Patrols Vie for the Golden Spatula in Outdoor Cooking Competition

French toast topped with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Tacos with a side of fruit salad and a refreshing glass of lemonade. Dutch-oven chili seasoned with green chiles, onion and garlic, paired with scrumptious cornbread. And the best. Burger. Ever.

It would be an understatement to say the Scouts in troops 509 of La Cañada Flintridge, California, ate well during their 2023 Iron Chef challenge campout. Indeed, they ate really well.

And so did the adults as they sampled each patrol’s meals, judging them on taste and presentation. The patrol that created the most delectable dishes over the weekend would rack up enough points to win a coveted outdoor cooking trophy.

But by the end of the contest, two patrols were tied, forcing what they call a “Sudden Chef Cook-Off” with a mystery ingredient the Scouts would need to incorporate into their final dish.

The ingredient? Gummy bears.

“It was a shock to us,” says Miles Lim, 13, a First Class Scout. “We were going to make yogurt parfaits. The gummy bears weren’t part of the plan.”

Time to get creative. The Wilderness Explorers patrol added granola to the yogurt and then situated the gummy bears on top in a circle around a strawberry, simulating a campfire scene. With a dash of pumpkin spice, the parfait was ready.

The judges approved, and the new Iron Chefs in Miles’ patrol were presented with their prize: the Golden Spatula.

GOOD EATS

About 15 years ago, boys Troop 509 started this annual outdoor cooking challenge campout, nicknamed after the popular Food Network TV show Iron Chef America. During the challenge, Scouts must prepare four dishes — a breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner — for the three adults to judge.

“They were judging how it looked, how it tasted, if it gave them food poisoning or not,” jokes Isabella Scharlotta, 13, a Star Scout. “Definitely, one thing they judged was cleanliness — how your cooking site looked after you were done.”

The campout, held at Hubert Eaton Scout Reservation just east of Los Angeles, called on the patrols to make healthy, balanced meals. Part of the challenge was to add a little fall flair to at least one dish. Some patrols chose to include corn or carrots, while others opted to create a cornucopia of sorts: charcuterie boards filled with meat, cheese, fruits and vegetables.

“We learned to incorporate a lot of nutrition,” Isabella says.

A nutritious meal plan typically emphasizes fruits, veggies, whole grains, dairy, meats and other proteins. The patrols drafted their shopping lists and then met at a supermarket before heading to camp. This gave the Scouts one more chance to grab some extra ingredients. They bought spices too. Spices like salt, black pepper, cumin and chili powder enhance the flavor of your dishes.

GO COOK!

With their food in a pantry area and cold goods stored in the camp’s freezers, the Scouts were prepared for the contest, which began bright and early on a Saturday.

“I got up at 6 a.m. We got everyone up and started cooking,” says Robby Siegmeth, 15, a Star Scout. “At 7 a.m., everything had to be ready.”

To quickly cook and plate a tasty meal, you not only have to follow the recipe, but you must also work with your fellow Scouts. Everyone can take a role: preparing food, cooking or cleaning.

“It helped my leadership and cooperation,” Robby says. “It forced me to delegate to other Scouts on what to do.”

“I learned how to communicate better and work better with people — like my brother,” says Mila Lim, 11, a Scout.

Many patrols brought decorative plates, jars and bowls to place their food on, upping their chances for high presentation scores.

“We did our patrol yell during our presentation. It was shouting, ‘Shark bait! Oo-hah-hah!’” Robby says in a nod to the film Finding Nemo. “The energy gave us a good look.”

After each round, the judges offered outdoor cooking advice. Some Scouts were working on the Cooking merit badge, and the feedback helped them sharpen their skills.

FUN AT CAMP

Between meals, Scouts checked out activity hubs around camp. Hubert Eaton Scout Reservation boasts a 1,100-foot-long zip line, target sports ranges, a swimming pool and a high-ropes COPE course.

“The zip-lining was pretty fun,” Robby says. “It gave us a break to catch some air and fly. I felt a little bit stressed cooking under the time frame, but that took my mind off of it.”

After dinner, the Scouts gathered around an inviting campfire to sing songs under the strum of a guitar, occasionally interrupted by the adults making dad jokes. They also spent time reflecting on an intense day behind the camp stove or, for some, by a Dutch oven.

“I had never done it before,” Miles says of Dutch-oven cooking. “I felt like I was going to burn it or undercook it. You have to let it cook. You have to know the timing and the technique.”

Knowledge and creativity mix into a recipe for success, but even if what ends up on the plate doesn’t delight everyone’s taste buds, remember that with each meal, you’re improving.

“Enjoy the cooking, and just have fun,” Mila says.

Try It Yourself! Here are a few of the favorite outdoor cooking recipes of troops 509:

Breakfast Bagel Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 8 bagels
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 8 sausage patties
• 8 eggs
• 8 slices of provolone cheese
• 1 tomato
• Lettuce

Directions:

Cook sausage patties in a frying pan and turn often, cooking for 8-10 minutes. If patties have some fat on them, oil is not needed. Once the patties are cooking, take a second pan, oil it with a little olive oil and put on medium heat. Put the eggs in that frying pan. Once they are cooked, flip them. Remove the patties when they are fully cooked. Wrap the patties in foil to keep them warm. Split the bagels. You can heat the bagels in the same pan with them faced down. Add a little oil or butter if needed. After they are heated, remove the bagels and build your sandwich with one egg, one patty, one slice of cheese, a tomato slice and lettuce. Pair with sliced strawberries and raspberries as a side.

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked rice (preferably day-old rice)
• 3 eggs
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons of butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the rice in advance and let it cool. Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat them lightly and season with a pinch of salt. Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add a little butter. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring constantly, to scramble them. Once cooked, remove the eggs from the pan and set them aside. In the same pan, add more butter if needed. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the cooked rice to the pan. Stir-fry the rice, breaking up any clumps, for about 3-4 minutes until heated through. Add the diced tomato to the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, letting the tomato soften slightly. Return the scrambled eggs to the pan and mix everything together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped green onions and cook for an additional minute. Serve hot, garnished with extra green onions if desired.

Carne Asada Tacos With Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

• 30 tortillas
• 1½ lbs. carne asada
• 16 oz. queso fresco
• 1 cup of cilantro
• Salsa
• 3 avocados
• 4 cobs of corn
• 1 watermelon
• 16 oz. strawberries
• 1 cucumber
• 2 lemons
• Chili lime seasoning

Directions:

Boil water in a pot. Break corncobs in half and place in boiling water for 5 minutes. Turn off the burner afterward. In a frying pan, cook flavored carne asada. After it is cooked, place in foil to keep warm. Heat tortillas over medium heat. When each one starts to bubble a little, turn it over. Don’t overcook or they will burn. Place tortillas in a tortilla warmer before building tacos. Slice avocados. Mash queso fresco in a container or on a plate. Build your tacos with carne asada in a tortilla. Add crumbled queso fresco, cilantro, a little salsa and a slice of avocado. Season the corn on the cob to taste. Tacos also pair well with a fruit salad. Cut up your watermelon, strawberries and cucumber. Add ½ cup of chili lime seasoning and lemon juice to the fruit salad.