August 21, 2019
By: Leigh Fuson, 4-H Agent
Think you know what it takes to be a grill master? DeKalb County 4-H members sure do! Katlin Hutchins, Cody Robinson, Caleb Taylor, and Darren Waggoner placed 1st overall at the Central Region Outdoor Meat Cookery Contest in Lebanon at the Wilson County Fair. This is the 2nd year in a row DeKalb County has won this title. This year’s team will be representing DeKalb County and the Central Region at the state contest in Knoxville on October 19th. Individually, Caleb placed 1st in Pork, Darren was 1st in Beef, and Katlin was 2nd in Lamb.
We are also proud of our Junior High team of Landon Colwell, Riley Fuson, Luke Magness, Luke Midgett, and Lilly Waggoner who placed 6th out of 20. Riley was 2nd high individual in Beef and Luke Midgett placed 9th in Pork. There were over 160 participants this year from around 20 different counties in this contest that continues to grow each year.
4-H’ers in grades 7-12 can participate in this fun, practical contest that not only teaches them how to grill, but how to do it safely. Each contestant must start his or her own charcoal grill, prepare the meat, and cook it to perfection. On a four person team, each member is responsible for grilling a different species of meat: beef, poultry, lamb, and pork. They are judged throughout the cooking process to make sure they start their fires properly, prepare the meat safely, and cook it to the correct temperature. Finally, the meat is judged on taste, texture, appearance, and originality of recipe.
Congratulations on representing DeKalb County so well! The 4-H members would also like to say thank you to Smithville Food Lion for helping to supply quality meat for the contest. If you are interested in participating in this contest next year, or any other activities, please contact the 4-H office at 615-597-4945.
4-H is the Youth Development program for University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University Extension. UT/TSU Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment through the cooperation of county, state, and federal governments.