The championship draws competitors from across the region while raising scholarship funds for students.
It’s about time to get fired up. The annual Raider Red Meats Barbecue & Ribeye Championship, scheduled for Aug. 21-22, will bring together many of the state's top pitmasters for a weekend where championship barbecue serves a larger purpose: supporting student scholarships while showcasing one of the nation's leading meat science programs.
Teams will compete for $15,000 in prize money across five categories -- brisket, pork, ribs, ribeye steak and chicken -- while colleges, universities and student organizations will square off in a separate collegiate division.
Held in the Commuter West parking lot outside the Department of Animal & Food Sciences Building, the two-day event has grown into one of Texas' premier sanctioned barbecue competitions. Hosted by Raider Red Meats, the championship draws competitors from across the region while raising scholarship funds for students in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources and strengthening ties between the university, the livestock industry and barbecue enthusiasts.
Teams will compete for $15,000 in prize money across five categories -- brisket, pork, ribs, ribeye steak and chicken -- while colleges, universities and student organizations will square off in a separate collegiate division. Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the event also carries the distinction of being the official State Barbecue Championship of Texas, with the grand champion earning an invitation to compete at the prestigious American Royal World Series of Barbecue in October.
“We are very excited to host this Texas state championship KCBS event, that brings our community partners to campus to interact with our students,” said Tate Corliss, director of Raider Red Meats. “This event is our largest fundraiser for Raider Red Meats.”
The championship begins Friday evening with a sponsor dinner and the Raider Rumble, an exhibition cook-off featuring live music, entertainment and celebrity judges. Activities continue Saturday with the Backyard BBQ Boss workshop, where Dale Woerner, Cargill Endowed Professor in Meat Science Sustainability, will explore the techniques and science behind championship-caliber barbecue before teams submit their entries for official judging.
Beyond the competition, the event reflects the mission of Raider Red Meats, the retail operation that serves as an extension of Texas Tech's Meat Science & Muscle Biology program. Since opening in 1982, Raider Red Meats has provided students with hands-on experience in meat processing, merchandising and business operations while generating scholarship support that helps make a college education more affordable.
The championship also shines a spotlight on a program that has helped shape meat science education for more than 90 years. Established in 1933, Texas Tech's program is anchored by the 14,000-square-foot Gordon W. Davis Meat Science Laboratory, where students study every stage of meat production; from animal handling and carcass evaluation to muscle biology, food safety, advanced processing and product development.
CONTACT: Chance Brooks, Chair & Professor, Department of Animal & Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or chance.brooks@ttu.edu
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