March 19, 2024

Cookout contest combo category winner announced

Lance Henrichs joined Clarke County Farm Bureau’s regular cookout contest this year after competing in the youth category last year, where he came in first place at the Iowa State Fair in the youth category. His recipe this year was:

Smoked bacon wrapped meat loaf

2 lbs ground chuck 1 lb ground sausage (breakfast or mild Italian)

½ C chopped onion 1 Tbsp garlic finely minced

2 T olive oil 2 eggs

2 C bread crumbs (m/l as needed to bind)

1 lb bacon 1 C cheddar shredded cheese.

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Mix together ground chuck, sausage, onion, garlic, eggs, and enough bread crumbs to bind it together.

Remove bacon from package and set aside three slices. Basket weave the rest in a five strip by seven strip pattern. Place in bottom and up sides of large loaf pan. (11¾ X 5 5/8 X 3 3/16). Divide the loaf mixture in half. Place one-half of the mixture into the pan on top of the bacon. Flatten it out. Place cheese in the center of the meat mixture running almost to the ends. Cover with remaining meat mixture. Fold any loose end of the bacon on top of the meat loaf. Cover with the remaining three slices of bacon. Chill in fridge for a couple of hours.

Remove from the mold by inverting it onto a cookie sheet or grill. Preheat smoker to 250 degrees. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. Place in smoker and smoke until internal temperature is 160 degrees. This will take about two to two and a-half hours. It is not done until the temperature reaches 160 degrees, no matter how long it takes. Remove from smoker and let rest 15 minutes before carving.

The meat loaf received many compliments from the judges.