I gotta ask...

[expatbill]

Ok, at the risk of sounding naive, whats the deal with all of these "Ribfests"? I've never been to one, but whenever I mention competition bbq to someone they ask"oh, you mean like a ribfest"? Are these things a real competition, or are they a way for bbq restauranteurs and caterers to claim"Award Winning Barbecue" My guess is that they are just a big vending festival featuring overcooked "fall off the bone" ribs slathered in sauce? It seems that almost every city in Ontario has one. Educate me.

[roastntoast]

You just answered your own question. They are just like the circus. It's the same in every town they visit.

Jules

[expatbill]

I do tend to answer my own questions. What prompted me to ask, is that someone in my town brought me a package of rub saying that it was given to him by his nephew, who also does competitions. When I asked him more details he said that he does ribfests all over Ontario and has won quite a few awards. He also has several BBQ restaurants in the London area. I checked online, and he was correct, and that he is a prominent player on the "ribfest circuit". BTW, the rub is not unlike any other commercial "award winning"rub that you can get online from the south.

[sfisch]

A "rib fest" or "rib burn" contest here in the states is just a 1 day bbq contest in which you only cook ribs, not like a full blown 2 day KCBS contest where you cook all 4 meats. They are easier to organize and the prize pools can be alot smaller. Most of the time they are held in conjunction with a local festival. They are taken quite seriously and there are several teams who only do the rib contests and not the 4 meat contests.
Google the rib contest in Reno, Nevada, its HUGE!!

Scott

[expatbill]

I believe here in Ontario, it's more of a vending opportunity than a comp.

[kevinv]

bill- it is a big vending thing. also some money raised goes to charites. have not been to one, but many co workes go every year. all i hear is it cost this much, or this one had sause to try. they call it a compation, but they have a select few judges, but make it sound like everyone has a vote...

[Zeeker]

Yeah pretty much what Kev said. Their great if you like your ribs boiled, stuck in a Southern Pride for 20 minutes, slapped on a grill and pour cheap sauce on them. Mmm cheap sauce. Been there Bill, not for me.

[reg]

As far as I know most of the teams are owned by the same people, two brothers from Fort Erie. If any other teams are allowed in they have to purchase the raw product from the two brothers. I did attend the St Catharines Rib Fest a few years back and can attest the ribs are really not up to par

Reg

[mikita21]

RIBFEST - There is a travelling circuit of rib cookers whose objective is to make money, period. They do so by cooking ribs and chicken, mostly, in volume, serving literally thousands of people over a weekend. To do that, they cook meat by pretty much an means they can; some boil, par boil, cook over gas, whatever it takes, sometimes finishing over charcoal or wood for the flavour. Most have and market their own line of sauces. Many seem to be ex-pat Americans now plying their trade in southern Ontario, where there is now a ribfest in some town or other every weekend.

But no, it is NOT a barbecue comp. Organizers will often solicit judges to have some kind of competition among the ribbers, but this is, at the end of the day, vending pure and simple. Profit, pure and simple. I am not saying the product is bad; I had ribs from a group called Camp 31, purportedly from Alabama, but living in S. Ontario now, that were as good as any competition ribs I had judged. They were an exception, but my, they wuz tasty!

Reg's input is interesting. I don't know that part of it, but would tend to believe it's exactly as he says. And except for the one team, one time, yeah, the ribs were very sub-standard. And 10 thousand people turned out to the event in Owen Sound last September. Go figure (while your minions count the profit......)

[expatbill]

It seems like the Rotary is behind most of these, it must be their signature fundraising scheme. It seems to pretty much be commercial bbq taken on tour. This is one expat that won't be coming soon to a ribfest near you.