These are the tastiest spareribs in the Netherlands in 2025
The Spareribs Trophy 2025 has been decided – and anyone who thought spareribs were ‘just some meat on a bone’ was wrong. On Tuesday evening, 13 May, the very best ribs in the Netherlands were crowned during a festive evening at Buitenplaats Kameryck. The big winner? Slagerij & Traiteur Koen van Vugt from Drunen. Rib-tastic!
The Spareribs Trophy: where meat and craftsmanship come together
The Spareribs Trophy is an initiative of Koninklijke Nederlandse Slagers (KNS), the trade association for artisanal butchers and poultry specialists in the Netherlands. Every year, they put butchers’ craftsmanship in the spotlight with this competition, where quality and craft come first.
Butcher Koen van Vugt wins with finger-licking ribs
It was a close battle, but in the end Slagerij & Traiteur Koen van Vugt from Drunen took home the golden sparerib. And deservedly so: these ribs are so tender that your knife can spontaneously retire. Second place went to Keurslager Beverdam from Rijssen, while Keurslager Arnold Daals from Winterswijk secured third place.
What makes a sparerib a prize-winner?
The judging took place on 2 April, under the watchful eye of a strict but fair panel of industry experts. From certified judge Simon Kuijper (from the Slagers-Expertisecentrum), master salesperson Wim Koelewijn, and previous winner Evert Tebak. The ribs were assessed on:
Tenderness (the meat should melt, not feel like chewing gum)
Taste (deep, smoky notes with balance)
Finish (no prehistoric rib, please)
According to jury coordinator Jan Snijders, the entries reached an exceptionally high level this year. These spareribs belong on the grill this summer.
Who just missed out on the podium?
These butchers also received an honourable mention and can rightly call themselves rib heroes:
Slager Vogels, Elsendorp
Slagerij Hermanussen, Overasselt
Uw Slager Wip, Hallum
Slagerij Buurman, Gendt
Slagerij van Tilburg, Sliedrecht
Slagerij Hein Swolfs, Goirle
Gildeslager Hermanns, Nederweert
In other words: even if you don’t live in Drunen, you can still score a top rib. So hush hush, get those ribs!
Preparing spareribs: here’s how to do it at home
And one more free tip from us… With this secret ingredient, your spareribs become irresistible. And are you still looking for an amazing sparerib recipe? We have one of those for you too! Voilà: here’s how to make the tastiest spareribs of your life. Serve with rice and trust us: nobody will leave the table until the last bit of meat has been gnawed from the bones.
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