local finalists will compete for the state title on Iowa Farm Bureau Day at the fair, Tuesday, Aug. 18, on the Grand Concourse of the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
The first local contests will be held in June. A list of the county cookout contests will be updated regularly on the Iowa Farm Bureau website, http://www.iowafarmbureau.com/images/cc2009.pdf. ***Note: Clinton County and Muscatine County dates are June 18th. Scott County's date is to be determined.*** Interested grillers and attendees should also contact their county Farm Bureau office for more details and information on rules and contests in their areas.
"The cookout contest culminates at the Iowa State Fair, but it's really a summer-long celebration of the healthy and tasty meats produced in Iowa," said Iowa Farm Bureau cookout coordinator Denny Harding. "It's about Iowa's finest grillers sharing their best with neighbors and summer vacationers."
Contestants will compete in six categories: beef, pork, lamb/goat, poultry, turkey and combo/specialty. Entries in the beef category will be limited to chuck or round primal cuts, including ground chuck or ground round. Combo recipes combine two or more meats from the five other categories. Specialty recipes may feature venison or any other Iowa domestically raised product. All wild game is excluded.
Creations will be judged on taste, appearance and originality. Special recognition will also go to
contestants in showmanship, youth and team cooking categories. Youth grillers must be between the ages of 13 and 18 years, as of Aug. 1, 2009. Farm Bureau or affiliated company employees are not eligible to compete.
-30-
