4-H Outdoor Meat Cookery Contest

It can be hard to resist the flavor of a good steak or pork chop sizzling on a charcoal grill, but sometimes it can be tricky to get the meat “just right.” DeKalb County 4-H members are learning how to do just that after preparing for and competing at the Central Region 4-H Outdoor Meat Cookery contest, held each year at the Wilson County Fair in Lebanon. 4-H’ers in grades 7-12 can participate in this fun contest that not only teaches them how to grill, but how to do it safely.
Each contestant must start his or her own grill, prepare the meat, and cook it to perfection. On a four person team, each member is responsible for grilling a different species of meat: beef, poultry, lamb, and pork. They are judged throughout the cooking process to make sure they start their fires properly, prepare the meat safely, and cook it to the correct temperature. The meat itself is then judged on palatability, texture, appearance, and originality of recipe.
This year, DeKalb County was represented by a team in both age groups. In the Junior High division, Megan Price placed 3rd in lamb, Lynsey Ellis was 10th in pork, Gracie Griffin 11th in beef, and Lily Martin 13th in chicken. This was all their first year to compete, and the team placed 9th overall. In the Senior High Division, everyone placed in the top ten while placing 7th overall. Kayla Belk placed 5th in beef, Nathaniel Theriaque 6th in lamb, Wyatt Martin 7th in pork, and James Mathis 10th in chicken. There were 110 contestants from the surrounding counties.
These 4-H members worked hard learning all the safety procedures of charcoal grilling and finding the perfect recipe. The skills learned through this contest will be valuable for years to come. Congratulations on a job well done! If you are interested in competing in this contest next year, please contact the 4-H office at 615-597-4945.
Photo Captions
Jr High Team :DeKalb County 4-H Jr. High Outdoor Meat Cookery Team: Lily Martin, Megan Price, Grace Griffin, and Lynsey Ellis.
Sr. High Team:DeKalb County 4-H Sr. High Outdoor Meat Cookery Team: Kayla Belk, Nathaniel Theriaque, Wyatt Martin, and James Mathis.
Megan Price preparing her 3rd place lamb chops at the 4-H Outdoor Meat Cookery Contest.