Southern Alberta meat enthusiasts can once again try some of the best barbecue, finger licking ribs, pulled pork and sausage when the Western Canada Rib Fest Tour returns to Lethbridge Aug. 28-30.
Director of Operations Paul Mendonca said Rib Fest has been feeding the masses for over 40 years.
Rib Fest got its start in Ontario, where it got really famous, Mendonca noted.
At the beginning, pitmasters would come from down south in the United States with little 10-by-10 tents and smokers to sell barbecue. Then it transitioned to pull-along trailers, and now the big, massive trailers that hit the road on tour.
“It’s just grown over time, and it’s really exploded in Ontario where it’s really prevalent. We got a tour going on the East Coast that’s also taken off. It’s probably been 13 years for that, and now we’re trying to bring that same spirit to the west for the past 10 years,” Mendonca explained.
For the Western Canada stint, Mendonca added there will be three featured vendors, including Buckeye BBQ, Blazin’ BBQ and Billy Bones BBQ. “We also pepper in a fourth one that rotates, and it’s kind of just who wants to come out and is also a good fit for travelling for 18 weeks out west.”
Billy’s BBQ has travelled across Canada and the U.S. for more than 30 years. Their sauces alone have garnered more than 250 awards with more than 50 awards being first-place finishes.
Blazin’ BBQ has had over 500 wins under their belt since 2002.
Buckeye BBQ is from St. Louis, a city that knows a thing or two about barbecue.
In 1947, the city’s local meat packers embraced a new rib cut to differentiate their premium product from those of other national packing houses. There, the St. Louis style rib was born.
At each stop on the tour, it all starts with the same rack of ribs, and a pitmaster from each truck will use their own rub.
“We all use cherry wood to smoke, but they also adjust their cooking time. One of them might go five degrees higher for a little less time,” Mendonca shared. “One might go five degrees lower for a little bit more time.”
It also depends on the pitmaster for each truck and what rubs pair well with their sauces, added Mendonca. “So, we start with the same raw rack, but by the time we get our hands on it, get it to the grill and get it sauced then we get our final product that’s individually unique to each truck.”
This year, Rib Fest will be taking place at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
For more information about the Lethbridge dates, visit online at wcrft.ca or check out Lethbridge Rib Fest’s Facebook page for updates.
