Utah State Fair Cooking Contests
Cooking for cash; baking for bucks — the contests at the Utah State Fair can earn you up to $300 in prize money. (And more if you’re a a barbecue professional.) Most of the contests also give out product samples or coupons as well. And you get free entry to the fair.
The lists of contests and rules can be found online at www.utahstatefair.com. Click on the Exhibitors button and go to “Indoor Contests” and “Outdoor Contests.” Some of the outdoor contests require an entry fee.
Some of the contests only attract a half-dozen entries, so your chance of walking away with some type of prize are pretty good.
New this year is the Smith’s Mystery Bag Cook-Off, new this year. Contestants are given a mystery box of ingredients and one-and-a-half hours to prepare a dish solely from those ingredients. That sounds a lot more challenging than bringing a plate of muffins to the Governor’s Muffin Contest. I’m glad Governor Herbert likes muffins. A couple of years ago I judged Gov. Herbert’s Meatloaf contest. Transporting cooked meatloaf to the fair and then reheating it and trying to make it look appetizing was not that easy for the contestants.
Last year Utah’s Own (a group that promotes Utah products) sponsored a first-time Funeral Potatoes contest. The idea was to showcase lots of Utah ingredients in your version of that uniquely Utah dish. The Funeral Potatoes contest is on again this year, but none of the rules are posted yet.
– Read the rules given for each contest, and follow them exactly. Recipes have been disqualified for using more ingredients than allowed, or for not using enough of a sponsor product, or for showing up late.
– Make sure your recipe showcases the sponsor product. Winning cooks often take a dish that’s trendy or familiar, and then give it their own original twist.
– Whether you’re transporting your dishes across town or across the state, you’ll want to pack them so they still look and taste good when you get to the contest. Pay attention to food safety, and use a cooler if you need to keep things cold.
Here are the competitions to test your culinary mettle:
Indoor Cook-offs:
Governor Herbert’s Favorite Muffin Contest, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. First place, $150. Bring four muffins of any flavor on a sturdy paper plate for judging.
Bisquick Family Favorites Recipe Contest, Sept. 6, 7 p.m. First place, $100. Use 1 cup or more of Bisquick mix to create any type of main dish or appetizer.
Smith’s Mystery Bag Cook-Off, Sept. 7, 1:30 p.m. First place, $75 Smith’s gift card. Each team will receive a mystery box of ingredients and one-and-a-half hours to prepare a dish solely from those ingredients.
C&H Sugar Cookie Contest, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. First place, $75 Child/parent teams bake a dozen cookies and present at the State Fair on a plate.
Funeral Potato Contest: No information posted yet.
Fleischmann’s Yeast Best Baking Contest, Sept. 13, 7 p.m. First place baked goods, $125; First place dessert pizza, $125. Each original recipe must be made with Fleischmann’s Yeast as an ingredient.
Utah Cattlewomen’s Association Fiesta Beef Recipe Contest, Sept. 14, 1 p.m. Make a flavorful south-of-the-border dish using beef, using no more than 10 ingredients, that can be cooked within 30 minutes. Recipes must be submitted to the Cattlewomen’s Association by Aug. 29, to nickiwintch@hotmail.com.
Outdoor Cook-Offs
BBQ Cook-Off: Sept. 6, 7 p.m. Pro Division, $1,000 grand champion. ($200 entry fee)
Backyarder Division, $150 grand champion
Budweiser Chili Cook-off: Sept. 12, 2 p.m. First place, $300
Make a pot of chili for judging during the cook-off. Judging is at 8:30 p.m.
Fresh-Made Salsa Competition, Sept. 12, 4 p.m. First Place, $75
Present 8 cups of fresh, homemade salsa for judging.
Utah Farm Bureau Great American Dutch Oven Cook-Off, Sept. 14, 2 p.m., First place, $300. Teams make a main dish, bread and dessert in Dutch ovens.
Dutch Oven Cook’s Fabulous Fall Produce Contest, Sept. 14, 7 p.m. First Place prize to be announced. Dutch oven teams will showcase vegetable dish.
Dutch Oven Kids Cookin’ : Sept. 14, 3 p.m., Prizes to be announced. Teams of two children (age 5-16) and one adult helper will make a Dutch oven recipe.