Battle of the Barbecue Ribs: Chowdown Showdown

At many of the cookouts I've been to, a well-cooked rack of pork ribs are a hot commodity. They disappear fast and all that's left is a bunch of sticky fingers in need of a moist towelette.

Ribs are definitely a pastime of their own, deserving of a proper comparison when included in a taste test like this one. 

Thanks to your suggestions, I've visited three awesome barbecue spots in the area. I will be judging their ribs based on two key factors: tenderness of the meat and sweetness-to-spiciness ratio of the sauce. 

I tried to ignore personal preferences and focus solely on things that contribute to a universally loved rack of ribs. We'll see if I succeeded.

Twisted Q (Steger)

Notable for being established more than 50 years ago and maintaining a rock solid status in the area, the Twisted Q is planning to open a location in Homewood soon. 

I ordered a half rack of baby backs and was immediately impressed to see a container of their homemade sauce included with the already sauce-covered ribs. If you're a fan of extra sauce, Twisted Q has you covered. 

The ribs are well-cooked, pulling away from the bones so cleanly one wouldn't know there was ever any meat on them at the end of the meal. The meat also has a nice char that doesn't slip into the category of burnt or overly smoky. The sauce is the crowning glory, providing a sweet flavor with a spicy after-taste that hangs in the mouth for hours. 

Glenwood Oaks (Glenwood)

Another longtime staple, Glenwood Oaks is incredibly easy to find in Glenwood and one taste of their baby backs proves they know how to bring out the natural flavors of pork. The meat had a slightly spicy and sweet flavor weaved into it, as if the ribs has been marinating for quite a while. They also seemed to have been well-brushed with sauce near the end of their cooking time. 

The meat was tender but did not pull away from the bone cleanly. There was also no extra sauce, which may be a disappointment to sauce connoisseurs, although some prefer less sauce anyway. 

Smoke Pit BBQ (Chicago Heights)

Smoke Pit, the newest of the three restaurants, didn't offer baby backs on the day I went but did offer St. Louis-style ribs, which are a larger cut and remain attached along the sternum bone. Smoke Pit also allows customers to pick between hot and mild barbecue sauces. I chose hot.

The meat was tender, pulling away from the bone perfectly and leaving no remnants. The sauce had a nice spicy kick but lacked much else in terms of distinguishable flavor. In fact, the smokiness of the ribs themselves overpowered the flavor of the sauce. 

The Winner: Twisted Q

While Glenwood Oaks brought out the natural flavors and Smoke Pit triumphed in tenderness, Twisted Q had both, plus an incredible and abundant sauce.

More than 50 years of perfecting a formula shine through in many of the restaurant's dishes, but the true test of barbecue skill will always be the ribs.

Well done, Twisted Q!

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