Josh Wells is Florida 4-H Grill Master
Josh Wells was awarded 1st place beef at the Florida 4-H State Tailgate Grilling Contest. Josh prepared a prime ribeye steak with salt, garlic, and pepper. He chose this cut of beef because it is tender and has a great beefy and buttery flavor, along with good marbling. He chose to season it simply to compliment these attributes and let the meat shine.
The Florida 4-H Tailgate Grilling Contest, sponsored by Publix Supermarkets, is an annual competition organized by the UF/IFAS Extension Florida 4-H program. The contest focuses on teaching youth essential skills related to grilling, food safety, and cooking techniques while promoting healthy and safe outdoor cooking practices.
The contest emphasizes:
- Food Safety: Proper handling, storage, and cooking of food.
- Grilling Skills: Techniques such as grilling temperatures, meat doneness, and grill maintenance.
- Presentation: How the food is presented and the overall appeal.
- Knowledge: Contestants are interviewed by judges on grilling techniques, food safety practices, and nutrition.
Josh said what he likes best about grilling is eating of course! He enjoys experimenting with cooking and seasoning and interacting with other people who enjoy grilling. He has learned much from older, more experienced grill masters and has had a great time growing in his skills with youth his age. Josh’s favorite meat to grill is pork chops because of the relative simplicity of cooking them. He also enjoys along with experimenting with a variety of seasonings that complement pork.
Josh shared that he was thankful to get to participate in this program and is already planning on what he’ll prepare for next year’s contest.