WASHINGTON — This fall, the beef checkoff partnered with prominent DC blogger Andrea Khoury of the Northern Housewives of Virginia (NoVA) blogging group to host the “Fall into Crockpot Season with BEEF” recipe contest. Northeast consumers were invited to share their favorite beef slow cooker recipe, with the goal of promoting family mealtimes with a nutrient-dense, delicious protein like beef.
Recipe entries were accepted October 22-November 4 on the NoVa blogging page. The contest received nearly 33 entries. Some were home-cooked originals, while others shared a family favorite. From those recipes received, 18 finalists were selected to cook their slow cooker beef meal for an entry into the second round of the contest. After the finalists cooked up their entries, the dishes were sent on to an elite panel of judges and into the People’s Choice voting segment of the contest. The contest aimed to showcase the culinary talent of home chefs, millennial parents and northeast foodies. Contest entrants vied for a share of nearly $2,000 in prizes between the Judges’ Pick and People’s Choice placements.
Three top entries were selected for the judging panel to cook and sample. The judges based their selections on taste, ease of preparation, creativity and appearance. Judges’ Pick grand prize winner was awarded $600 and a new slow cooker or Instant Pot and plus an Omaha Steak gift card.
In the People’s Choice voting segment, the finalists received 882 votes from their peers and online followers of the NoVA blogging group. The recipe that received the most votes was awarded the People’s Choice grand prize, a $500 Omaha Steak gift card. Runners-up in both categories each received a $250 Omaha Steak gift card. All winners will receive digital recognition through website promotions and social media properties.
The Judges’ Grand Prize pick was the Beef Carbonnade recipe by Dea Zufelt from Greenville, Delaware. Shannah Coe of Stone Ridge, Virginia, was chosen runner-up for her recipe, Crockpot Cuban Beef. The People’s Choice Grand Prize award went to Ranna Golden of Ashburn, Virginia, for her Persian Stew with Meat and Split Peas. Kim Van Dunk of Caldwell, New Jersey, was awarded runner-up for her Beef and Vegetable Slow Cooker Lasagna. To view all winners and finalists, please visit: https://goo.gl/BA1ZnY.
For more information about the recipe contest, search #FallForBeef on Facebook, Twitter or Instagam. Participation in this event was made possible by the Virginia Beef Council in partnership with the checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative and the Pennsylvania Beef Council. For more information, visit NEBPI.org or MyBeefCheckoff.com.
–Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board
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