Heading to Heinz Field Rib Fest? We sampled a few

By Monday afternoon, more than 60,000 pounds of ribs will have been sold — and eaten — at the Heinz Field Kick Off and Rib Fest on the North Shore.

More than 100,000 people are expected to attend this weekend. Hours are noon to 11 p.m. Friday through Monday.

That’s a lot of meat.

And a lot of people.

What will be their favorite among the many choices from dry rub, to sweet, to honey barbecue, to hot, to burn-your-mouth heat?

It’s not easy knowing which one to try so the Tribune-Review conducted some field research.

We sampled five of the 15 vendor’s specialties — including the Thermo Nuclear sauce.

Make sure to watch the video to the end.

The chefs are vying for a People’s Choice Award chosen via social media and a trophy given to the best ribs by a panel of judges via a blind taste test.

Once the rib vendors get a spot in rib row at the rib fest, they never leave, said Nick Sero, corporate communications manager for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Heinz Field.

? Its the MOST wonderful time, of the year ?

Some call it Christmas in August, but we just call it #RibFest.

Head to Heinz Field for some of the best ribs in the world, FREE gaming w/ the Pittsburgh @KnightsGG & awesome entertainment every day.

?: https://t.co/waiOLaW34y pic.twitter.com/cb323JlYHJ

— Heinz Field (@heinzfield) August 29, 2019

Our first stop was with Rondell Adams, owner of Ribbins BBQ of Chambersburg. He said the rib fest is a nice way to close out summer.

The place is known for jumbo beef ribs and tasty sauce that incorporates mild, sweet and tangy all in one. There are 28 ingredients in all.

“Pittsburgh is a nice city to do some cooking in and serve up some great barbecue” Adams said. ”Plus, I am a Pittsburgh sports fan, and this is the City of Champions.”

Next, we visited with Hank “The Tank” Marshall, the perfect spokesman for Off the Bone BBQ from Ohio, via his nickname.

He was serving St. Louis style ribs “with Alabama dirt” at the stand owned by Petey Marshall, one of the youngest owners among the 15 vendors. Hank Marshall said they are known for the entire meal — not just the ribs — with its complement of macaroni and cheese, baked beans, pulled pork and brisket.

“Never trust a skinny cook,” Hank Marshall said. “Period.”

We moved along to Carolina Rib King from South Carolina, which is owned by Solomon Williams. He said barbecue was born in the South so his goal is to bring Southern-style cooking to Pennsylvania. The motto at this place is they only do “Fat Racks.”

“The people of Pittsburgh are wonderful,” he said.

Next in line was Brett Trsinar of Ohio, owner of Smokin’ T’s Barbecue where uses three types of hardwood to smoke the meat for four hours or more. There are five sauce choices.

Our final visit was to Johnson’s from Virginia. Owner Dan Johnson has been perfecting ribs for 38 years. He said he is never going to retire. It’s important, he says, to keep on moving.

“A moving target is hard to hit, so I am going to continue to move,” he said.

He serves a Thermo Nuclear Sauce.

“I don’t think it’s one of the spiciest,” he said. “It is the spiciest. This sauce will put pep in your step, move in your groove, with one little bite.”