Oct 13–14, 2023 · Scottsboro, AL · 📍 102 E. Laurel St.
Reps: Janet Appleton, Sam Appleton · Prize money: $3,250
MAD ROCKET BARBECUE won Grand Champion at the Scottsboro BBQ Festival (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE ONLY) on October 13, 2023 in Scottsboro, AL at 102 E. Laurel St., scoring 350.8456 in a field of 27 teams. All Smoked Up took Reserve Grand Champion with 346.8228. Category winners: Chicken — MAD ROCKET BARBECUE (176.5828); Pork Ribs — NORALA BBQ TEAM (177.7144). This is the 3rd of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by 2 Swine Crew; the next was held in 2024.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 69 times in 100
Mad Rocket Barbecue came in rated below the field's top team, NORALA BBQ TEAM, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 31-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Chicken places 7–8: Bentley Que and Ghost Hill BBQ tied on 169.6800 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: All Smoked Up edged MAD ROCKET BARBECUE by 0.0116. Pork Ribs places 9–10: 225 Degree Single Barrel Crew edged 2 Swine Crew by 0.0228.
NORALA BBQ TEAM turned in 177.7144 in pork ribs — past the 176.5944 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: 2 Swine Crew (won 2022).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2021 | Scottsboro, AL | 102 E. Laurel St. | 31 | 349.1316 | Hell on Squeals |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Scottsboro, AL | 102 E. Laurel St. | 38 | 349.7028 | 2 Swine Crew |
| Oct 13, 2023 ← this one | Scottsboro, AL | 102 E. Laurel St. | 27 | 350.8456 | Mad Rocket Barbecue |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Scottsboro, AL | 102 E. Laurel St. | 38 | 357.7028 | Rollin Smoke BBQ |
| Oct 10, 2025 | Scottsboro, AL | 102 E. Laurel St. | 30 | 353.1200 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ |
| Oct 9, 2026 | Scottsboro, AL | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5828 | 171.9772 | 168 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 173.1200 | 168.5372 |
27 entries · top 350.8456 · median 331.9200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 2 | All Smoked Up | |
| 3 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 4 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 5 | Bentley Que | |
| 6 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 7 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 8 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 9 | SJ&L Racing Team | |
| 10 | Saturday Night Swine | |
| 11 | Back 40 BBQ | |
| 12 | Leela Q | |
| 13 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 14 | Smoking Broke BBQ | |
| 15 | Creekside BBQ | |
| 16 | Blackwater BBQ | |
| 17 | FBC Holy Smokers | |
| 18 | 225 Degree Single Barrel Crew | |
| 19 | Modest Meats | |
| 20 | Mamma Montego | |
| 21 | 4 Paws BBQ | |
| 22 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 23 | WSG Cookers | |
| 24 | The Smokin’ Huskies | |
| 25 | Smokin Aces | |
| 26 | Dos Gatos | |
| 27 | Mr Meats BBQ |
27 entries · top 176.5828 · median 167.3712
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 2 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 3 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 4 | All Smoked Up | |
| 5 | Creekside BBQ | |
| 6 | The Smokin’ Huskies | |
| 7 | Bentley Que | |
| 8 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 9 | Mamma Montego | |
| 10 | SJ&L Racing Team | |
| 11 | Leela Q | |
| 12 | Back 40 BBQ | |
| 13 | Saturday Night Swine | |
| 14 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 15 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 16 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 17 | Blackwater BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokin Aces | |
| 19 | FBC Holy Smokers | |
| 20 | Modest Meats | |
| 21 | Dos Gatos | |
| 22 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 23 | Smoking Broke BBQ | |
| 24 | 225 Degree Single Barrel Crew | |
| 25 | WSG Cookers | |
| 26 | 4 Paws BBQ | |
| 27 | Mr Meats BBQ |
27 entries · top 177.7144 · median 166.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 2 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 3 | All Smoked Up | |
| 4 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 5 | Bentley Que | |
| 6 | Smoking Broke BBQ | |
| 7 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 8 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 9 | 225 Degree Single Barrel Crew | |
| 10 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 11 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 12 | SJ&L Racing Team | |
| 13 | Saturday Night Swine | |
| 14 | Back 40 BBQ | |
| 15 | Leela Q | |
| 16 | 4 Paws BBQ | |
| 17 | FBC Holy Smokers | |
| 18 | Blackwater BBQ | |
| 19 | Modest Meats | |
| 20 | WSG Cookers | |
| 21 | Creekside BBQ | |
| 22 | Mamma Montego | |
| 23 | Mr Meats BBQ | |
| 24 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 25 | Dos Gatos | |
| 26 | Smokin Aces | |
| 27 | The Smokin’ Huskies |