West Jordan couple wins Dutch Oven World Championship Cook-Off

Sandy — "This was the hardest competition I think I have ever been in," said Brian Blodgett of West Jordan, just minutes after he and his wife Lisa Blodgett were announced as winners of the International Dutch Oven Society World Championship Cook-Off.

The annual competition was held Saturday during the International Sportsmen's Expo at the South Towne Expo Center.

The Blodgetts are veterans of the Dutch oven cook-off circuit. The couple took second place in last year's world championships and also won the Utah State Fair's Mystery Bag Cook-Off last fall.

But when they sampled the other competing dishes, they realized they were up against some mighty fine cooks.

"I've been shaking since we got done cooking," said Lisa Blodgett. "I was tasting everyone else's stuff, and I thought, 'Oh man.' "

But, when the smoke cleared and the judges tallied their score sheets, the Blodgetts' Bacon-Herb Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Raspberry Pineapple Sweet Bread and Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping took the top prize of $2,500 plus bragging rights.

Each team prepared three dishes from scratch: a dessert, a bread and a main dish, all in Dutch ovens using only hot coals for heat.

Ranes Carter, who chaired the cook-off, echoed Brian Blodgett's opinion of this year's caliber of cooks.

"This was a very difficult competition and one of the best that I have seen," Carter said. "This is a unique group of finalists. I think this is the most out-of-state teams to ever compete in the finals."

The annual championship attracted Dutch-oven enthusiasts from as far away as British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, as well as Iowa, Oregon, Montana and Idaho.

Teams had to qualify by cooking in the semifinals on Thursday and Friday. Eleven teams were chosen as finalists.

Saturday's dishes showed how the culinary bar has been raised since the championship began 21 years ago. Two teams did duck breast; several did versions of stuffed pork or beef loin. Cakes and pies looked like they'd come straight from a professional bakery. Breads included Stuffed Chicken Tarragon Cheese Rolls, Roasted Garlic Herb Rolls and Three-Cheese Focaccia.

In fact, the traditional campfire favorites, such as chili, stew or cobbler, would likely never even make it to the semifinals.

The Blodgetts had plenty of past recipes to choose from,