Winners No Losers at Nugget Rib Cook-Off

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovThe results of the 23rd Annual Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off in Sparks, Nevada, brought in a few surprises.
First Place: Jeff Erb and Back Forty Texas Barbecue, Pleasant Hill, CA, in competition for 20 years. (Texas Barbecue – ‘nuff said).
Second Place – Tom Ferguson and Chicago BBQ Company, Burr Ridge, IL, in competition since the beginning. (Told ya – Chicago BBQ is nothing to sneeze at)!
Third place – Bone Daddy’s, Midland, MI, also The People’s Choice Award winner.
Fourth Place – Kinder’s Custom Meats, Concord, CA.
Fifth Place – Porky N Beans BBQ, Port St. Lucie, FL.
The Best sauce award – newcomer Uncle Bub’s, Westport, IL.This reporter/judge’s personal preference:
#113 – Kinder’s Custom Meats (4th place winner).
24 barbecue teams competed, more than 500,000 of visitors from around the country benefited from it, and more than 100 tons of ribs were served during the six-day rib-cooking event – the biggest and most prestigious in the United States.
Sierra Meats, the rib distributor, sold 239,000 pounds of ribs for the Nugget Cook-off.Staying at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino Resort for many competitors and guests was a treat of its own.
The 24th Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off is scheduled for Wednesday, August 29 through Monday, September 3, 2012. For reservations, event history and information call (800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300, or visit www.nuggetribcookoff.com.