How the competition works: Since we are just home cooks and not real Iron Chefs, we pick the secret ingredient way in advance. Everyone selects a course (appetizer, side, main, dessert, drink) so that we have some of each and then they bring a dish that brings out the hero ingredient. Then we vote on our handy score cards and a winner is selected! It's taken us awhile to figure out the best scoring system, but as of right now we usually rank the dishes in order of our favorites to least favorite based on taste, presentation and creativity. Our only other rule is that the hostess of the competition cannot win, so in those cases, the win passes to the next best dish.
The competition is usually fierce, but the best part about doing Iron Chef is getting together with our friends and just having a great night with some really delicious food.
Iron Chef Citrus
Winner: Cara's Blood Orange Roasted Pork
Runner Up: Emily's White Sangria
Iron Chef Bacon
Winner: Jen's Honey Mustard Chicken with Bacon
Runner Up: Greta's Bacon and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms and Cranberry Chicken Salad
Iron Chef Wine
Winner: Wormfood33's Marinated Shrimp with a Champagne Buerre Blanc
Runner Up: Cara's Drunken Brie
Iron Chef Melon
Winner: KSP's Chicken Meatballs with Watermelon BBQ Sauce
Runner Up: Kim's Chicken with Watermelon and Feta
Iron Chef Coffee
(Featured in R.Home magazine)
Winner: Kim's Black Bottom Cupcakes
Runner Up: Emily's Beatty's Chocolate Cake
Iron Chef Pumpkin
Winner: Jen's Pumpkin Jambalaya
Runner Up: Laura's Pork Tenderloin with Pumpkin Butter Sauce
Full Recap
Winner: Morgan's Macadamia Crusted Tilapia
Runner Up: Kim's Pistachio and Goat Cheese Covered Grapes
Winner: Emily's Green Papaya Salad
Runner Up: Lee's Pistachio Cookies
Full Recap
Winner: Cara's Strawberry Chipotle Jam
Runner Up: Doan's Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
Full Recap
Winner: Greta's Brie Crostini with Chocolate Wine Sauce
Runner Up: Wormfood33's Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake
Iron Chef Spicy
Full Recap
Winner: Emily's Spicy Pork Tacos
Runner Up: KSP's Indian Spiced Pinwheels
Iron Chef Cheese
Full Recap
Winner: Chelyen's Chicken Caesar Salad in Parmesan Cups
Runner Up: Emily's Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese Ball with Basil Oil
Iron Chef Honey
Full Recap
Winner: Cara's Pear, Honey and Goat Cheese Crostini
Runner Up: Morgan's Honey Spread
Iron Chef Basil
Full Recap
Winner: Cara's Lemon Basil Ice Cream
Runner Up: Jen's Strawberry Basil Vodka Cocktail
Iron Chef Chips
Full Recap
Winner: Chelyen's Frito Chili Pie
Runner Up: Kim's Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Bomb
Iron Chef Ginger
Full Recap
Winner: Emily's Sweet & Sour Pork Sliders
Runner Up: Jen's Ginger Scallops
Iron Chef Grapes
Full Recap
Winner: Kim's Grape Salsa on Sweet Potato Waffle Fries
Runner Up: Shu's Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Grape Compote
Iron Chef Corn
Full Recap
Winner: Cara's Jalapeno Corn Poppers
Runner Up: Emily's Corn Lasagna
Iron Chef Chili Peppers
Full Recap
Winner: Doan's Brie and Spicy Apple Chutney on Baguette
Runner Up: Emily's Strawberry Habanero Cocktail
Iron Chef Cinnamon
Full Recap
Winner: Wormfood33's Cinnamon Fried Chicken and Waffles
Runner Up: Laura's Cinnamon Ice Cream with Cinnamon Crisps
Iron Chef Garlic
Full Recap
Winner: Doan's Garlic Chicken Pizza
Runner Up: Chelyen's Garlic Risotto Cakes with Tomato Butter
Iron Chef Carrot
Full Recap
Winner: Cara's Moroccan Carrot Hummus
Runner Up: Kim's Chocolate Carrot Cake
Iron Chef Potato
Full Recap
Winner: Doan's Sweet Potato S'Mores Cheesecake
Runner Up: Wormfood33's Potaffles with Dill Jalapeno Topping
Iron Chef Cereal
Full Recap
Winner: Chelyen's Cornflake Crusted Buffalo Chicken Balls with Homemade Ranch
Runner Up: Laura's Macaroni & Cheese Cups with Kix topping
Iron Chef Fennel
Full Recap
Winner: Emily's Finocchio al Forno or Fennel Baked in Cream
Runner Up: Kim's Roasted Fennel and Italian Sausage Pizza with Garlic White Sauce
Our next Iron Chef competition is TBD! If you have any ingredient ideas for upcoming competitions, we'd love to hear them.
(Click here for all Iron Chef competition recipes)