Cowboy Cook Off fires up the Cloverdale Rodeo

If you thought that cowboys could only cook cans of baked beans, blame Brokeback Mountain. Apparently, cowboys can barbeque, make chili, and bake pies as well, and they’re out to prove it at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair this weekend (May 18 to 21).

The annual pony show is holding its first ever Cloverdale Cowboy Cook Off. The event, which is presented by Langley’s Well Seasoned food store, will see more than 25 teams compete for a $10,000 cash prize. The teams will be required to complete several different tasks, including a pie baking contest, chili cook-off, and an Iron Chef-style battle featuring bacon on Saturday

There will be no sleep for these cowboys, as they’ll be required to prepare for Sunday’s barbeque competition overnight (beef brisket and pork shoulder can take up to 15 hours to cook). At 11 a.m., the teams will be judged on their pork shoulder, followed by beef brisket, chicken, and ribs each hour. Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at 5 p.m.

Six judges certified by the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association will rate all of the dishes. If you’re heading to the Cloverdale Rodeo this weekend, bring your appetite—spectators will also be able to sample the dishes.

You can follow Michelle da Silva on Twitter at twitter.com/michdas.