Arkansas ribs eatery wins Rib Off for fourth straight year

Both the judges and the general public voted for repeat favorites in this year’s 40th edition of The Blade’s Northwest Ohio Rib Off.

Porky Chicks BBQ, based in Fayetteville, Ark., won the judges’ choice top prize for the fourth year in a row and fifth time overall, with the non-consecutive victory having been in 2015.

And O’Henrys Kitchen on Wheels, a Toledo-based food truck run by Keith Henry, took home the people’s choice award for the second straight year.

Mark Grant, owner of Porky Chicks, said his kitchen had never before carried a rib show four straight years, and he plans to be back to try for five in 2025.

“The main thing is consistency. We want to cook it low and slow, not char it when it’s done, nice sauce, nice seasoning,” Mr. Grant said.

Sunday’s Family Day at the Rib Off featured a late afternoon concert performance by JUMP: America’s Van Halen Experience, a tribute band that also played Family Day last year. There also were inflatables, face painting, and other child friendly activities.

The Gin Blossoms, with opening act Sponge, had taken the concert stage Friday evening, followed by Bret Young and opening act MacKenzie Porter on Saturday evening.

It was the hottest day of the three, with the midafternoon high temperature at Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport reaching 90 degrees at 3:36 p.m. — the first 90-degree day there in July.

Forecasters expect hot, sticky conditions to persist through the week with varying chances of showers and thunderstorms each day. The National Weather Service forecast for Toledo gave a 70 percent change of such rain Monday afternoon, the highest likelihood of the week.