Decided by a tiebreaker
Tie
identical totals at the top
The top two teams finished on identical totals — the Grand Championship came down to the KCBS tiebreaker rules.
Smoke on the River (Day 1) 2025
Aug 29–30, 2025 · Burlington, KS · 📍 625 S. 3rd St. · State championship
Reps: Bunny Tuttle, Rich Tuttle · Prize money: $9,350
Squealin N Dealin BBQ won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the River (Day 1) on August 29, 2025 in Burlington, KS at 625 S. 3rd St., scoring 706.2516 in a field of 25 teams. Glamping Grillers took Reserve Grand Champion with 706.2516. Category winners: Chicken — Cities Edge BBQ (179.4400); Pork Ribs — Glamping Grillers (180.0000); Pork — MAN MEAT BBQ (178.8572); Brisket — Squealin N Dealin BBQ (178.8572). This is the 5th of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by B3 BBQ; the next was held in 2025.
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.
596.99
median 694.77
706.25 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 179.44
- Pork Ribs 180 🔥
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 178.86
136.54
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2023 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
25
4 judged meats
Top score
706.2516
Winning margin
Tie
identical totals — KCBS tiebreaker
Field average
681.27
596.99706.25
median 694.77 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
697.0860
596.99706.25
10th place overall
Field spread
109.2568
winner to last place
Prize money
$9,350
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 11%
beats 89% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.87 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,639
avg power rating going in · stronger than 93% of contests
Storylines (9 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.
An upset on the books
30-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 70 times in 100
Squealin N Dealin BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, JANKY LEG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 30-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1757
- top seed 1905
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 8 tracked editions
Janky Leg BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
- 2026
- 2026
A stacked field
1639
average power rating going in
Stronger than 93% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1639 power rating going in — stronger than 93% of every contest tracked.
- top seed JANKY LEG BBQ (1905)
- 25 rated teams
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 19 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 2–3: MAN MEAT BBQ and MUNNY'S STOVE tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ and Take It Easy BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: Take It Easy BBQ and Can Country Outlaw BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Chicken 8–9 · tie
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
Squealin N Dealin BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 12th.
- Chicken 4th
- Pork Ribs 12th
- Pork 10th
- Brisket 1st
A contest record in pork ribs
180.0000
best pork ribs ever cooked here
Glamping Grillers turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 178.8572 that had stood across 4 earlier editions.
- old best 178.8572
- across 4 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: B3 BBQ (won 2024).
- B3 BBQ · 2024
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- Glamping Grillers · Pork Ribs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2022 | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 6 | 344.5828 | TOO SAUCED BBQ | — |
| Sep 1, 2023 | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 20 | 699.9544 | GETTIN' BASTED | JANKY LEG BBQ |
| Aug 31, 2024 | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 28 | 707.3944 | Slaps BBQ | Can Country Outlaw BBQ |
| Aug 31, 2024 | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 13 | 175.4288 | B3 BBQ | — |
| Aug 29, 2025 ← this one | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 25 | 706.2516 | SQUEALIN N DEALIN BBQ | Glamping Grillers |
| Aug 30, 2025 | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 24 | 707.3712 | BOCEPHUS BBQ | JDQ BBQ |
| Sep 4, 2026 | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 25 | 708.5372 | Janky Leg BBQ | Bocephus BBQ |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Burlington, KS | 625 S. 3rd St. | 25 | 709.6800 | Janky Leg BBQ | Triple H BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 179.4400 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 177.7144 | 175.4172 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 176.5716 | 175.4056 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 173.1084 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 706.2516 · median 694.7656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ | |
| 2 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 3 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 4 | MUNNY'S STOVE | |
| 5 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 6 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 7 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 8 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 9 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 10 | BrewsCue | |
| 11 | BREWS BEFORE Q'S | |
| 12 | B 3 BBQ | |
| 13 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 14 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 15 | Aww Shucks BBQ | |
| 16 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 17 | Lucky D's BBQ | |
| 18 | MRS. MEAT BBQ | |
| 19 | JDQ BBQ | |
| 20 | PACS BBQ | |
| 21 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 22 | M2 Smokin' Q | |
| 23 | Southern Smokehouse | |
| 24 | SAUCY & WET BBQ BOYS | |
| 25 | BIG B'S BBQ |
Chicken
25 entries · top 179.4400 · median 173.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 2 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 3 | MUNNY'S STOVE | |
| 4 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ | |
| 5 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 6 | JDQ BBQ | |
| 7 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 8 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 9 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 10 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 11 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 12 | MRS. MEAT BBQ | |
| 13 | Lucky D's BBQ | |
| 14 | BrewsCue | |
| 15 | Aww Shucks BBQ | |
| 16 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 17 | PACS BBQ | |
| 18 | BREWS BEFORE Q'S | |
| 19 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 20 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 21 | B 3 BBQ | |
| 22 | M2 Smokin' Q | |
| 23 | BIG B'S BBQ | |
| 24 | Southern Smokehouse | |
| 25 | SAUCY & WET BBQ BOYS |
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 180 · median 174.2744 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 2 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 3 | BrewsCue | |
| 4 | B 3 BBQ | |
| 5 | Aww Shucks BBQ | |
| 6 | BREWS BEFORE Q'S | |
| 7 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 8 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 9 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 10 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 11 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ | |
| 13 | MRS. MEAT BBQ | |
| 14 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 15 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 16 | MUNNY'S STOVE | |
| 17 | M2 Smokin' Q | |
| 18 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 19 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 20 | JDQ BBQ | |
| 21 | SAUCY & WET BBQ BOYS | |
| 22 | Lucky D's BBQ | |
| 23 | PACS BBQ | |
| 24 | Southern Smokehouse | |
| 25 | BIG B'S BBQ |
Pork
25 entries · top 178.8572 · median 173.1544
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 2 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 3 | MRS. MEAT BBQ | |
| 4 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 5 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 6 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 7 | B 3 BBQ | |
| 8 | BrewsCue | |
| 9 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 10 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ | |
| 11 | BREWS BEFORE Q'S | |
| 12 | Lucky D's BBQ | |
| 13 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 14 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 15 | Aww Shucks BBQ | |
| 16 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 17 | MUNNY'S STOVE | |
| 18 | PACS BBQ | |
| 19 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 20 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 21 | JDQ BBQ | |
| 22 | M2 Smokin' Q | |
| 23 | Southern Smokehouse | |
| 24 | SAUCY & WET BBQ BOYS | |
| 25 | BIG B'S BBQ |
Brisket
25 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ | |
| 2 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 3 | MUNNY'S STOVE | |
| 4 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 5 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 6 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 7 | BREWS BEFORE Q'S | |
| 8 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 9 | Damn Fine Beef & Swine | |
| 10 | B 3 BBQ | |
| 11 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 13 | BrewsCue | |
| 14 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 15 | Lucky D's BBQ | |
| 16 | Aww Shucks BBQ | |
| 17 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 18 | JDQ BBQ | |
| 19 | PACS BBQ | |
| 20 | M2 Smokin' Q | |
| 21 | MRS. MEAT BBQ | |
| 22 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 23 | Southern Smokehouse | |
| 24 | BIG B'S BBQ | |
| 25 | SAUCY & WET BBQ BOYS |