Smoke in the Valley
2025-09-27 – 2025-09-28 · Edmonton, AB · CANADA
Reps: BRENDA BLACK, KEN BLACK · Prize money: $15,000.00
Grand Champion: Phantom Smoke & BBQ (694.8916) · 23 teams
Entries
23
4 categories
Top score
694.8916
Winning margin
6.3772
GC over RC
Field average
651.67
median 663.33
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
3.9772 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
671.3832
what a walk cost here
Field spread
361.2344
winner to last place
Prize money
$15,000.00
on the line
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 50%
beats 50% of 2713 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1546
avg power rating going in · stronger than 52% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
UNDER THE RADAR has won this contest 2 times across its 4 tracked editions.
🃏 An upset on the books
Phantom Smoke & BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, SMELLAQUE, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 17-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-10 | 11 | 693.6456 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 2015-08-28 | 26 | 702.2744 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 2016-08-26 | 12 | 689.0856 | UNDER THE RADAR | |
| 2025-09-27 ← this one | Edmonton, AB | 23 | 694.8916 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series — Brisket
22 entries · top 177.7144 · median 165.9944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 2 | Q Cartel | |
| 3 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 4 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 5 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 6 | PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ | |
| 7 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 8 | Brisket Butts | |
| 9 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 10 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 11 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 12 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 13 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 14 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 15 | Grilling with Short | |
| 16 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 17 | Smokinbox | |
| 18 | Mc Que It | |
| 19 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 20 | Big Dog BBQ Canada | |
| 21 | Fire BBQ | |
| 22 | Yankee Twang BBQ Co. |
Master Series — Chicken
23 entries · top 179.4400 · median 170.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 2 | Big Dog BBQ Canada | |
| 3 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 4 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 5 | Hawt Hawgs BBQ | |
| 6 | PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ | |
| 7 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 8 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 9 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 10 | Brisket Butts | |
| 11 | Mc Que It | |
| 12 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 13 | Q Cartel | |
| 14 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 15 | Yankee Twang BBQ Co. | |
| 16 | Grilling with Short | |
| 17 | Fire BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokinbox | |
| 19 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 20 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 21 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 22 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 23 | YOU NEED A BBQ |
Master Series — Overall
23 entries · top 694.8916 · median 663.3256
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 2 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 3 | Q Cartel | |
| 4 | Brisket Butts | |
| 5 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 6 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 7 | PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ | |
| 8 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 9 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 10 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 11 | Big Dog BBQ Canada | |
| 12 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 13 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 14 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 15 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 16 | Mc Que It | |
| 17 | Smokinbox | |
| 18 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 19 | Fire BBQ | |
| 20 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 21 | Grilling with Short | |
| 22 | Yankee Twang BBQ Co. | |
| 23 | Hawt Hawgs BBQ |
Master Series — Pork
22 entries · top 174.8456 · median 166.5430
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Q Cartel | |
| 2 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 3 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 4 | Brisket Butts | |
| 5 | Mc Que It | |
| 6 | PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ | |
| 7 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 8 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 9 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 10 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 11 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 12 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 13 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 14 | Big Dog BBQ Canada | |
| 15 | Smokinbox | |
| 16 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 17 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 18 | Fire BBQ | |
| 19 | Grilling with Short | |
| 20 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 21 | Yankee Twang BBQ Co. | |
| 22 | Homestead Smoke Shack |
Master Series — Pork Ribs
23 entries · top 175.4172 · median 167.4516
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 2 | Brisket Butts | |
| 3 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 4 | Hunny & Hooch | |
| 5 | Big Dog BBQ Canada | |
| 6 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 7 | KillerbunnyBBQ | |
| 8 | Phantom Smoke & BBQ | |
| 9 | Fire BBQ | |
| 10 | MOTLEY QUE | |
| 11 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 12 | Smokinbox | |
| 13 | Q Cartel | |
| 14 | Bottle Hill BBQ | |
| 15 | Homestead Smoke Shack | |
| 16 | Yankee Twang BBQ Co. | |
| 17 | EFFIN'EH GRAY'S | |
| 18 | Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery | |
| 19 | PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ | |
| 20 | BBQ TEAM NAIT | |
| 21 | Hawt Hawgs BBQ | |
| 22 | Mc Que It | |
| 23 | Grilling with Short |