CALF_News_December_2019_January_2020

6 CALF News • December 2019 | January 2020 • www.calfnews.net S everal years ago, the Northeast Texas Beef Improve- ment Organization (NETBIO) Board of Directors was sitting around a table discussing the negative press cattle producers were receiving and the gener- ally unfavorable attitude toward beef. Being a proactive bunch, they decided to venture into an area that was totally unfamiliar territory: educating consumers about beef and attempting to create a favorable impression with their product’s ultimate customers. The result was the Cattlemen’s Classic Ribeye Roundup, which held its fifth annual event Oct. 5, 2019, at Sulphur Springs, Texas. The event is a steak cooking competition featuring Certified Angus Beef™ (CAB) ribeye steaks. This year’s event included 33 cooking teams as well as 10 entries in the first-ever Junior Burger Competition. Nineteen of the teams also entered a hors d’oeuvres competition. Teams began assembling at Sulphur Spring’s downtown square as early as 6:30 a.m., to set up their tents and cooking gear. Entries ranged from large trailers that held self-contained kitchens to regular backyard grills. By mid-morning, the smell of charcoal and woodfires permeated the air, as did the savory scents of cooking delicacies. The assembly of professional and backyard grillers soon had people stopping by to sample their tasty offerings. The steak cooking was broken into two categories, one for professionals and one for amateurs. Each team sent a desig- nated member to select their CAB steaks for the contest based on their place in a drawing. Careful attention was paid to mar- bling and other characteristics that contributed to the expected success of the entry. Steaks were then taken to the respective camps and cooked under watchful eye, hopefully to optimize results. Special seasonings were added to many entries, while others opted to let the beef itself delight the judges’ palates. While many of the grillers chose to utilize the time-tested techniques of experience, others utilized optical thermometers to monitor the heat of the coals; stopwatches to time the amount of heat applied to each side; and meat thermometers to moni- tor internal temperatures. Each team knew that the beef would continue to cook for a short time while awaiting adjudication, so estimates of wait time were factored into the calculations. The team of judges was sequestered at a nearby law firm where they awaited the entries’ arrival. Each offering was kept warm in a Styrofoam container until presented to the specially selected panel that first inspected the appearance of the entry and then, according to the prescribed rules, after slicing, how Ribeye Roundup Educates Taste Buds and Minds By Chris McClure Contributing Editor Continued on page 8  LEFT: Some of the cooks added special spice mixtures. RIGHT: Cooking teams carefully selected their CAB ribeyes. The first score assigned by the judges was on appearance. COVER STORY Communication