Grillmasters Beef Challenge

Well, I can officially say I did something that I didn't exactly think I would do. I somehow got talked into (not really, more like invited and gladly accepted) entering into the "Grillmaster's Beef Challenge" here in Rexburg. At first, I thought, "oh my goodness, I can't do something like this, I have no clue how to grill. We don't even own a grill." As time went on, I never tried talking myself out of it, I just accepted that I was going to do it and it was just going to be a fun experience. I was going to have fun with my friend Summer and whatever came from it I was OK with.

So here were the rules:

• The local grocery store provided you with 2, 2-3 pound Tri-tip steaks
• You picked up your meat the night before, had the opportunity to prepare your meat any way you would like and then bring it to the challenge the next day.
• You provide your own grill
• You have to provide the judges with a copy of your recipe
• Your meat had to be completed in a certain amount of time
• Your meat was supposed to be temped while on the grill at 145 degrees (I didn't do this but I will explain later)
• Present your cooked steak
• Provide samples for the judges

Here is how it went.

A good friend of mine was willing to share her recipe with me. I decided to make a (there was no real title for it, so I made up the title) Lime and Cilantro Tri-tip steak with a Tomato balsamic salsa. If you want the recipe, let me know.

We picked up the meat the night before. It was quite the challenge picking up the meat in time because they said there was a certain time frame when we could pick it up. Well, that period of time just happened to fall at the exact time that we told a good friend of ours that we would help out at a Luau she was putting on. So, Adam raced over during one of the dancing shows to pick it up and then after the show was over, Adam took Brennon home to get him in bed and I went off to the store to pick up my ingredients.

The next morning, I got up early because I didn't want to be running around crazylike, so I tried to take my time. I started my marinade for the meat and got the meat bathing in all its goodness.



After getting the meat in the marinade and in the fridge, I started on the yummy salsa. I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to prepare ingredients at the actual challenge or if I wanted to have everything completely made before I got there. My friend Summer told me that the year before she thought it was would be fun to make things there, but it was too hard. So I decided to prepare everything before I went.

Once we arrived, we took our time setting up and then started to get our grill ready.









We both were deciding how we were going to plate and what exactly we wanted to do. Since I had never made this before, I had never really plated it, I didn't know what it would look like, it was definitely a "wing it" moment.



Somehow, I got shafted on the Jamba Juice run that Adam made, but he thought it was funny to take pictures of Brennon with it to make me think he was enjoying it also. This is very similar to when Adam takes Brennon out truck shopping and tells me that Brennon pointed to the Chevy Silverado so that means that's the one we have to get. Yeah right!



It was grill time!





So, do you remember how one of the rules was that the meat is supposed to have a temperature of 145 degrees (while on the grill)? Well, my experience with meat has always been that you ALWAYS take it out and let it rest and it usually reaches your goal internal temp...if you take it off the heat at the right time. Well...I knew that if I waited until my steak was at 145 while on the grill, I was going to have a very tough and gross steak, so, Summer and I decided to take ours off the grill at about 130-135, cover it with tin foil for 10-15 minutes and hope it reaches its internal temp. It was about 85 degrees outside so we thought it would for sure reach its internal temp. Well...I had mine covered for quite a while, and Summer checked the temp of my steak and it was only at 120 after sitting for 10 minutes. Which, in my opinion doesn't mean much because after sitting for 10 minutes I would expect the temp to drop. Anyway...when I cut into my meat, it was actually overcooked (in my opinion). Sad day :(






I just tried to prepare my meat. I was hoping that I could just present a few slices of meat for my presentation part, but I later found out that I was supposed to serve the whole steak (which is why my plate looks very crowded). I brought these banana leaf plates for my plate presentation, and it would look cute with only a few slices of meat on it, but when I had to try and shove the whole steak on there, it looked a little ridiculous if you ask me. Buuut, I had to do it.

I also decided to grill some slices of pineapple with some avacodo.



After presenting to the judges, then we had to make plates up for everyone to sample our steak.



Then the judging...

I have to admit, I DID NOT expect to hear my name among any of the winners.



I got 3rd place. Wahoo...



Summer got 1st place...Wahoo Wahoo

Through it all...what a fun experience!



p.s. we were the only girls in the challenge...that's right :)