Reno rib cookoff starts today!!!

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cahusky

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 7, 2008
47
10
Reno NV / Tahoe City CA
What a wonderful time to live in Reno. The Best of the West Rib cookoff starts at 11am today and I can't wait. Lots of great rib cookers from all over the country will be providing my belly with lots of happiness this week!

Funny thing is, since i started spending time here at SMF my ribs have gotten so damned good that im not nearly as excited for this even as i was in the past. It used to be my only opportunity for great ribs all year and now I can produce them every day on my own. This year im just excited to go and see if mine are good enough to compete! Of course i only put out about 10 racks at a time while these guys provide food for around 500,000 people over the course of the next 5 days.
 
A guy from Martinsville, VA won that thing a few years back....Checkered Pig BBQ? He owns a local restaurant called Pigs R Us...great food.

How is that structured, is there an entry fee every day for all you can eat or something?
 
I wish it was all you can eat with one entry fee. I would definitely get my monies worth!!! Unfortunately, each team charges a fee for everything you want. Most folks go with the 3 ribs "sampler" which costs either $6 or $7 depending on the vendor. Most also do pulled pork sammies and a few do stuff like brisket, turkey leg, sausage, etc. etc. However the ribs are the main focus and you can get them by the rack and half rack as well. Yesterday i was only able to stay for about 15 minutes and quickly inhaled samplers from:

1. Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ: Usually one of my favorites but this year the ribs lacked smoke taste (any taste actually) and needed sauce to be enjoyed. They were amazingly meaty and tender which I liked.

2. Maui Wowie: they are a local outfit and consistently puts out great que. However, yesterday they seemed to be over smoked with creosote taste. Also were mushy like they had been foiled too long.

Were heading back over for lunch today and hope to have some better ribs. Not sure if Ive become more picky this year ( all the great tips from SMFers finally tought me how to cook ribs this year) or if the quality is down. Im going with the idea that ive become a rib snob. I have to admit it did feel REALLY, REALLY good when my girlfriend told me that "our" ribs were better than what we ate yesterday. I laughed when she said "our" ribs as she has never cooked anything but a scrambled egg or top ramen noodles in her life.
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You've just come accustomed to what ribs are SUPPOST to taste like.
Those guys are all restaurants and vendors.
They're there for 1 reason.....to make a TON of cash!
$6.00 for 3 ribs?? No farken way!
You'd be amazed at how many are actually "par boiling" so they can just finish them on the grill!
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If you see Billy Bones, tell him Bubba said hey! His ribs might actually be edible.
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Last year was my maiden voyage and loved it. Was at both booths you mentioned. Can't recall Butches ribs but maui wowie were great. They were a sweet rib. Here's a few pics of last years. Oh!!! I'm gonna get fatter
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Not sure you would find anyone par boiling at this cookoff. Its one of the more prestigious competitions in the country and all have to be winners of previous major competitions to be invited. They all get their racks delivered directly to their booths at the same time from the same vendor. Ive been involved with the event for the past few years and have seen nothing but folks slow smoking ribs. They would have to be boiling several thousand racks of ribs and I don't even think thats possible. They are expecting in excess of 400,000 people this week so they are kicking out alot of pig.
 
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