Battling It Out on the Grill

DECATUR — Alabama’s only triple steak cookoff returns in September bringing with it exciting grilling action and good times to the River City.

Sizzle and Smoke made its debut last year with 33 local businesses, organizations and weekend grillers competing for prize money and bragging rights during the two-day competition. This year’s festival is set for Sept. 22-23 at Ingalls Harbor in Decatur.

Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama is excited to offer Alabama’s only triple steak cookoff, a Steak Cookoff Association (SCA)-sanctioned event. Sizzle and Smoke is a two-day competition where anyone can take their skills to the grill and enter the competition as long as they are members of the SCA. Membership to SCA is $40 to join and allows members to cook in as many steak events taking place anywhere in the United States.

Competitors can turn in three steaks for judging. One Sept. 22 and two Sept. 23. Mosaic Mentoring will provide ribeye steaks for the competition to ensure a level playing field. The competition steaks are included in the registration fee. Sign up is available at  https://www.steakcookoffs.com/event-5042463/Registration for Friday and
https://www.steakcookoffs.com/event-5042491/Registration for Saturday. Any cook registering before Sept. 12th will have his/her name put in a drawing for an aged Jack Daniels whiskey barrel.

The winning steak will earn that competitor a payout of $1000. The second place steak receives $500, third place $400, fourth place $300, fifth place $200 and sixth through tenth place receives $100 each and the winners of all three steak turn-ins will automatically receive a golden ticket to the World Food Championships Finals in Dallas.

The competition also offers ribs, dessert and Jack Daniel’s cocktail categories, with all paying to fifth place. Kids ages four to 13 years old can participate to see who has the best pork chop and compete for a payout of up to $100 for first place, $75 for second place, $50 for third place and $25 each for fourth through tenth place. To register, call Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama at 256-353-0157.

In addition to the competition, there will be food trucks and a steak sandwich sale hosted by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Posse for the public along with raffle prizes and a silent auction. Saturday’s lineup also includes a car show. Admission is free.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/mosaicsizzleandsmoke.