Maryland State BBQ Bash
2023-10-13 – 2023-10-14 · Bel Air, MD · State championship
Reps: BILL JONES, ROBERT MCKEE · Prize money: $12,500.00
Grand Champion: Cool Smoke (699.9660) · 23 teams
Entries
37
6 categories
Top score
343.4056
Winning margin
4.0344
GC over RC
Field average
315.87
median 318.30
Perfect 180s
2 🔥
Tightest race
Chicken
1.1772 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
326.8000
what a walk cost here
Field spread
67.4972
winner to last place
Prize money
$12,500.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 93%
beats 7% of 2715 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1510
avg power rating going in · stronger than 15% of contests
Storylines
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Cool Smoke took the Grand Championship home to KS.
🃏 An upset on the books
Cool Smoke came in rated below the field's top team, GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 29-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
This contest over the years
| Date | Where | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-08-12 | 42 | 683.9540 | SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE | |
| 2017-08-11 | 47 | 686.2056 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 2018-08-10 | 38 | 687.4056 | APORKALYPSE NOW | |
| 2019-08-09 | Belair, MD | 30 | 690.2284 | Nice Racks |
| 2021-10-15 | Belair, MD | 25 | 701.1200 | 3N1 Q |
| 2022-10-14 | Belair, MD | 30 | 693.6684 | TNT Explosive BBQ |
| 2023-10-13 ← this one | Bel Air, MD | 23 | 699.9660 | Cool Smoke |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Backyard Series — Chicken
37 entries · top 177.7028 · median 159.9428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Top Hat Smoking BBQ | |
| 2 | Estancia | |
| 3 | Pig Kahunas | |
| 4 | Sticky Bones BBQ | |
| 5 | Leaning Jowler BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin Dixie BBQ | |
| 7 | Castleton Q | |
| 8 | Disco BBQ | |
| 9 | Pool Crew BBQ | |
| 10 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 11 | Big River BBQ | |
| 12 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 13 | Harford Retirement Planners | |
| 14 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 15 | Oink N' Doink BBQ | |
| 16 | Big Boy BBQ | |
| 17 | Bulldog BBQ | |
| 18 | Smoke Rings Barbeque | |
| 19 | Alchemy BBQ | |
| 20 | Hazard County BBQ | |
| 21 | Schuster BBQ | |
| 22 | Small Batch BBQ MD | |
| 23 | Missing Link BBQ | |
| 24 | Money Muscle BBQ | |
| 25 | Make BBQ Great Again | |
| 26 | PTSD | |
| 27 | Capt. Blue BBQ | |
| 28 | Grillfellas | |
| 29 | Kampy's Q | |
| 30 | BBQ McLovin' | |
| 31 | Bone Suckin' Good BBQ | |
| 32 | Meats and Bounds | |
| 33 | LJ Sauce Company | |
| 34 | Bros & BBQ | |
| 35 | Bark-N-Dawgz BBQ | |
| 36 | Sauced Up Porkers | |
| 37 | Best Buckin' BBQ |
Backyard Series — Overall
37 entries · top 343.4056 · median 318.2972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leaning Jowler BBQ | |
| 2 | Estancia | |
| 3 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 4 | Money Muscle BBQ | |
| 5 | Top Hat Smoking BBQ | |
| 6 | Bulldog BBQ | |
| 7 | Smokin Dixie BBQ | |
| 8 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 9 | Big Boy BBQ | |
| 10 | Sticky Bones BBQ | |
| 11 | Castleton Q | |
| 12 | Disco BBQ | |
| 13 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 14 | Make BBQ Great Again | |
| 15 | Capt. Blue BBQ | |
| 16 | Alchemy BBQ | |
| 17 | Pool Crew BBQ | |
| 18 | BBQ McLovin' | |
| 19 | Big River BBQ | |
| 20 | Small Batch BBQ MD | |
| 21 | Hazard County BBQ | |
| 22 | Schuster BBQ | |
| 23 | Missing Link BBQ | |
| 24 | Bone Suckin' Good BBQ | |
| 25 | Pig Kahunas | |
| 26 | Smoke Rings Barbeque | |
| 27 | Bros & BBQ | |
| 28 | Bark-N-Dawgz BBQ | |
| 29 | Kampy's Q | |
| 30 | Grillfellas | |
| 31 | Harford Retirement Planners | |
| 32 | PTSD | |
| 33 | Meats and Bounds | |
| 34 | Oink N' Doink BBQ | |
| 35 | LJ Sauce Company | |
| 36 | Best Buckin' BBQ | |
| 37 | Sauced Up Porkers |
Backyard Series — Pork Ribs
37 entries · top 180.0000 · median 158.8456 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Money Muscle BBQ | |
| 2 | Leaning Jowler BBQ | |
| 3 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 4 | Bulldog BBQ | |
| 5 | Make BBQ Great Again | |
| 6 | Capt. Blue BBQ | |
| 7 | BBQ McLovin' | |
| 8 | Estancia | |
| 9 | Big Boy BBQ | |
| 10 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 11 | Smokin Dixie BBQ | |
| 12 | Alchemy BBQ | |
| 13 | Small Batch BBQ MD | |
| 14 | Bone Suckin' Good BBQ | |
| 15 | Castleton Q | |
| 16 | Bros & BBQ | |
| 17 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 18 | Disco BBQ | |
| 19 | Schuster BBQ | |
| 20 | Hazard County BBQ | |
| 21 | Missing Link BBQ | |
| 22 | Top Hat Smoking BBQ | |
| 23 | Bark-N-Dawgz BBQ | |
| 24 | Sticky Bones BBQ | |
| 25 | Pool Crew BBQ | |
| 26 | Big River BBQ | |
| 27 | Kampy's Q | |
| 28 | Smoke Rings Barbeque | |
| 29 | Grillfellas | |
| 30 | Meats and Bounds | |
| 31 | PTSD | |
| 32 | Pig Kahunas | |
| 33 | Harford Retirement Planners | |
| 34 | LJ Sauce Company | |
| 35 | Best Buckin' BBQ | |
| 36 | Oink N' Doink BBQ | |
| 37 | Sauced Up Porkers |
Master Series — Brisket
23 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | COOL SMOKE | |
| 2 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 3 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 4 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 5 | HOOS SMOKIN | |
| 6 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 7 | Nice Racks | |
| 8 | TEAM MEAT COMA | |
| 9 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 10 | Sasquatch BBQ | |
| 11 | 3 DOGS BARK BBQ | |
| 12 | Kane's BBQ | |
| 13 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 14 | Barrel Proof BBQ | |
| 15 | THE NUT HOUSE | |
| 16 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 17 | FAT MAXINE'S BBQ | |
| 18 | ALL FIRED UP BBQ | |
| 19 | Bay Brothers BBQ | |
| 20 | LittleBrothersBBQ | |
| 21 | Just a sliver sweets | |
| 22 | Justice is Brined | |
| 23 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ |
Master Series — Chicken
23 entries · top 175.4400 · median 170.2744
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 2 | ALL FIRED UP BBQ | |
| 3 | Kane's BBQ | |
| 4 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 5 | COOL SMOKE | |
| 6 | Sasquatch BBQ | |
| 7 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 8 | HOOS SMOKIN | |
| 9 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 10 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 11 | LittleBrothersBBQ | |
| 12 | Nice Racks | |
| 13 | FAT MAXINE'S BBQ | |
| 14 | Bay Brothers BBQ | |
| 15 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 16 | 3 DOGS BARK BBQ | |
| 17 | THE NUT HOUSE | |
| 18 | TEAM MEAT COMA | |
| 19 | Barrel Proof BBQ | |
| 20 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 21 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 22 | Justice is Brined | |
| 23 | Just a sliver sweets |
Master Series — Overall
23 entries · top 699.9660 · median 669.6112
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | COOL SMOKE | |
| 2 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 3 | Kane's BBQ | |
| 4 | Nice Racks | |
| 5 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 6 | HOOS SMOKIN | |
| 7 | Sasquatch BBQ | |
| 8 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 9 | ALL FIRED UP BBQ | |
| 10 | FAT MAXINE'S BBQ | |
| 11 | THE NUT HOUSE | |
| 12 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 13 | TEAM MEAT COMA | |
| 14 | Barrel Proof BBQ | |
| 15 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 16 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 17 | Bay Brothers BBQ | |
| 18 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 19 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 20 | LittleBrothersBBQ | |
| 21 | 3 DOGS BARK BBQ | |
| 22 | Justice is Brined | |
| 23 | Just a sliver sweets |
Master Series — Pork
23 entries · top 175.4172 · median 169.1084
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sasquatch BBQ | |
| 2 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 3 | ALL FIRED UP BBQ | |
| 4 | COOL SMOKE | |
| 5 | 3 DOGS BARK BBQ | |
| 6 | THE NUT HOUSE | |
| 7 | TEAM MEAT COMA | |
| 8 | Nice Racks | |
| 9 | Kane's BBQ | |
| 10 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 11 | HOOS SMOKIN | |
| 12 | Bay Brothers BBQ | |
| 13 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 14 | FAT MAXINE'S BBQ | |
| 15 | Barrel Proof BBQ | |
| 16 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 17 | Justice is Brined | |
| 18 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 19 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 20 | Just a sliver sweets | |
| 21 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 22 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 23 | LittleBrothersBBQ |
Master Series — Pork Ribs
23 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.5256 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kane's BBQ | |
| 2 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 3 | COOL SMOKE | |
| 4 | Nice Racks | |
| 5 | FAT MAXINE'S BBQ | |
| 6 | LittleBrothersBBQ | |
| 7 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 8 | HOOS SMOKIN | |
| 9 | THE NUT HOUSE | |
| 10 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 11 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 12 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 13 | ALL FIRED UP BBQ | |
| 14 | Barrel Proof BBQ | |
| 15 | Bay Brothers BBQ | |
| 16 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 17 | Sasquatch BBQ | |
| 18 | TEAM MEAT COMA | |
| 19 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 20 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 21 | Justice is Brined | |
| 22 | Just a sliver sweets | |
| 23 | 3 DOGS BARK BBQ |