Oklahoma Beef Cooking Extravaganza kicks off

Posted in January 8, 2011

It’s time again for Oklahoma’s premier beef cooking extravaganza during the Oklahoma City Home and Garden Show Jan. 21-23 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Carriage Hall.

Beginning Friday, Jan. 21, the aroma of delicious beef recipes will tantalize your taste buds as various beef experts prepare their favorite beef dishes. They will provide tips such as cooking with beef on a budget and how to have a healthy lifestyle with beef.

On Saturday, Jan. 22, eight finalists from across the state will compete in the bi-annual Oklahoma Beef Cook-Off. The recipes focus on America’s passion for beef and special times spent with family over beef dishes. The categories are A World of Beef - Beef Entrée; Small Plates, Big Tastes – Beef Appetizers; and Kid Pleasers – Beef dish prepared by a child/parent or legal guardian team. The winner of each category will win a cash prize, and the overall winner will win a grand prize of $1,000.

“The Oklahoma Beef Cook-Off gives participants the opportunity to show-off their cooking talents and earn cash prizes while providing us with a means to promote the many positive aspects of beef and the industry we so passionately support,” said Jolene Tuxhorn, Oklahoma CattleWomen member and Beef Cook-off chairman. “The event is a tremendous win-win for all of us involved.”

The Beef Cooking Extravaganza will conclude Sunday, Jan. 23, with the first Oklahoma Iron Chef Competition. Six Oklahoma chefs will have an hour to prepare a center-of-the-plate entree with a side, sauce or garnish if so desired, using an inside round cut of beef and incorporating a mystery basket of Made in Oklahoma products. A panel of five judges will select three of the six entrees to advance to the second heat. The chefs will create an entree with a side, sauce or garnish using a Chef’s Requested 200-Calorie Steak plus the items in the mystery basket. First place will receive $1,000, second place $750 and third place $500. Each chef will receive $100 for his or her participation.

“We are thrilled to host the Iron Chef Competition this year with the help of the Made in Oklahoma Coalition,” said Tuxhorn. “The chefs’ expertise and innovative creations will add a whole new dynamic to our beef cooking extravaganza.”

The Oklahoma Beef Cooking Extravaganza is coordinated by the Oklahoma CattleWomen and funded by the Oklahoma Beef Council through the beef checkoff.