Jul 25–26, 2025 · New Freedom, PA · 📍 1 Playground Alley · State championship
Reps: Bill Jones, Louise Weidner, Robert McKee · Prize money: $8,000
Piggy & Swine BBQ won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) on July 25, 2025 in New Freedom, PA at 1 Playground Alley, scoring 706.8112 in a field of 30 teams. HotMess BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 703.3828. Category winners: Chicken — The Fat is Where It's At (180.0000); Pork Ribs — WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ (178.8572); Pork — 3 EYZ BBQ (178.8572); Brisket — Piggy & Swine BBQ (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by Pinky Out BBQ with 349.1548. This is the 3rd of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by The Fat is Where It's At; the next was held in 2025.
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.
What it has taken to win here, 2024 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
706.8112 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 703.9544 The Fat is Where It's At set in 2024.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 89 times in 100
Piggy & Swine BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, GETTIN' BASTED, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 11-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was Piggy & Swine BBQ's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 39th tracked contest.
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: Mispillion Meat Works and HotMess BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 8–9: HotMess BBQ and OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 1–2: 3 EYZ BBQ and Mispillion Meat Works tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Piggy & Swine BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 10th.
3 EYZ BBQ turned in 178.8572 in pork — past the 177.7144 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: The Fat is Where It's At (won 2024).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 2024 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 35 | 693.0512 | Rooters-N-Tooters TN | BLUE EYED BBQ |
| Jul 27, 2024 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 32 | 703.9544 | The Fat is Where It's At | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ |
| Jul 25, 2025 ← this one | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 30 | 706.8112 | Piggy & Swine BBQ | HotMess BBQ |
| Jul 26, 2025 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 27 | 704.5256 | Smokin Hoggz BBQ - MA | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE |
| Jul 24, 2026 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 43 | 710.8688 | B's Que | BBQ Maestros |
| Jul 25, 2026 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 39 | 707.4172 | Boggs Hog BBQ | ELJEFE SMOKE |
| Jul 23, 2027 | New Freedom, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 24, 2027 | New Freedom, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 177.1544 | 174.8800 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 174.2856 | 171.4056 |
| Master Series — Pork | 178.8572 | 177.1428 | 175.4056 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 176 | 174.2628 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 177.7144 | 174.2744 | 173.1200 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 177.1544 | 174.3200 | 170.8688 |
30 entries · top 706.8112 · median 679.0630
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piggy & Swine BBQ | |
| 2 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 3 | Mispillion Meat Works | |
| 4 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 5 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 6 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 7 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 8 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 9 | QUE U | |
| 10 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 11 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 12 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 13 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 14 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 15 | Big Bobs Smokin Que | |
| 16 | Ain't That Rich | |
| 17 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 18 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 19 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 20 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 21 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 22 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 23 | Fire Ants BBQ | |
| 24 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 25 | Gigabyte BBQ | |
| 26 | Them Bones | |
| 27 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 28 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 29 | Pappy's Q | |
| 30 | DRILLING & GRILLING |
30 entries · top 180 · median 171.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 2 | Big Bobs Smokin Que | |
| 3 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 4 | Piggy & Swine BBQ | |
| 5 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 6 | Ain't That Rich | |
| 7 | Mispillion Meat Works | |
| 8 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 9 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 10 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 11 | QUE U | |
| 12 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 14 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 15 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 16 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 17 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 18 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 19 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 20 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 21 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 22 | Gigabyte BBQ | |
| 23 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 24 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 25 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 26 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 27 | Them Bones | |
| 28 | Fire Ants BBQ | |
| 29 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 30 | Pappy's Q |
30 entries · top 178.8572 · median 168.2688
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 3 | Mispillion Meat Works | |
| 4 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 5 | QUE U | |
| 6 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 7 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 8 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 9 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 10 | Piggy & Swine BBQ | |
| 11 | Gigabyte BBQ | |
| 12 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 14 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 15 | Fire Ants BBQ | |
| 16 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 18 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 19 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 20 | Big Bobs Smokin Que | |
| 21 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 22 | Them Bones | |
| 23 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 24 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 25 | Ain't That Rich | |
| 26 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 27 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 28 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 29 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 30 | Pappy's Q |
29 entries · top 178.8572 · median 171.4172
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 2 | Mispillion Meat Works | |
| 3 | Piggy & Swine BBQ | |
| 4 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 5 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 6 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 7 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 8 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 9 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 10 | Ain't That Rich | |
| 11 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 12 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | QUE U | |
| 14 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 15 | Fire Ants BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 17 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 18 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 19 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 20 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 21 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 22 | Them Bones | |
| 23 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 24 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 25 | Big Bobs Smokin Que | |
| 26 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 27 | Pappy's Q | |
| 28 | Gigabyte BBQ | |
| 29 | BBQ Blokes |
30 entries · top 180 · median 171.9886 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piggy & Swine BBQ | |
| 2 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 3 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 4 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 5 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 6 | Big Bobs Smokin Que | |
| 7 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 8 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 9 | GETTIN' BASTED | |
| 10 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | |
| 11 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 12 | Mispillion Meat Works | |
| 13 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 14 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 15 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 16 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 18 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 19 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 20 | QUE U | |
| 21 | Ain't That Rich | |
| 22 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 23 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 24 | Mullen It Over BBQ | |
| 25 | Pappy's Q | |
| 26 | Fire Ants BBQ | |
| 27 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 28 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 29 | Them Bones | |
| 30 | Gigabyte BBQ |
36 entries · top 349.1548 · median 337.6802
36 entries · top 177.7144 · median 167.9830
35 entries · top 177.1544 · median 167.9772
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
41 entries · top 180 · median 167.4056 · 🔥 perfect 180