Hightstown’s Joe Smoke Bar-B-Que wins local rib competition
AUGUSTA. It was the perfect weekend for an outdoor concert or grilling — or in the case of the 12th annual Rock, Ribs & Ridges festival, both.
| 01 Jul 2022 | 12:37
Pitmaster Adolfo Luviano of Joe Smoke Bar-B-Que puts the finishing touches on their award-winning ribs at the 12th annual Rock, Ribs & Ridges festival in Augusta. (
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Festival-goers of the 12th annual Rock, Ribs & Ridges festival enjoyed abundant sunshine, great music and mouthwatering barbecue with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Dave Mason, Don Felder and Artimus Pyle, along with country rock pioneer Jim Messina headlining the annual summer music and food festival presented by Franklin Sussex Auto Mall at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta from June 24 to 26.
Joe Smoke Bar-B-Que, of Hightstown, won the coveted title of “Best Ribs” prize in the annual juried rib cook-off competition on June 26, in which four of the country’s top pitmasters competed for top prize money and the coveted awards of “Best Ribs” and “Best Sauce.”
The Hightstown team also placed third for “Best Sauce” in a sizzling debut. The Cowboys Barbecue Company, out of Fort Worth, Texas, won first place in the Best Sauce competition.
Joe Smoke Bar-B-Que’s motto is “BBQ Prepared Fresh” and this is something they firmly uphold. When it comes to the quality of their food, their handcrafted brisket, ribs, chicken and pulled pork is made fresh that day.
With more than 20 years of experience and research in the BBQ field, they use the Stumps Platinum smoker which Joe Smoke uses to efficiently smoke their food using a blend of wood and charcoal that earned them the top spot in this year’s competition.
