Sparks, Nevada
http://www.nuggetribcookoff.com/
Three-day weekends are always fun. When we have holidays like Memorial Day or President's Day, we all want to "do something" for that extra day off. Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do to take advantage of this mini vacation? Well, be ready to have every Labor Day weekend booked for the rest of your life.
From Wednesday through Monday of Labor Day weekend, over 500,000 people get free admission to the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off!
This is a competition so you can count on trying the best tasting ribs you will ever have. Ribs from all over the world get judged to win trophies and prizes; 1st place = $7,500, 2nd place = $3,000, 3rd place = $2,000, 4th place = $1,000, 5th place = $500, Best sauce = $500, and the People's Choice Award.
I have attended this event three years in a row and I intend on continuing the tradition in the future. I remember my very first time, I was amazed to see how how big this event was. It seemed like the amount of vendors were endless and the streets were so crowded with people that you couldn't see beyond them. There were also several stages where people could sit and enjoy some good entertainment.
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As I weaved myself through groups of people, trying to decide where to buy some ribs, I saw each vendor with their own big barbecue grill. Huge slabs were being cooked over hot coals while the cooks brushed on their special BBQ sauce with, what looks like, a large paint brush!.
Every 15 feet was a new grill with even more ribs. I had never seen so many ribs in one place!
It's always fun to go with a group of people so you can try ribs from multiple places for the best price. I've tried ribs from Chicago, Denver, Arizona, Hawaii and even Australia! The flavors of barbecue sauces are endless; spicy, sweet, smoky, and more! .
You have the choice of ordering a sampler (3 - 4 ribs) for about $6, a half-slab for about $11, or a full-slab for about $20. Some places even offer a combo where you can order a sampler size of ribs with a side of baked beans, cole slaw and Texas Toast (one of my favorite types of bread). But be sure you grab some napkins!.
I also believe there's a way you can pay one large fee to have unlimited ribs all weekend! Can you imagine?Although it's called the "Rib" Cook-off, there are plenty of other things offered to eat. Some barbecue vendors also offer pulled pork sandwiches or even barbecue chicken, but one of my favorite things to order are the turkey legs. The only other place I have seen huge turkey legs being sold is at Disneyland, but never had I seen them in a shape of a mountain!
I used to not be a big fan of turkey. It always seemed a little dry to me, so I always preferred some sort of beef instead. I didn't realize dark meat turkey could taste just as good as a good piece of steak! The very first time I had one, the intention was to share it amongst the group. But, since I was the one holding it while we walked through the venue, I never stopped picking at it! The meat was so tender that it just fell off the bone and the next thing I noticed, it was all gone!
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As great sides, there are also vendors selling roasted corn on a stick, fried mushrooms and zucchinis, homemade kettle chips and kettle corn. Yum!
Finally, on top of all that, desert includes funnel cakes and frozen chocolate covered fruits! There really isn't enough room in a person's stomach to try everything in one day (or so I think). That's probably why they have the even last for six days. But let's not forget this is a competition. So remember to vote for your favorite!.
Consistently, my favorite has been from the infamous, "Porky-N-Beans," from (you would never guess) good ol' Parma, Ohio. I feel like their meat is always so tender and the sauce is to die for. It's a great combination of tangy and sweet. The best!
Have you marked your calendars yet?
