By Alyshia Victoria

Every August, on a bright and sunny summer morning, students from across East Tennessee load up their grills and meet at the Appalachian Gray Fair in Gray, Tennessee, between Kingsport and Johnson City.
Canopies are lifted, tables are set up, grills and equipment are organized. In nervous excitement, students remember all the tips to cooking a great steak. You may be thinking this is a lot of work for a student to do on a Saturday morning. I can tell you firsthand that it is. These 4-H students are getting ready for the East Region 4-H Outdoor Meat Cookery contest where they will master the grills and attempt to cook a perfect cut of meat for the judges.
4-H has many opportunities for students and this contest is one that requires knowledge and skill from many areas to excel. Students learn grill safety and how to light a charcoal grill, food safety and the proper temperature to cook certain meats. They learn how to transport raw meat safely and ensure a safe cooking environment.
Students learn about four different species of meat and which cuts will yield better results for certain recipes. They practice cooking beef, poultry, lamb and pork. Lastly, students work as a team to put together a themed tabletop display to exhibit their product to the judges. In this contest, students are given scores for taste, safety, technique, and display. They must pull together all the knowledge gained throughout a summer of hard work.
Union County was well represented at the East Region 4-H contest at the fair on August 28. Seven students went to compete.
In the Jr. High Division, Jadazia Dyer placed 4th in beef cookery and Grace Tindell placed 2nd in poultry cookery. In the Sr. High Division, Jonathan Tindell placed 8th in beef cookery, Kaleb Hanna placed 6th in lamb cookery, Travis Hanna placed 2nd in pork cookery, Jeremiah Tindell placed 6th in pork cookery and Jessica Garcia was recognized in poultry cookery.
Our Union County Outdoor Meat Cookery team was supported at the event by Zeeva Boucher who attended all the practices and is excited to get the opportunity to compete next year.
Skills and knowledge gained through this 4-H activity is truly impressive. As an Extension agent, the highlight of the day for me was seeing how everyone supported one another and functioned as a team even though they were all cooking their own cuts of meat.
We would like to say a special thank you to Bill and Debby Morgan, who serve as leaders for this contest and do it all on volunteer time. Additionally, we would like to thank Martin Shafer for making the trip out to the Appalachian Gray Fair to serve as a judge for this contest.
For more information on 4-H here in Union County and how you can be involved, please email avictoria@utk.edu or call 865-992-8038.