A dozen ribbers bring their best sauce, skills to Lakeview Park
Aug 27, 2008 - 11:06 AM
By Jillian Follert
OSHAWA -- Making the perfect rack of ribs is no easy feat -- it requires the right meat, the right sauce, the right smoke and the right technique.
But Oliver Zuder is confident he has the equation down -- and he has the right to be.
The owner of Hawgs Gone Wild in Daytona Beach, Fla., took top honours at last year's Rotary Ribfest in Oshawa, and said he hopes to snag the hardware again this year.
"That's why I'm here, I only come to win," he said, while holding court over a smoking grill at Tuesday's launch for the seventh annual Rotary Ribfest, coming up the weekend after Labour Day. "Our ribs are amazing; they're a family tradition."
Mr. Zuder said the secret behind his award-winning racks is a super-sweet and sticky honey-based sauce -- there's also a spicy version -- and meat that is smoked for three to four hours with cherry wood, then finished off on a charcoal barbecue.
His team will be one of a dozen ribbers from across Canada and the U.S. behind the grills at this year's Ribfest, which takes over Lakeview Park from Sept. 5 to 7.
As in past years, all proceeds from Ribfest will be used by the Rotary Club of Oshawa to support youth initiatives like Air Cadets, Windreach Farm and day camps at Simcoe Hall Settlement House and the Eastview Boys and Girls Club.
Ribfest chairman Ron Wilson said the event gets bigger and better every year, and this year is no exception.
Organizers have upped the number of ribbers from 10 to 12 to cut down on long lines, and also plan to expand the midway and offer shuttle transportation from lots on Harbour Road.
"We're definitely expecting to top last year's attendance of about 45,000 people. We're hoping to break 50,000," Mr. Wilson said.
Admission is free but each restaurant charges for its ribs, which are available in full and half-rack portions. The event will also feature a beer garden and other food vendors, as well as a midway and a full slate of live entertainment.
Ballots will be available all weekend for the people's choice awards for best ribs and best sauce, with the winner announced on Sunday. The Rotary Choice trophy, which judges everything from presentation to taste, will be awarded at the same time.
Ribfest kicks off at noon on Friday, Sept. 5, and runs until midnight. Things heat up again Saturday, Sept. 6, from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday, Sept. 7, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, check out
www.oshawaribfest.com.
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