Eat like family at Helgerson’s

FOOD ADVENTURES
by Mary Cokenour
A new food stand has recently opened down in Bluff, UT across Main Street from Bluff Fort.
Helgerson’s Red Rock Chicken is owned by Steve and Tonya, who only just moved to San Juan County in August, 2015.
Why San Juan County? As Tonya tells it, it was time to load up the family, pick a direction and wherever they ended up, that would become home.
Formerly of Wisconsin, this foray into food is a family affair; their three children (Amber, Brandon, Dylon) all help mom and dad out with the stand.
Tonya’s grandfather loved to cook and passed on many recipes to her.She has revamped some but most retain grandpa’s flair.
Now why a food stand, not a restaurant? Freedom of movement, plain and simple.
With a food stand, the Helgerson family can take their delicious food and bring it to County events.
Diners can sit underneath tents and have the outdoor feel sitting at picnic tables, almost like being at a family function.
Those who are off to hiking and exploring can grab a boxed lunch of tasty grilled chicken or hotdogs, sloppy joe sandwiches and awesome side dishes.
So, how is the food? The leg quarters of Chicken are parboiled before going on the grill to help ensure quick, yet proper, cooking.
A special seasoning (it’s a secret blend) goes on which infuses the meat itself, not just the skin.
The Sloppy Joes may be your typical sloppy joe, but who doesn’t love those! The Macaroni Salad is a mixture of elbow macaroni, chopped celery and hard boiled eggs, Cheddar cheese chunks and shredded tuna fish. This may sound like too much, but it was light and refreshing.
The Baked Beans are cooked with slices of bacon over the top. The killer side, though, is the Bacon Fried Macaroni. The cooked pasta is mixed on the grill with bacon, bell peppers (yellow, red, green), chopped egg and hotdogs.
The smoky flavor is intense, yet goes perfectly with the grilled chicken meal. Portions are generous, so large appetites will be extremely pleased.
Red Rock Chicken does not have any firm days or hours of operation.
The best way to find out when they’re open is to go to their Facebook page.
Currently the name is Bluff UT, which shouldn’t be confused with Bluff, Utah’s own Facebook page.
Since the tourist season is not in full swing yet, keeping an eye on Main Street will help determine set days and hours.
On opening day, the stand was busy with locals. Besides our own positive comments, we heard, “Oh, yeah!”, “Mmm!”, “Love the sloppy joes!”, “Pretty Good!”, “Thumbs Up!”
Helgerson’s Red Rock Chicken; a family run food stand that treats their customers like family.
When you spot those bright orange tents, you know good food is waiting for you.