It's almost time to set up your cooker and square off against some of the best barbecue cooks in the Lone Star State; the Raider Red Meats BBQ Cook-Off is just month away. The second annual meat fest gets underway May 4-5 on the Texas Tech University campus.

"We were excited about the event's success last year and hope it will continue to grow," said Bradley Price, director of Raider Red Meats, a campus-based product center for top-of-the-line beef, pork and lamb meat products. "Subsequent events could raise funds for scholarships, research and competitive teams that represent Texas Tech University."

Sanctioned by the Lonestar Barbecue Society, the event will be held in the S1 parking lot north of the soccer fields at Texas Tech Parkway and Marsha Sharp Freeway, west of the University Medical Center. Check-in and set-up begin at 9 a.m. on Friday (May 4), with a head cooks' meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday (May 5) at the hospitality tent.

Judging will follow, with chicken at noon, ribs at 1 p.m. and brisket at 2 p.m. Awards will be announced by 5 p.m. at the hospitality tent. Cooks will be competing in three meat divisions "" chicken, ribs and brisket. The entry fee is $125 per team and covers all three meat categories.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Bradley Price, director of Raider Red Meats, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 292-2009 or brad.price@ttu.edu

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Editor's Note: Registration form and additional information is available at www.raiderredmeats.com. Participants who can't cook may still serve as a judge for the event on Saturday (May 5). To volunteer, contact Shelbi Knisley at shelbi.r.knisley@ttu.edu