Winners Announced in the 2011 National Beef Cook-Off
Organizers for the National Beef Cook-Off, a checkoff-funded program, have announced the four category winners in their 2011 beef cooking contest.
From international flavors and flair to America’s favorite home-cooked meals, the four winning recipes showcased simple preparation and cooking techniques, great taste and healthful ingredient choices.
These four category winners each won a $3,000 cash prize:
5:30 p.m. Dinner Crunch: Tedd Smith, Mount Vernon, N.Y., Asian Barbecued Skirt Steak
Smith’s recipe can be prepared in 15 minutes using common ingredients. “In recent years, Asian-inspired cuisine has become mainstream in the American diet,” Smith said. “This recipe is a quick, easy and healthy way to incorporate international flavor into our busy lives.”
Retro Recipes Revived: Peggy Calhoun, Portland, Ore., Steppin’ Up Beef Fried Rice
Calhoun’s recipe was modified to be more convenient and healthier for today’s American families. “I took my classic, family-favorite recipe and revised it into a heart-healthy meal,” Calhoun said. “I knew this category was right down my alley, and I’m proud to be part of a contest that promotes classic beef recipes that can be both healthy and tasty.”
Fuel Up with Beef : Edwina Gadsby, Great Falls, Mont., Asian Beef Sandwiches with Slaw
Using one of the 29 lean beef cuts —a boneless beef top loin (strip) steak—Gadsby’s recipe is convenient, healthy and can be made ahead of time or on the run. “Health food used to mean bland food,” Gadsby said. “But when you start with a versatile and flavorful protein like beef, it’s easy to come up with a great-tasting recipe that is also full of nutritional value. I am happy I could share this family favorite recipe in this contest.”
Stir Crazy Solutions: Ellen Verdugo, Gloucester, Mass., Flash in the Pan Stir-Fry
Also using one of the 29 lean cuts —a beef top sirloin steak— and fresh vegetables and grains, Verdugo created a unique stir-fry dish. “I love the National Beef Cook-Off because it is useful,” Verdugo said. “The resulting recipes are perfect for busy, caring, working or parenting families, and really focus on the foods we love to cook and eat.”
A grand prize winner, to be named later this year, will receive $25,000 plus one paid trip to the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 5.
“Congratulations go out to each of our category winners,” said Patti Buck, who chairs the National Beef Cook-Off Committee, which contracts to manage the program for the beef checkoff. “With a contest in search of extraordinary recipes that demonstrate the benefits and versatility of cooking with beef, we were thrilled to receive, review and now award these well-deserving culinary creations.”
More than 1,100 recipes were submitted to this year'’ National Beef Cook-Off. Experts from the beef industry and national checkoff staff then tested and scored more than 40 entries, narrowing it to the top 20 finalist recipes. From there, contest winners were selected based on a composite score from online consumer voting, and a panel of esteemed contest judges from national women’s magazines, daily newspapers and food-enthusiast blogs.
For more information about the National Beef Cook-Off, and to view all 20 finalists and their recipes, visit www.beefcookoff.org. For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.