Cook offs. Sometimes I dont get it.

[campmaster-k]

Do any of you cook in organized DO cookoffs? I do and sometimes it can be a challenge to have fun. I competed at a DO contest over the weekend and my team won the peoples choice award which I am very grateful for BUT.

The first place for main dish went to a team that cooked Ahi Tuna. They seasoned it and seared it on the bottom of the DO for maybe 30 seconds a side, cut it up and served it on cucumber rounds with a mayo chili sauce on top. I did taste it and it was good. The judges allowed it and it won.

There were 16 teams and all of the other teams cooked from 7am to 11am.

Any thoughts about this?

[pmowers]

I feel for you and your team. That particular dish could have been done on a dutch oven, a griddle or an engine manifold. The judges were "Iron Chef"ified- it featured a "fad food", with a nouveau cuisine presentation. What do the cook-off rules say about what can be presented?

[bobhenry]

Looks like they just out thunked ya.....

http://idos.org/Cook-Off_Rules.php

I read all the way through and see no harm or foul in their presentation.

I do agree it should be a bit more of an effort than just pan frying a smidgeon of fish and tossing on a dash of this and that.

[The Teardrop Nanny]

CMK,
So awesome that you are cooking and winning. Dean and I love to cook, but he prefers not to compete. The fact that you won the PC indicates that most of us prefer the dishes/meals which were simmered, savored, and Labored over !l '

We've also found the "people" really do know what THEY like, and the more people who try your dish, the more feedback and input you can get. A judging panel > May lean toward a preference for the comfort foods rather than newer/novelty, but most go for the unique, and a fresh ahi tuna may have been what persuaded the taste'buds' to select that particular recipe. Sometimes judges favor their favorites rather than following the guidelines of not showing a preference.
That's why an " officially sanctioned" DO event, ( was it one?,) either sponsored by IDOS or your local DO chapter, is a good one to try if you really want to compete with an outline and expectations of what is allowed and/or required.

See you at the Dam Gathering where you'll have fun cooking. TDN

[campmaster-k]

I feel for you and your team. That particular dish could have been done on a dutch oven, a griddle or an engine manifold. The judges were "Iron Chef"ified- it featured a "fad food", with a nouveau cuisine presentation. What do the cook-off rules say about what can be presented.

I am not really sure if there are any rules at this cookoff. The chamber of commerce puts it on and rounds up judges but none of the mentioned are competitive chefs.

[campmaster-k]

CMK,
So awesome that you are cooking and winning. Dean and I love to cook, but he prefers not to compete. The fact that you won the PC indicates that most of us prefer the dishes/meals which were simmered, savored, and Labored over !l '

We've also found the "people" really do know what THEY like, and the more people who try your dish, the more feedback and input you can get. A judging panel > May lean toward a preference for the comfort foods rather than newer/novelty, but most go for the unique, and a fresh ahi tuna may have been what persuaded the taste'buds' to select that particular recipe. Sometimes judges favor their favorites rather than following the guidelines of not showing a preference.
That's why an " officially sanctioned" DO event, ( was it one?,) either sponsored by IDOS or your local DO chapter, is a good one to try if you really want to compete with an outline and expectations of what is allowed and/or required.

See you at the Dam Gathering where you'll have fun cooking. TDN

Thanks and I have talked with Dean about it. You know what he told me "Stop Competing!" I tried to just stay cool and have fun but cookoffs are not fun to me. I am there to win. We have park DO get togethers and those are "fun". This event was not a sanctioned event but it should be. The turnout is as good as any I have seen. We feed between 200-300 tasters. I really dont mean to just Bi$%^ about it I just wondered what you all thought. If I have to deep fry lobster tails in Paula Dean's fried chicken batter I will do it to win, its just a new way to think about it.

We cooked Braised baby back pork ribs in a apricot/pineapple chipolte bbq sauce with a ton of fresh garlic and onion. Then we made a rice pilaf with chicken stock to bed the rib on and seat that awesome sauce. Then we made a Ruths Chris sweet potato pie doctored up with a little butter and sour cream with pecan and brown sugar crunch topping. Now mind you, the Ruths Chris pie doesnt really need and doctorin in the first place. For dessert we made an Apple/Butterscotch cobbler with Heath Bar Bits and an oatmeal crumble on top.

Just sayin.

[wagondude]

OK Kirk. You win my vote and I didn't even get to taste any of it. And no food porn either . I had better be able to find this in the recipe section soon.

[pmowers]

OK Kirk. You win my vote and I didn't even get to taste any of it. And no food porn either . I had better be able to find this in the recipe section soon.

I will second that, but only if it means that I don't have to lose my place in line for a taste!. That meal sounds fantastic!

[bc toys]

Me and my wife cooked in 1 and it was a all day 2 days matter of fax. It was lots of fun but I'll just cook for fun tell I get better.

[campmaster-k]

Me and my wife cooked in 1 and it was a all day 2 days matter of fax. It was lots of fun but I'll just cook for fun tell I get better.

Our team cooked for fun for 3 year with no wins. Then I said lets stop fooling around and win this thing. We stopped cooking what we liked and started cooking stuff that grabs you with one little taste. Butter, sugar, salt and Pork. And cook lots of it. If you want to people choice you have to feed everyone. That is the key --- dont run out of food. They cant vote for you if they did not taste your stuff.

Just my experience.

[campmaster-k]

OK Kirk. You win my vote and I didn't even get to taste any of it. And no food porn either . I had better be able to find this in the recipe section soon.

I will put up the recipes.

[The Teardrop Nanny]

CMK- when you cook for that big of a crowd, especially that FABuLous menu, you already are a winner! The cost of the food is great, and usually the prize $$purse can't even come close to meeting the cost of the groceries, so you are ALSO doing it for fun and pay it forward. You will most likely entice some folks to take up DO cooking, so you have another brownie point from me for that!

[Vedette]

We are coming to the Dam Gathering to Learn!
Never thought I would be interested in DO cooking when I first came to the Forum......but now I am intreged!
But before we purchase a DO oven and get started, I am doing my homework.
So far we are thinking about a 12" Lodge ??????
Will not purchase anything until we have talked to you Pro's at the Dam!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[GerryS]

Bob is right....I'd agree that what they made probably isn't in the spirit of the competition....I think cast iron and I think beans and stews or rack of ribs. Not ahi. But they didn't violate the rules.

I am afoodie. I can't help it. But I agree, the epicureans have changed the food landscape, perhaps for the worst.

[campmaster-k]

We are coming to the Dam Gathering to Learn!
Never thought I would be interested in DO cooking when I first came to the Forum......but now I am intreged!
But before we purchase a DO oven and get started, I am doing my homework.
So far we are thinking about a 12" Lodge ??????
Will not purchase anything until we have talked to you Pro's at the Dam!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

You will here lots opinions about ovens. My opinion is that there is a big difference in ovens. I happen to have had a great experience with Lodge. Whatever brand you end up with will work you just need to learn its personality. I like lodge because the retaining ring on the lid is way out to the edge and it lets the heat go down the side of the oven in a predictable way. If you get hooked your are going to need a 12" and 10" and stock in Kingsford.