The barbecue legend himself. Serious barbecue freaks know that Mike Mills is affectionately called "The Legend." The champion pit master and restaurateur is behind the famous baby back ribs and pulled pork at 17th Street Bar & Grill in Murphysboro, Illinois, and Memphis Championship Barbecue in Las Vegas, Nevada. His daughter Amy Mills Tunnicliffe, the co-writer of his book Peace, Love, & Barbecue, informed us that you no longer have to make a trip to Illinois or Vegas for the legendary 'cue—they're now shipping the meat. Thanks to Amy, three lucky Serious Eats winners (and their seriously lucky friends) will win a delicious barbecue spread just in time for Super Bowl feasting. Those famous baby back ribs. [Photograph: Nick... More

The Best in the West: Nugget Rib Cook-off in Sparks, Nevada, spans over six days, but I only had one. So I came up with a strategy: seek out the best ribs of the 24 pitmasters based on the pros' recommendations, and eat no more than two from each team. Lots of saucy, fall-off-the-bone tastiness ensued. More

"Pitmasters here represent the entire nation." [Photographs: Joshua Bousel] I had the most perfect Labor Day planned, a lazy afternoon next to the smoker filled with pork, some beers, and close friends. That was until I received an invitation to visit the The Best in the West: Nugget Rib Cook-off in Nevada. After a second pause contemplating whether I wanted to alter my ideal holiday, I thought better of my reservations, and before I knew it, I was on a plane headed for a weekend of pure barbecue bliss. If you're an East Coaster like myself, the Nugget Rib Cook-off may not sound familiar, but for the pitmasters and attendees alike, it's the biggest event of the year. The six-day... More

The Bay Area isn’t exactly known as a barbecue destination; we’re more of a sushi-and-arugula kind of place. But in their less cholesterol-conscious moments, Northern Californians do love their ribs—particularly from Palo Alto native Harold Willis, a lifelong barbecue master stationed outside Lozano Car Wash in Mountain View. Seven days a week, the 63-year-old Willis sets up shop in front of the highly-trafficked car wash on El Camino Real. He smokes the ribs in his truck around the corner before finishing them on the grill—cutting the soapy car wash air with a rich, meaty smell. While any customer can score half-racks ($11), full racks ($20) or drinks—and their dogs can snag a doggie treat from the bowl always kept... More