Nothing But Beef
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
There was a beef dish in every pot and skillet Saturday morning, as the aromas of stews, gravies, and meat dishes filled the St. Landry Parish Agricultural Arena on Saturday.
The 40th annual Here’s The Beef cooking contest, which celebrates the parish cattle industry, featured a variety of cooking teams who displayed their meat-oriented specialties in numerous categories.
Attendees danced across the dusty arena floor in front of the bandstand, while outside, there were opportunities to ride horses and participate in a trail ride that wound across nearby roads.
Further inside underneath awnings and tents, chefs were focusing on their creations as they competed for cooking awards in gourmet, brisket, roast, gravy, stews, tongue, ground meat and rice and gravy.
Veteran parish farmer Ike Boudreaux, a nationally-recognized grower of corn and soybeans, said the area cattle industry is beginning to reemerge and the Saturday event was an extension of the recent success.
“Events like these highlight what they are doing in the industry. The cattle industry right now is providing both increased and better quality,” Boudreaux said.
Words From The Cooks.
Those hovering over their pots, discussed meat-cooking procedures that included their past awards, meat marinades, combined ingredients and how to cook down a savory gravy.
Theodore Mallory, cooking a seven steak dish for Washington State Bank, admitted he’s a steak person.
“I think I’m the best and the seven steak is really a great cut of meat. I’m using my original seasoning, bell peppers, onions and celery, with some cream of mushroom,” said Mallory, a competitor in the stew and rice and gravy category.
The Farm Bureau was represented by Michael Harden and Byron Fobbs, who also had a beef steak sizzling over a propane fire.
Like Mallory, Harden and Fobbs browned their meat and then applied dabs of olive oil and cooked that down to create the dark brown gravy on the stove.
Parish road works supervisor Barry Soileau chewed on the remains of a cigar as he supervised the cooking at the St. Landry Parish Government area.
Like many of the dishes that were cooking adjacent to his booth, it’s usually a three-hour procedure Soileau said, that complemented his stew meat sample.
Soileau said creating a roux is the secret in addition to providing the right amount of onions.
“You get that together and it’s bingo,” Soileau added.
Jonell Peltier had a lot of confidence in the quality of his beef sirloin and sausage dish.
Peltier removed the lid and stirred the tender steak that was augmented by onions, bell peppers, and garlic.
Chris Marks, cooking for Backwoods Hunting, oversaw simultaneously, a number of different entries that included spaghetti and beef stew.
It’s important for any beef dish Marks said, to properly brown the meat.
“The short ribs for instance need to be the right cut, right between the bone, to help with the gravy. I throw the spaghetti in with the ground meat along with the tomato sauce and mushrooms,” said Marks.
Marks said cooking stew meat is a process that includes setting aside the meat once browned and then separately boiling water and mixing that with a roux
