2009 Nugget Rib Cook Off




This blog is a little late. I’ve been busy running around Nor Cal shooting some food events. A few weeks back I was up in Sparks Nevada at the Best Of The West Rib Cook Off. It was my first time ever attending this event. My wife and I drove in around 11am. Found parking right off. I was eating my first rib and drinking my first beer within 15 minutes. It was heaven.

In the first couple of hours the line tripled at all the hot spots. Barbecue smoke swirled all around. Blue haired ladies walked around with rib sauce on their chin. This is the weekends that the pigs fear. We consumed over 100,000 pound of ribs. It was a new record. John Ascuaga said “Ribs bring people together”. And he’s right. I witnessed a few thousand people eat their wait in ribs while talking to new friends in the next line.


The ribs were the best but what got my attention were the large tents these teams had to put up. This is my first big barbecue event and I have never seen tents of this size. Everyone had two stories of signage showing off what awards they have won and what Food Network show they have been featured on. They had a staff of 12 or more and just pumping out rib after rib.


I wish I could have bottle the smoky smell and sold it on ebay. It was that good. You would have died in the street of barbecue joy. There’s a lot of money dumped into this event. I suggest teaming up with 2 buddies and hit every line and get the sampler. You get 3 or 4 ribs for fewer than 10 bucks and you all can share. It’s much easier this way.


It was fun and filling. I plan on going every year now. I suggest you do the same.





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