Cooking Contest for the August Outing

[Salmonsmoker]

At the Feb. Show in Lansing, we had some discussion about having a cooking contest. A few weeks ago, I posed a question about holding such a contest at our August outing. The response was positive - so here's some details.

1. We will have a cooking contest at the August outing. For this first year (and until we have some experience at this), it seems prudent to limit this year's contest to one catagory. The one that seems most doable is STEW.

2. Each member who wants to enter a stew into the contest is asked to bring in a pint jar of their entry. At that time, they will be asked to fill out an entry form and will be given an identifying number for their entry.

3. Judging will take place on Sunday afternoon with the Durand Area Chamber Of Commerce providing the judges and prizes for the winners.

4. Each entry will be assessed on a 1 to 10 scale in four catagories: Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Texture. The entries with the overall highest number of points will be the winners. This will keep selection of the winning entries totally objective.

5. This contest is open to all michigan-spotsman.com members.

Any feedback, questions, comments?

Salmonsmoker

[Hunter333]

Sounds great!! It is so cool that you were able to get the judges that you did and that there will be prizes. Only problem, I have never made a stew before sop i giess I better get to work!! :) I hope this all works out!!

[Sarge]

Is this just wild meat?

[Salmonsmoker]

Sarg,

What else is there?

Yes, in keeping with WildGameRecipe.net, and the Wild Game Food Preparation forum, lets rule out meat from domestic livestock.

Besides, we want everyone to have a fair chance, and beef stew or chicken stew just won't cut it when compared to a good wild-game stew.

Salmonsmoker

[Hunter333]

As I have not made stew before, would you please define the difference between stew, soup, and chilli? Nothing technical, just trying to make a stew and need to know what makes a good one. Thanks

[Salmonsmoker]

Hunter 333,

There is sometimes, a fine line between a thick soup and a stew - however, here is how they differ.

Soup is meat, veggies, pasta etc served in a liquid. Chili is a good example. The meat is fried out. The beans cooked. Other ingredients (like carmelizing onions) are cooked. Then everything is combined in a (generally) tomato-based liquid. Each ingredent has its own unique flavor that is maintained throughout the preparation, serving and eating of the soup.

Stew comes from the cooking procedure knowing as stewing - or cooking in liquid. The meat, vegetables, pasta or other items are all cooked (generally a longer and slower cooking procedure) in the liquid until the liquid has been reduced and thickened, and the individual flavors of the ingredents have all blended into one unique stew-flavor.

The reasoning behind choosing stew is that it is an excellent chance for everyone to use their cooking skills, and at the same time, keep the process simple enough to do for a first time contest. If everyone preferrs, we could make the category Stew and Soup.

Let me know so that we can keep the judges updated.

Thanks.

SalmonSmoker.

[Salmonsmoker]

For further discussions on the cooking contest please goto the WildGameRecpe.net part of this site.

Thanks,

Salmonsmoker