News : Benton County grillers succeed at Farm Bureau Cook-Off

Gene Peterson of Vinton was named Showmanship winner at 2011 Farm Bureau Cookoff.

Farm Bureau Pres. Craig Lang crowns 2011 State Fair Cookoff King Brett Richards of Vinton.

Lydia Close won second place in the Youth category with her Italian chicken recipe.

Phil Cummings receives his second place ribbon and prize; he entered the Cookoff's pork contest.

Lydia's Italy; she earned 2nd place.

Phil Cummings at his grill as the Cookoff concluded Tuesday at the State Fair.

Gene Peterson's 'Hawkeye' theme earned him the Showmanship trophy.

State Fair spectators sampled the cooking of FB Cookoff contestants, including Gene Peterson.

2011 was a great year for Benton County grillers at the Iowa State Fair, where Brett Richards of Vinton (the owner of Smoken' on the Cedar) was crowned the Cookoff King on Tuesday.

All four of the Farm Bureau Cookoff winners who advanced to the State Fair after winning at the Benton County Fair received honors at the state Fair as well.

Richards also won first place in the beef category. Phil Cummings of Center Point represented Benton County in the pork category, and earned second place from the judges. Gene Peterson, who had won the combo category at the county fair, won the State Fair's Showmanship Trophy. And Lydia Close, the first teenager to enter the Benton County Farm Bureau's contest in the Youth category, won second place at the State Fair.

The contestants braved the rain and the wind as they set up their canopies (and tried to keep them upright) while cooking on Tuesday morning in the "Concourse" area of the fairgrounds.

Below is the official press release from the Iowa Farm Bureau:

Brett Richards of Vinton was crowned as the 2011 Iowa Farm Bureau Cookout Contest winner with his Poor Man’s Prime Rib recipe. Richards beat out 36 other grillers, representing counties from around the state, to win the 48th annual competition.

The Iowa Farm Bureau-sponsored contest featured 37 outdoor chefs using their best grilling, roasting and smoking techniques.

“The Farm Bureau Cookout Contest continues to celebrate our state’s food and farmers,” said Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Lang. “Every year, these cookout contestants impress our judges and fair visitors with their grilling talents; creating unique and healthy meal options.”

Cookout champion Richards won first place in the beef category before being selected by the judges as the overall winner. He received $200 and a permanent trophy as the cookout champion.

Other first place winners and their categories were Paco Ochoa of Stone City, lamb/goat; Troy Burmeister of Davenport, pork; Ashley Hanson of Alden, poultry; Dennis Hanson of Alden, turkey; and Chris Albright of Boone, combo/specialty. All winners received $75.

Second place winners and their categories were Daryl Witt of Carlisle, beef; Shelana Laing of Urbandale, lamb/goat; Phil Cummings of Center Point, pork; Jason Crees of Adel, poultry; Terry Clayton of Brooklyn, turkey; and Steve Heaberlin of Indianola, combo/specialty. All second place winners received $50.

Winners in special categories were youth first place – Caroline Sceszinski of Albia and youth second place – Lydia Close of Brandon; showmanship – Gene Petersen of Vinton; team – Scott Tibbal and Mike Vroom of Albia. The youth winner received $75 and second place received $50 from the Iowa Propane Association. The showmanship winner received $100. The team winners received $150. All category winners using propane in their grilling efforts were placed in a drawing for a new grill. That winner was Troy Burmeister of Davenport.