The World Champion Squirrel Cookoff at the Hunt Family Nature Center on September 12 featured more than just squirrel dishes. Tyler Steele of Bella Vista and his wife, Ashley Steele, brought something a little different to the table: venison meatloaf. Alongside other competitors, the Steeles offered the public samples of game-inspired recipes beyond their contest entry.
While the event traditionally celebrates recipes highlighting squirrels, teams embraced a wider spectrum of wild game cooking. The Steeles’ venison meatloaf proved a crowd-pleaser for those eager to explore local flavors with a twist on classic game dishes.
The cookoff culminated with a team from Pine Bluff taking the top prize with their squirrel gumbo, a staple rich in regional tradition and a favorite among many who attended. The Hunt Family Nature Center has long served as the host for this event, gathering hunters, cooks, and curious tasters from across the area to showcase culinary creativity built around regional wildlife.
Contestants often share additional dishes aside from what they enter into the judging, giving attendees more opportunities to sample different approaches to game meat. The Steeles’ choice of venison showed how versatile local game can be, pairing familiar comfort food with the distinct flavor that deer meat brings.
Events like the squirrel cookoff remain rooted in Arkansas’s hunting and cooking culture, attracting teams beyond Northwest Arkansas and helping keep these traditions alive. The combination of competition and community fosters a setting where game recipes get passed down, adapted, and enjoyed by new generations. For Bella Vista residents like the Steeles, it’s a chance to celebrate local foodways while also connecting with others who share a passion for wild game.
The Hunt Family Nature Center’s shelter and its surrounding grounds fill with the smells and sounds of cooking, chatter, and anticipation during the contest. It’s a reminder that Northwest Arkansas’s culinary scene isn’t just about trendy restaurants but also the longstanding practices of handling and preparing wild game, which remains important to many in Benton County.
For those who missed trying the venison meatloaf or squirrel gumbo this year, the event offers a tasty invitation to keep an eye out for local food celebrations that showcase Arkansas’s hunting heritage. The mix of flavors, stories, and skilled cooks continues to make the squirrel cookoff a unique highlight on our regional calendar.
Source: NWA Democrat Gazette