One of the most challenging cooking contests at the Utah State Fair is the Mystery Bag Dutch Oven Cook-Off, sponsored by the Utah Beef Council.
The contestants are given a "mystery bag" of ingredients from which to create a main dish and two side dishes, The cooking is done in Dutch ovens, with hot coals for heat.
This year, the cooks had to use ground beef and peanut butter and then choose from other ingredients in the mystery bag.
Brian and Lisa Blodgett of West Jordan were this year's winning team. Here are two of their recipes:
Meatloaf
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 1/4 cups beef broth, divided
1 pound mushrooms, sliced and divided
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, shredded
3 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 package brown gravy mix
1/2 of a zucchini, shredded
In a 12-inch Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter and add 1/4 cup beef broth. Saute 2 cups mushrooms, onion, garlic and carrot until tender.
In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef with sauteed vegetables, 1 cup beef broth, salt, pepper, brown sugar and brown gravy mix. Form mixture into a doughnut shape in a 12-inch Dutch oven. Cook with 16 top coals and 8 bottom coals for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute remaining mushrooms and zucchini in 2 tablespoons butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Top the meatloaf with sauteed vegetables when meat is done cooking.
Blueberry Sweet Bread
Dough:
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup milk, warmed
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