This weekend, dozens of competitors and thousands of hungry food lovers will descend on downtown Magnolia during the Magnolia Blossom Festival to celebrate the steak at the 27th Annual World Championship Steak Cook-Off.
The event, featured on The Travel Channel and Food Network and USA Today’s 10 Best, happens each May on and around the downtown square. Each year , more than 4000 steaks are prepared by 80 to 90 competitors. Tickets are sold for the rights to each steak, and there’s always a sell-out. The steaks are 16 ounce Certified Angus Beef steaks, provided to each of the competitors to assure an even quality.
Taking home a trophy from this competition is an extraordinary honor. For the team that brings home the Governor’s Cup, it’s not just about a cool trophy and a goodly amount of prize money. It’s about bragging rights – after all, few can say they’ve grilled the best steak in the world. Prizes are awarded to the top four entrants. There are also awards for best parade entry, showmanship and pit construction.
The competition is timed. The steaks are delivered to the competitors, who do their grill magic and, when the steak is ready, select the best. Each competition steak is placed in a plain Styrofoam box marked with a number and taken to the judge’s station. The judges must then determine through appearance, flavor and overall excellence which is the best. The honor of being named a judge is both a great honor and a big surprise – since yes, there is a limit to the amount of steak one individual can ingest!
What should you expect when you go? When you turn in your ticket, you’ll receive a tray that’s roughly the size and construction of a medium pizza box. It has space for your steak and potato and a place for your drink. You line up at the grill where you want your steak. There are individuals who will come in the morning and scope out all the competitors and make their decision based entirely upon which steakmaster impresses them the most. The lines start forming in the afternoon, and you can spend up to two hours waiting. But at the end of it all, you get a professionally prepared steak by one of the top grill professionals in the world.
Plan to go? Tickets can be purchased around Magnolia at participating businesses or by phone. They are NOT available online. Click here for more information.
For more information about the Magnolia Blossom Festival, check out the city’s website.
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