Sign Up For ETV 10’s Dutch Oven Cooking Contest at the Carbon County Fair

ETV 10 News Dutch Oven Cooking Contest Rules

Registration and set up will begin at 9 a.m. on the morning of the event. Contestants may begin cooking at 10 a.m.

Contestants will be judged on an entire meal, including main dish and dessert.

Dishes presented for judging must be ready by 3 p.m. Entries will be judged on appearance and taste. Winners will be announced following judging on the day of the contest. You must be present to win and receive your prize.

RULES: Rules are in keeping with International Dutch Oven Society (IDOS) General Rules:

1. A team may consist of not more than three people. All teams must have at least one adult team member.
2. Contestants may not be professional cooks, chefs or culinary instructors.
3. Each team or individual may only have one entry.
4. Only team members (no family or friends) are allowed in the cooking area during prep, cooking and judging periods. One team member must remain in the cooking area at all times.
5. Shade is limited. Teams should provide their own means of shade if desired.
6. Know and practice SAFE FOOD HANDLING PROCEDURES.
7. Competitors will provide all ingredients and equipment needed to prepare their dishes.
8. All ingredients must be combined, chopped, sliced, diced and cooked on site, including garnishes and marinades. For safety reasons, no ingredients prepared or processed at home are allowed.
9. All cooking must be done in an approved Dutch oven.
10. Cooks will provide all of their own cooking utensils, coolers, prep tables, charcoal, cutting boards, meat thermometers, waste containers and other items needed to prepare and serve food, and must meet Southeastern Utah District Health Department health code standards.
11. Only competition recipes can be cooked during the cook-off.
12. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and cooking may commence at 10 a.m..
13. Battery operated or electrical devices, such as mixers or blenders, are not allowed in the preparation of food. There will be no electricity available in the cooking areas. Digital thermometers and digital scales are allowed.
14. It is the responsibility of each team member to know and understand temporary food handler regulations recognized by local and state health agencies. Use of vinyl gloves is recommended for safe food handling. There should be no finger licking. Contestant tasting utensils must be washed immediately after use (suggestion: use plastic spoons and discard after taste testing each time).
15. If you need hot water for a recipe, please plan on heating the water yourself.
16. Use good fire safety practices. Keep yourself and the public safe. Use of propane or other types of gas fired stoves is prohibited.
17. Interaction with the public is greatly encouraged. Please be courteous in sharing cooking information.
18. Smoking, use of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are not allowed during the Dutch oven cook off and will disqualify any team member who does so.

Presentation of entries:

1. Everything cooked must be presented to the judges with the exception of excess gravies and sauces.
2. Removing burnt or undercooked sections of food may result in point deductions or disqualification. Side items such as butter, jam or sauces should not be presented to the judge’s table unless prepared on site.
3. All foods submitted for judging should be displayed in the oven, lid or provided containers.
4. All dishes must be presented to the judge’s table on time. Points will be deducted accordingly for any late presentations.
5. All judging decisions are final

SAFE FOOD HANDLING PROCEDURES: Below are a few safe food handling procedures. Please make sure you know the rules.

1. Teams should start with clean equipment and use clean cooking practices the entire time they are handling, preparing and serving food items.
2. Good hand washing practices are required, including a separate basin for hand washing
3. Dishwashing facilities, including washing, rinsing, and sanitizing basins, are required of all teams.
4. Food service gloves must be worn when handling food that will not be cooked further. Hot foods must be kept above 140 degrees F.
5. Some type of hair restraint (hat, hair net, ponytail holder, etc.) should be worn during the cook off as necessary
6. Wash cutting boards with bleach water between meats and vegetables to avoid cross contamination, or if possible, use different cutting boards for meat and vegetables and clearly label them as “MEAT” or “VEGETABLES.”
7. Coolers are required for all refrigerated items and cold food must be kept below 41 degrees F.
8. All reheated food must be taken back up to a temperature of 165 degrees F. for safety purposes if the temperature goes below 135 degrees F.