Five chuck wagons from north Alabama and Tennessee and a local Dutch-oven couple competed in the Burning Bush Cowboy Church’s Inaugural Chuck Wagon Cook-Off Saturday on the church grounds.

When the pots were scraped empty, B.B. and Nita Palmer of Troy were named the first-place winners in the cook-off. The judges deemed the couple’s stew, cornbread and dessert the best in the cook-off.

Cook-teams were challenged with cooking a stew, cornbread and a dessert. To declare the winner, the judges determined the best combination of the three.

Taking second place honors in the Chuck Wagon Cook-off was Henagar Crossover Cowboy Church. Cross Halo Cowboy Church from Cleveland was third.

Alvie Walker, pastor, Burning Bush Cowboy Church said he was very pleased with Burning Bush’s first Chuck Wagon Cook-Off.

“A lot of cowboy churches have chuck wagon cook-off as fundraisers, as ways to let people know more about cowboy churches’ and their ministries and just for the fun and fellowship of an event like that,” Walker said. “We were pleased with the number of Chuck Wagons that entered and we had a good crowd throughout the day. At one count, 200 people had attended and that was not the total number that attended.”

Walker expressed appreciation to the Cowboy Churches that brought their Chuck Wagons and entered the competition.

“Competing in a Chuck Wagon Cook-Off requires a real commitment in time and money,” he said. “Burning Bush Cowboy Church greatly appreciates the support of other churches.”

Walker said Burning Bush hopes to find an affordable wagon that can be “upgraded” to a chuck wagon.

“We are looking for a wagon and look forward to being able to participate chuck wagon cook-offs,” he said.

Barbara Akins, Trading Post Cowboy Chuck, Woodville, Alabama, said her church participates often in chuck wagon cook-offs.

“Oh, it’s a lot of work and it costs a little but we like to support the fundraisers of other cowboy churches and we enjoy the fellowship and the singing and, of course, the food,” she said. “Chuck wagon cook-offs are a good way to meet people. But the most important thing is the opportunity to help people who are in need.”

Several international students at Troy University visited the Burning Bush Cowboy Church Cook-Off to learn more about American culture and the Old West.

Candice Gao and Sanne Zhu said they didn’t know about chuck-wagons and they enjoyed seeing the wagons and were especially interested in outdoor cooking.

“What we liked the most was the food,” they said, laughing. “The stews were all good and the cornbread, too. But the desserts were delicious and so many and we tried so many.”