The annual Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship will be held Aug. 25-26, giving cooks locally and nationwide the opportunity to square off against each other. The cook-off will take place on the southwest side of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences building in the C12 and C14 parking lots on the Texas Tech University campus.

"I'm really excited that Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship has grown to include some of the country's biggest names in barbecue," said Tate Corliss, director of Raider Red Meats. "We're proud to host this event to promote barbecue, Raider Red Meats, Texas Tech and the College of Agriculture Sciences & Natural Resources." Raider Red Meats is a part of the Meat Science and Muscle Biology program.

Offering $15,000 in cash and prizes, the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) sanctioned event is the Texas State Championship. The event begins at noon on Friday (Aug. 25) with cook team check-in and meat inspection.

Program officials add that the Raider Rumble will start at 5 p.m. on Friday. The event, which is open to the public, features four pit masters going head-to-head in a steak cook-off. At 7 p.m. there will be a KCBS cooks meeting for those competing in the KCBS portion of the program.

Saturday's festivities begin at 11 a.m., but there will be a KCBS judges meeting starting earlier at 10:30 a.m. Deadlines on Saturday for turning in submissions in the various categories are:
• Noon: KCBS chicken
• 12:30 p.m.: KCBS ribs
• 1 p.m.: KCBS pork
• 1:30 p.m.: KCBS brisket
• 2:30 p.m. KCBS steak
• 4 p.m.: Award ceremony

The KCBS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and enjoying barbecue, is one of the world's largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts with more than 20,000 members. The group sanctions more than 500 barbecue contests worldwide. From volunteering to actual event production, members offer assistance to civic and charitable organizations who organize events.

CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-5653 or michael.orth@ttu.edu

0721NM17 / Editor's Note: Questions on the Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship can be submitted to Corliss at tate.corliss@ttu.edu or Ashley Kanaman at ashley.kanaman@ttu.edu. Those interested can also visit the Raider Red Meats website.