A new contest record
710.8344
highest overall ever cooked here
710.8344 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 690.2632 Barking Pig BBQ set in 2022.
- old record 690.2632
- set 2022 by Barking Pig BBQ
Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023
Oct 27–28, 2023 · Madison, AL · 📍 212 Main St · State championship
Reps: Carol Bigler, Randy G Bigler · Prize money: $8,500
Organizer Portal won Grand Champion at the Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023 on October 27, 2023 in Madison, AL at 212 Main St, scoring 710.8344 in a field of 14 teams. Barking Pig BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 702.7884. Category winners: Chicken — SWEET SMOKE BBQ (177.7028); Pork Ribs — STEWBABYS BBQ (180.0000); Pork — Organizer Portal (180.0000); Brisket — SWEET SMOKE BBQ (178.8572). The Backyard Series standings were won by MAD ROCKET BARBECUE with 355.4172. This is the 2nd of 2 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Barking Pig BBQ.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
639.21
median 693.06
710.83 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 177.70
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 180 🔥
- Master Series — Pork 180 🔥
- Master Series — Brisket 178.86
- Backyard Series — Chicken 180 🔥
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 178.30
145.04
180
Entries
35
6 judged meats
Top score
710.8344
Winning margin
8.0460
GC over RC
Field average
684.93
639.21710.83
median 693.06 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
4 🔥
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2972 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
673.6116
639.21710.83
10th place overall
Field spread
71.6232
winner to last place
Prize money
$8,500
on the line
Double threats
8
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 2%
beats 98% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
51%
21 of 41 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.72 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,560
avg power rating going in · stronger than 46% of contests
Storylines (7 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
A day of perfect scores
4
perfect 180s
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- MAD ROCKET BARBECUE · Chicken
- Organizer Portal · Pork
- Barking Pig BBQ · Pork
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 12 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS and CHOOCHOO BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: Willingham's and SLAYTON'S BARBEQUE COMPANY tied on 168.5372 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 1–2: Organizer Portal and Barking Pig BBQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Master Series — Pork 1–2 · tie
- Master Series — Pork 3–4 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
SWEET SMOKE BBQ won Chicken, Brisket — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Brisket 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
Organizer Portal took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 4th.
- Chicken 4th
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 2nd
A contest record in pork ribs
180.0000
best pork ribs ever cooked here
STEWBABYS BBQ turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 177.1428 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 177.1428
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Barking Pig BBQ (won 2022).
- Barking Pig BBQ · 2022
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
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 2022 | Madison, AL | 212 Main St | 10 | 690.2632 | Barking Pig BBQ | SWEET SMOKE BBQ |
| Oct 27, 2023 ← this one | Madison, AL | 212 Main St | 14 | 710.8344 | Smoke Me Silly | Barking Pig BBQ |
| Oct 25, 2024 | Madison, AL | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 177.7028 | 173.1084 | 168.5372 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 180 | 177.7028 | 169.6916 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180 | 177.7028 | 169.6800 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 178.8572 | 174.2628 | 168.5484 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 180 | 175.4056 | 170.8228 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 178.2972 | 174.2628 | 171.4172 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
14 entries · top 710.8344 · median 693.0630
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Organizer Portal | |
| 2 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 3 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 4 | SLAYTON'S BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 5 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 6 | SWEET SMOKE BBQ | |
| 7 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 8 | Willingham's | |
| 9 | Kick Em In The Butt BBQ | |
| 10 | Single Tree BBQ | |
| 11 | Gettin' Sauced | |
| 12 | Hillbilly Hot Butts | |
| 13 | Smoke Therapy | |
| 14 | Smokin Badgers |
Chicken
14 entries · top 177.7028 · median 170.2686
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWEET SMOKE BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 3 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 4 | Organizer Portal | |
| 5 | Kick Em In The Butt BBQ | |
| 6 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 7 | Gettin' Sauced | |
| 8 | Single Tree BBQ | |
| 9 | Willingham's | |
| 10 | SLAYTON'S BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 11 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 12 | Hillbilly Hot Butts | |
| 13 | Smoke Therapy | |
| 14 | Smokin Badgers |
Pork Ribs
14 entries · top 180 · median 172.5486 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 2 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 3 | SLAYTON'S BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 4 | Organizer Portal | |
| 5 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 7 | Willingham's | |
| 8 | SWEET SMOKE BBQ | |
| 9 | Kick Em In The Butt BBQ | |
| 10 | Single Tree BBQ | |
| 11 | Smokin Badgers | |
| 12 | Smoke Therapy | |
| 13 | Gettin' Sauced | |
| 14 | Hillbilly Hot Butts |
Pork
14 entries · top 180 · median 174.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Organizer Portal | |
| 2 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 3 | Willingham's | |
| 4 | SLAYTON'S BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 5 | Kick Em In The Butt BBQ | |
| 6 | Gettin' Sauced | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 8 | Hillbilly Hot Butts | |
| 9 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 10 | Single Tree BBQ | |
| 11 | SWEET SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 13 | Smoke Therapy | |
| 14 | Smokin Badgers |
Brisket
14 entries · top 178.8572 · median 171.4172
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWEET SMOKE BBQ | |
| 2 | Organizer Portal | |
| 3 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 4 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 5 | CHOOCHOO BBQ | |
| 6 | SLAYTON'S BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 7 | Willingham's | |
| 8 | Hillbilly Hot Butts | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 10 | Kick Em In The Butt BBQ | |
| 11 | Gettin' Sauced | |
| 12 | Single Tree BBQ | |
| 13 | Smoke Therapy | |
| 14 | Smokin Badgers |
Backyard Series
Overall
35 entries · top 355.4172 · median 334.8000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 2 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 3 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 4 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 5 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 6 | Bentley Que | |
| 7 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 8 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 9 | 931 BBQ | |
| 10 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 11 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 12 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 13 | Modest Meats | |
| 14 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 15 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 16 | Smoke'Em All | |
| 17 | When Pigs Fly - Florence, AL | |
| 18 | RFCU | |
| 19 | Brother In-Law BBQ | |
| 20 | Scuttlebutts | |
| 21 | Blood, Sweat, and Tito's | |
| 22 | Uncle Karl's Kielbasa | |
| 23 | Three Chief BBQ | |
| 24 | THE QUE CRUE | |
| 25 | P & C BBQ | |
| 26 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 27 | Coldwater Creek Q | |
| 28 | Peacocks in Heat | |
| 29 | Mill Road Boys | |
| 30 | Mossy Oak Meatz | |
| 31 | Meat Sweats | |
| 32 | Rock - N - BBQ | |
| 33 | Butt Honey BBQ | |
| 34 | Stank Butt BBQ | |
| 35 | American BBQ |
Chicken
34 entries · top 180 · median 167.4116 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 2 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 3 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 4 | 931 BBQ | |
| 5 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 6 | Smoke'Em All | |
| 7 | Modest Meats | |
| 8 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 9 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 10 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 11 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 12 | Blood, Sweat, and Tito's | |
| 13 | Three Chief BBQ | |
| 14 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 15 | Bentley Que | |
| 16 | When Pigs Fly - Florence, AL | |
| 17 | RFCU | |
| 18 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 19 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 20 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 21 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 22 | Brother In-Law BBQ | |
| 23 | Rock - N - BBQ | |
| 24 | Coldwater Creek Q | |
| 25 | Scuttlebutts | |
| 26 | THE QUE CRUE | |
| 27 | Uncle Karl's Kielbasa | |
| 28 | P & C BBQ | |
| 29 | Butt Honey BBQ | |
| 30 | Meat Sweats | |
| 31 | Peacocks in Heat | |
| 32 | Mill Road Boys | |
| 33 | Stank Butt BBQ | |
| 34 | Mossy Oak Meatz |
Pork Ribs
35 entries · top 178.2972 · median 166.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 2 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 3 | Bentley Que | |
| 4 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 5 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 6 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 7 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 8 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 9 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 10 | Ghost Hill BBQ | |
| 11 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 12 | Brother In-Law BBQ | |
| 13 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 14 | When Pigs Fly - Florence, AL | |
| 15 | RFCU | |
| 16 | Modest Meats | |
| 17 | Scuttlebutts | |
| 18 | 931 BBQ | |
| 19 | P & C BBQ | |
| 20 | Uncle Karl's Kielbasa | |
| 21 | THE QUE CRUE | |
| 22 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 23 | Smoke'Em All | |
| 24 | Mossy Oak Meatz | |
| 25 | Blood, Sweat, and Tito's | |
| 26 | Peacocks in Heat | |
| 27 | Mill Road Boys | |
| 28 | Three Chief BBQ | |
| 29 | Coldwater Creek Q | |
| 30 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 31 | Meat Sweats | |
| 32 | American BBQ | |
| 33 | Butt Honey BBQ | |
| 34 | Stank Butt BBQ | |
| 35 | Rock - N - BBQ |