Smokey, tender and tangy were a few common words heard on the tongues of guests to describe the signature dishes of Muncie RibFest.
But the word heard most from the vendors themselves: pride.
Each tent with an adjacent, billowing smoke cloud pushed a product rich in history, tradition and passion. Rib cooks take their work seriously, keeping the specifics of their means and methods a closely guarded secret. However, the taste of what they do share keeps rib enthusiasts coming back to downtown Muncie year after year. Here’s a look at the contenders for taste buds at RibFest 2013 over the weekend.
Kimbler’s — First place
Tony Kimbler and his team begin their “Great Roundup” for equipment and supplies three days before the start of the event. Kimbler’s St. Louis-style ribs are the only offerings at RibFest that are cooked the day of sale. The group operates out of their Polka Dots Dairy Freeze in New Castle, Ind., where they host a special rib event about once a month. For the team’s ninth year at RibFest, they brought 175 slabs of ribs. The team also won first place in 2005, 2010 and 2011.
Cheers — Second place
If asked why their ribs are the best, Keith Nash and Tony Brummett of Cheers will simply say to taste them.
“We give free samples here because we’ve got the best in the nation,” Nash said.
They sell ribs every day at Cheers Tavern on North Broadway Avenue in Muncie, and the team strives to make appearances at street festivals like RibFest and Muncie Gras. The group brought 252 slabs to RibFest and took two weeks to prepare. The group said Cheers takes great pride its 140-year-old recipe and won second place at RibFest.
Barn Brasserie — Third place
The Muncie eatery stepped out of its comfort zone for this year’s event, as they normally do not sell ribs. Operator Matt Burns said the biggest challenge for non-specialists at an event like this is “to make them good enough for people to want to eat them.”
Rolling Luau
Redkey, Ind., food truck Rolling Luau used the competition to debut Hawaiian ribs, a menu item that operator Amanda Champ plans to continue. The ribs are seasoned in Duck Dynasty dry rub, soaked in pineapple juice and finished off with a special Hawaiian sauce. The Rolling Luau team pre-cooked 60 racks of ribs before smoking began, which takes two days.
“I’m bringing something different they haven’t had here before,” Champ said.
Taste of Home
RibFest is about more than selling meat for Taste of Home cook Joe “Smokes” Nabors.
“I have an old seasoning my grandmother had passed down through the family,” he said. “It’s a tradition.”
Taste of Home isn’t a business — the group comes out to events as a hobby, but they take their ribs just as seriously as the other vendors. Nabors and the rest of the team prepped 56 slabs of ribs for the event and planned to make more during the event. In addition to ribs, they also served corn on the cob and chicken.
Ivey Spice
The Indianapolis-based operation does events all over the Midwest. Like most rib recipes, the specifics are closely guarded, but Ivey Spice’s ribs are hand rubbed and seasoned, marinated for two days and then slow cooked. The Ivey Spice team has more than 25 years of experience and attributes at least a portion of its success to the rib’s aroma. The group also specializes in fried green tomatoes and tenderloin.
“We’re the people’s choice,” owner Frank Ivey said. “We look forward to feeding the people of Muncie.”
The Fickle Peach
While most vendors at the event stick with traditional red sauces, The Fickle Peach uses a South Carolina variety, the only one of its kind being sold at RibFest. The sauce has a mustard base with spices and vinegar added.
“It’s sweet and tangy, so it works really well,” co-owner Chris Piche said.
The team used the Knights of Columbus kitchen to do their prep work, clocking more than 20 hours in the planning stages alone. The ribs are cooked using the “3-2-1 Method” meaning they are smoked for three hours, baked in an oven for two hours and grilled for one hour. The team also uses their own signature seasoning, which was developed by the bar.
Wag’s Tips and Sticks
Jon Wagner and his team are small, but confident.
“We have the best ribs in town,” said Wagner, a Ball State university dining employee.
The Muncie group attends the events as a hobby. Their three to four day prep of 60 slabs involves a dry rub and slow cook. Wag’s Tips and Sticks prides itself on texture as well as taste.
