Elk Festival Dutch Oven Cook-Off at Opie’s Hillbilly Hangout
Published 1:36 pm Thursday, July 16, 2026
A fresh start to a standing tradition: the annual dutch oven cook-off returns to the 2026 Elk Festival, hosted at Opie’s Hillbilly Hangout in downtown Jasper. Competitors and event organizers steadied their stations through the morning storm, faced a rain delay, and managed to outperform previous years’ tasting bowl participation. Four teams race the clock and the elements to produce three supreme dishes to a panel of judges and the people’s choice award. Winners compete for cash prizes, trophies, a 2-night stay in a local rental cabin, bragging rights, and official dutch oven cook-off state qualifications.
A historically-rooted event made possible by volunteers, sponsors, passionate competitors, and adventurous tasters. Special thanks to this years’ sponsors: Adventure Subaru, Opie’s Hillbilly Hangout, Bubba’s Buffalo River Store, Peggy Sue’s Coffee, Redrock Retreat, Blossomberry Nursery, Deer Lodge Cabins, Harps Food Stores, Mill Creek T’s, Ozark Cafe, Ozark Bluff Dwellers, Chicken Coop, and Minnow Creek Pies.
Ringing the 10 a.m. chuck wagon dinner triangle cues teams to officially begin their dishes preparing a yeast bread, main dish, and dessert from their cast iron dutch ovens. Smoke signals and an authentic horse-drawn wagon beckoned visitors to visit the teams’ hard working outdoor kitchens. Judges donned aprons and lined the table for 2 p.m. tastings and the sweaty work of ranking each dish. “It was much harder than I expected,” noted Sandy Swayne, long time organizer of the event participating in her first year as judge. “It was all so good!”. Mayor Mike Thomas, Phillip Martin, Addison Villines, and Bubba Loyd completed the panel of five local judges to score each dish and offer written feedback.
Doug Thornton and John Higgenbotham “Redneck Gourmets” of southern-central Arkansas earned First Place Overall (234.5 pts) serving up: Monster Cinnamon Rolls, Cajun Swamp Egg, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Bread Pudding, and second place for showmanship.
Veronica Terry, Lisa Clark, and Devin Thomson “Big Piney Dutch Oven Cookers” from Hagarville earned Second Place Overall (219.5 pts) submitting: Dinner Rolls with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter, Porkloin with Cornbread Stuffing and Vegetable Medley, and Hatch Red Chile Chocolate Cake with Red Chile Cream Cheese Icing.
Ashley Smith and Charlie Nutt “Just Horsin’ Around” from Bismark earned Third Place Overall (216 pts) sharing: Cheesy Italian Bread, Indian Tacos, Grandma Sutah’s Cinnamon Rolls and third place in showmanship. In addition, Smith and Nutt earned the People’s Choice Award – judged by vote of “tasting bowl” participants.
Cheryl and Gilbert Moring “Scratch Out Black Pot Cookers” from New Edinburgh (213.5 pts) earned first place in showmanship with dishes including: Apple Cinnamon Bread, Creole Jambalaya, and Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler.
The hefty black pot with its sturdy lid and short legs, boasting a historic origin, continues to whet the appetite for adventurous opportunities and new frontiers for local gatherings.
