Four nationally known barbeque competition teams, three from New Jersey, faced off in an old-fashioned rib-off this weekend at the Rock, Ribs and Ridges festival at the Hidden Valley Club in Vernon. Using the Kansas City Barbeque scoring system, three judges—including yours truly—scored the participants’ signature recipes from 2 to 9 in a blind taste-test.
Ribs were evaluated for their appearance, texture and taste. Sauce, a separate category, was evaluated for the same qualities. The first entrant, while not the most visually attractive of the dishes, won me over in both categories. The sauce—smoky and tangy with a bit of a kick—was smartly applied as to not overpower the meat. The texture was perfect—the meat juicy with a medium firmness.
I later learned that Eric Figueroa, owner of the Double S Diner in Wantage, is the man responsible for the best ribs I’ve had outside the Volunteer State. It appears the other two judges concurred—the Sussex county team took home the top prize in both categories: Best Sauce and Best Ribs. The People’s Choice BBQ Award, chosen by the festivalgoers, was awarded to Texas Smoke from Rockaway.