Windy City Smokeout Day 3: The Quest for the Giant Beef Rib
Windy City Smokeout Day 3: The Quest for the Giant Beef Rib
"What animal did that bone come from?!"
That was the first thing that crossed my mind when Terry Black's finally slid one of their legendary Jumbo Beef Ribs onto my tray.
Not "Wow."
Not "That smells amazing."
Just...
"What the hell did that come off of?"
Social media had done its job. I'd seen the pictures. I'd heard people talking about them all weekend. But nothing prepares you for seeing one in person.
The bone alone looked like it belonged in a museum.
And yes...
I proudly carried that cleaned-off bone around the festival like it was a championship trophy.
The Hunt
Here's the funny part.
We didn't wait in line for this rib.
We waited three days.
Day 1? Only a handful of food vendors were open.
Day 2? We arrived shortly after the gates opened and made a beeline for Terry Black's, only to be greeted by the dreaded words:
"SOLD OUT."
That's when I realized we'd found the belle of the ball.
This wasn't just another barbecue stand. This was the food everyone wanted.
I walked up to the counter, camera rolling, introduced ourselves as FnAround, chatted with the crew, and arranged an official tasting for Day 3.
Mission accepted.
While making the rounds, we also met some awesome folks working the Red Bull tent. They agreed to join us for the tasting, and before long we were all standing around with giant beef ribs, cameras rolling, and enough excitement to make the wait worthwhile.
Worth Every Penny
One rib.
Thirty-six dollars.
Worth it?
Absolutely.
In fact, I'd go one step further.
As I said in our video, this rib was worth the price of admission to the festival just for the opportunity to try it.
Part of what made it so special was how limited it was. Terry Black's only brought about 60 racks—roughly 180 ribs—for the entire day. If you wanted one, you had to make it a priority.
The size gets all the attention, but the flavor is what keeps people talking.
I've honestly never had barbecue this good that wasn't completely overshadowed by smoke or heavy seasoning.
Everything was balanced.
The smoke complemented the meat instead of dominating it, and the seasoning let the quality of the beef shine through. The result was rich, buttery barbecue with just enough spice to keep every bite interesting.
The meat was so fall-off-the-bone tender that saying I could've eaten it with a straw almost feels believable.
Almost.
The giant size didn't necessarily make it taste better.
It just made the experience last longer.
And honestly...
I wasn't complaining.
Borrowing Other People's Stomachs
As much as we wanted to try everything, reality eventually stepped in.
There's only so much barbecue two people can eat before your stomach waves the white flag.
So we came up with a different plan.
Instead of reviewing every dish ourselves, we found people already standing in line, asked what they were ordering, and then invited them to give us their first-bite reaction on camera.
Some people couldn't wait.
Others politely accepted the challenge while making it very clear they preferred the food over the spotlight.
Either way, we got honest reactions from the people who came specifically to eat.
It turned into one of the most fun parts of the day.
Besides the famous beef rib, we sampled smoked hot honey cream cheese with crackers, Pork Belly Fried Rice, and a Quesabirria Sausage—all unique takes on barbecue that proved Smokeout is much more than brisket and ribs.
More Than Great Food
By Day 3, one thing had become obvious.
Smokeout attracts everyone.
We saw high school graduates celebrating summer, families spending the afternoon together, couples on date night, and retirees soaking up the music.
Most people were there for the concerts, but everyone appreciated the food.
My lack of knowledge about some of the headliners definitely earned a few puzzled looks.
"Why are you even here?"
Fair question.
Because by this point I wasn't just covering a country music festival.
I was covering one of Chicago's best summer experiences.
The crowd couldn't have been friendlier. We met old friends, made new ones, talked with fans of FnAround, and spent the afternoon laughing with complete strangers over giant portions of barbecue.
One of my favorite moments came while chatting with two of Chicago's Finest's daughters as they dug into Hurtado's Pulled Pork Nachos.
I'm happy to report...
Not a single drop of cheese landed on their vests.
As for police activity inside the festival?
The only officers I saw were busy eating.
Final Thoughts
When we finished the rib, I figured that was it.
Guess I'll have to wait until next year's Smokeout.
Out of curiosity, I looked up Terry Black's website.
Turns out...
They ship nationwide.
That may have been the most dangerous discovery of the entire weekend.
Because now I don't have to wait another year.
My wallet, however, might wish I had.
If Day 1 introduced me to the music and Day 2 made me appreciate the atmosphere, Day 3 convinced me that the food deserves just as much attention as the headliners.
Sometimes the biggest star at a music festival isn't standing on the stage.
Sometimes...
It's sitting on a tray with a bone the size of your forearm.
Austin: 1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
Dallas: 3025 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226
Waco: 212 S University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76701
Lockhart: The original location's corporate headquarters sits directly across the street from Black's BBQ.
Fort Worth: 112 E Exchange Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164
Terry Black's BBQ