Longtime favorites return to Ribfest winner's circle

Texas Outlaws BBQ are the New York Yankees of Naperville's Ribfest.

The longtime rib vendor at the Naperville Exchange Club's annual Fourth of July weekend festival took home their fourth first-place rib prize, most in the event's 22-year history.

It's been five years since Texas Outlaws ribber Jim Clayton won Ribfest's top prize.

"I try to do everything about the same all the time," Clayton said. "After a couple of decades of doing the same thing, you'd hope you have it down." Rich Kuchet of Oak Lawn said he was happy to have picked this year's rib winner when he opted for the small line in front of Clayton's stand Saturday afternoon, but figured he couldn't lose at any of the vendors.

"It looks like every place won first place somewhere," Kuchet said.

Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue, last year's winner for best ribs, came in at No. 2 this year followed by Famous Dave's.

Florida-based Porky 'N' Beans took home two top prizes this year: Kid's Choice and Top Sauce. Porky's cook Dennis Carrino said he went back to basics for the sauce, even though it's the third time he's won the first place sauce prize at Ribfest.

"It's the original recipe," he said. "I made it in an emergency when we got a bad batch in Reno the last time we were there. When we won, I called up the shop and told them to stop making the other stuff."

But it was the Kid's Choice award that seemed to make Carrino proudest.

"Kids or culinary arts experts, and I'll take the kid's taste any day," he said. "It's real tasting because they're not trained, they just know what tastes good."

Steve Cash of Indianapolis said he chose to dine at Porky 'N' Beans Saturday not because they won two big prizes, but because the folks sitting next to him recommended it.

"I'm not a ribs or sauce guy," he said. "I'm a food guy."

Pigfoot BBQ Company came in second in the sauce category followed by Howling Coyote Southwest BBQ. Only one award is given for Kid's Choice.

Saturday's rain made the lines at the rib vendors fairly short, which was a boon to rib aficionados.

"We'll probably hit five or six places today," Kuchet said. "That's why we chose today, we figured there'd be short lines and lots of ribs."

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