Organizers prep for Glen Ellyn barbecue contest

Hosting a backyard barbecue?

Then you would cook some ribs, have some neighbors stop by and crank up some classic rock.

And all that makes visitors to the Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ think they're crashing a neighborhood block party.

But don't be fooled by the name - or the vibe - of the annual event returning Saturday. It's not held in anyone's backyard. And organizers say it takes "a lot of work" to host this party, doubling as a fundraiser for a Glen Ellyn nonprofit group that fights homelessness.

Take Bob Solak, who runs the event's rib competition, billed as the largest amateur BBQ contest in the state.

He's so dedicated to barbecue that he took classes to become a judge trained and certified under the precise rules of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

A former competitor, Solak understands what it's like from both sides of the grill.

"I figured I'd better know what I'm talking about," Solak said.

And he does.

Though he's not judging Saturday's competition, Solak knows other certified judges will score individual ribs - they're not allowed to pull them apart off the slab - by appearance, tenderness and taste.

With 64 entries in the ribs category alone, Solak also understands that judges "have to pace" themselves, so he plans to give each a "doggie bag" for leftovers.

For teams of competitors, at stake are the titles of best rib, best dish served off the grill, best chicken (a new category) and two awards for sauces, one evaluated by judges and the other by visitors.

"Everybody's got their own magic," said Chip Miller, co-chairman of the volunteer-run event.

That means ribbers will fire up their own smokers - one team previously used a 55-gallon drum - and use recipes they've fine-tuned over the summer.

Long before crowds arrive and bands perform from the stage, teams will begin setting up early Saturday morning in the downtown Glenwood Avenue parking lot, just west of Bridge Communities.

Last year, proceeds from competition fees, sponsorships and beverage sales raised $58,000 for the organization that provides transitional housing, job counseling and mentoring for homeless families in DuPage County.

Miller hopes to top that number this year.

"We're always happy to help them," he said.

If you go

What: Eighth annual Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ

When: Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: Glenwood Avenue parking lot, just west of Bridge Communities, 505 Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn

Admission: Free

Info: Glenellynbackyardbbq.org