Food Network Specials

Every year in Ruidoso, N.M., hundreds of people gather to witness and experience a little taste of the old west. As the wagons roll into town and the fires get burning, you will be reminded of a time when the only way to cook was over an open flame. Times may have changed, but for the cooks in this contest, the challenge remains the same. Cooking a mouthwatering menu that will turn judges heads using little more than wood and a hole in the ground. The weekend kicks off with a contest you won’t see anywhere else, "The Authentic Chuckwagon" competition. Part of the judging begins before the food ever hits the flames. Contestants will unveil their historically accurate Chuckwagons to see who has done their homework and who has missed the boat. Then as the sun comes up, the fires get started, and what ensues is a sensational contest of cowboy cooking that in the end will crown the one true "Cookie." Contestants come from all over the region and range from the real rope-slinging cowboys to restaurant chefs. You’ll be surprised to see who is still standing when the clock runs out. And for the losers, it’s a long bumpy trail back to the ranch.