Low and slow: The Blade's 37th Northwest Ohio Rib Off puts pitmasters to the test
Jul. 29—How does one identify premium barbecue?
With more than 1,300 racks of ribs to sample, barbecue enthusiasts will not be short of options at The Blade's Northwest Ohio Rib Off. But Dave Synder and Adam Reighley, owners of the Columbus-based Fine Smoke BBQ, said that flavorful barbecue is only as rich as the time and attention pitmasters put into the meals.
"Time is the key component. It's not a rushed meal, it takes lots of hours of preparation and good quality ingredients. Basically, time binds it all. Not every piece of meat is created equal so everything needs to be tailored," said Snyder, who's also the pitmaster for the barbecue joint that won The Blade's People's Choice Award for the best national ribs in 2019. "Everything is about a marriage between the time and ingredients and getting those two things to become one."
Pitmasters across the country will put that dedication to the test at this year's three-day festival, which is expected to draw nearly 30,000 attendees in its 37th run. The Northwest Ohio Rib Off runs Friday to Sunday at the Lucas County Fairgrounds, 1406 Key St., Maumee, and, in addition to good eats, is set to bring live music, beer, and plenty of family activities.
IF YOU GO:
What: The Blade's Northwest Ohio Rib Off
When: noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Lucas County Fairgrounds, 1406 Key St., Maumee.
Admission: $16 in advance, $20 at the gates after 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday; $5 per family after noon Sunday. Fairground parking is $5.
Information: nworiboff.com
Snyder, who's been in the barbecue business for about seven years, said he and his crew are eager to return and hope to reclaim their title for the second consecutive year.
"We went into the event with a proven product and in our first year at the Rib Off, we did very well. There was an amazing turnout and people just loved our product; it turned out we received the People's Choice which is typically a hard thing to do when everyone has their established favorites for the event," Snyder said.
Reighley said it's the ambience of being outdoors and observing family fun that keeps the duo on the festival circuit, which they travel from May through September.
"I like interacting with the people and seeing how a good time can revolve around good food and family," he said.
The Blade's Food Editor Mary Bilyeu said festival attendees have a specific expectation for sweet yet savory barbecue.
"The competition is hugely difficult because there are exceptionally talented barbecuers here. There are different regional styles of barbecue, and here in Toledo and northwest Ohio, people seem to prefer the Kansas City style which is that brown molasses-based sauce that has a lot of sweetness to it," Bilyeu said.
With years of judging the competition under her belt, Bilyeu said she thoroughly enjoys the craftiness of the barbecue available each year.
"The love and care that the competitors put into the food is my favorite part. A lot of time we tend to use the words barbecuing and grilling interchangeably, and they're really different. Grilling is when you put the burger on and cook it for 10 minutes whereas barbecue, as they say, is low and slow," she said.
Bilyeu added that it's the close attention to detail that makes the barbecue stand out.
"It's being up in the middle of the night stoking the fire so the embers are low enough for when it's time to start cooking. It's the years people put into developing their special spice rubs and the years people put into developing the mop sauce that they baste their meat with while it's cooking. The years they divulge to that finishing sauce, there are so many components. To just compete at the Rib Off takes hours and probably weeks if not months of preparation and the competitors do it with love and passion," she said.
Snyder can confirm that that competitors are on the go from the time they unload their trucks to the time they pack up.
"It's a long event, which is why it was an honor to come out winning the past year. It's an ongoing process and a continuous 24-hour operation between arriving, setting up, cooking food, and serving. The smokers do not turn off the entire weekend," he said.
Luann Sharp, The Blade's marketing director, said The Blade is ecstatic to bring Rib Off back to the Toledo area after a pandemic cancellation in 2020. This year's event includes stage headliners in Kansas, Chase Rice, and Satisfaction.
"We are so excited that events and live concerts are back," she said.
"Last summer was so quiet, now everyone seems raring to go," she continued. "We've faced some challenges as vendors struggle to find staff. We've been getting such positive feedback from the community, Dunn Chevy, and other sponsors, that we can't wait for the Rib Off to again be at the top of people's go-to lists."
The world-renowned band Kansas performs its classics hits including "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind" for Rock 'n' Roll Night on Friday. The Highlife will grace the stage as the opening act, beginning at 8 p.m.
Kansas lead singer Ronnie Platt said the band is ecstatic to return to touring post-pandemic.
"Words can't describe how excited we are to get back out there. I am so anxious to get back to touring and seeing all these cities. I'm excited to get back in that zone. Kansas never stops working, we're always playing music," he said.
Saturday's Country Night kicks off with Sean Stemaly as the opening act beginning at 8 p.m., followed by headliner Chase Rice. Rice's performance is highly anticipated as he's sold more than 2 million records and tallies more than 1.7 billion total streams.
General admission tickets for each night are $16 in advance, and $20 at the gate, with reserved seating at $45. Gates open at noon with admission free before 2 p.m.
Sunday is Family Day, kicked off with a sermon by the Rev. Stephen Lowell Swisher at 11 a.m. This is the first time in the Rib Off's history that a pastor will speak from the main stage.
Reverend Swisher, who is the senior pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church on West Central Avenue in Toledo, will present a sermon titled "Living a Joy-Filled and Meaningful Life Every Day". Epworth UMC's praise team will provide music as well.
Attendees will be able to indulge in a plethora of activities including a petting farm, face painting, laser tag, inflatables, and more on Family Day. Gates will open for all activities at noon. Admission is $5 per family.
Satisfaction, a Rolling Stone tribute band, will perform at 5 p.m.
