Jul 25–26, 2015 · Orion, IL
BIG "E" BBQ won Grand Champion at the Illinois BBQ Fest at Hillcrest Event Center on July 25, 2015 in Orion, IL, scoring 691.9544 in a field of 15 teams. QUAU took Reserve Grand Champion with 687.3716. Category winners: Chicken — BIG "E" BBQ (177.7372); Pork Ribs — QUAU (173.7260); Pork — A FINE SWINE (179.4400); Brisket — QUAU (171.9656). This is the 1st of 2 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2016.
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 78 times in 100
BIG "E" BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, QUAU, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 22-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was BIG "E" BBQ's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 12th tracked contest.
Pork Ribs places 8–9: Buster Q'ue and 82'S BBQ CREW tied on 164.0116 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 7–8: A FINE SWINE and BONE COLLECTOR BBQ & CATERING tied on 166.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 4–5: Buster Q'ue edged TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE by 0.0116.
QUAU won Pork Ribs, Brisket — a double.
BIG "E" BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 6th.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 2015 ← this one | Orion, IL | Orion, IL 61273 | 15 | 691.9544 | BIG "E" BBQ | QUAU |
| Aug 20, 2016 | Orion, IL | 16260 E 350 st | 12 | 686.7772 | ONE2BBQ | BIG "E" BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7372 | 168.5600 | 157.6800 |
| Pork Ribs | 173.7260 | 166.2744 | 162.2400 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 171.4400 | 151.3716 |
| Brisket | 171.9656 | 169.1200 | 157.0972 |
15 entries · top 691.9544 · median 652.4916
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 2 | QUAU | |
| 3 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 4 | BONE COLLECTOR BBQ & CATERING | |
| 5 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 6 | Midnight Smoker | |
| 7 | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE | |
| 8 | 82'S BBQ CREW | |
| 9 | Buster Q'ue | |
| 10 | Blue Island BBQ | |
| 11 | GRILLZILLA | |
| 12 | JUST SMOKE | |
| 13 | ARGO PITMASTERS | |
| 14 | Fat Kid's BBQ | |
| 15 | Sticks and Stones |
15 entries · top 177.7372 · median 161.0972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 2 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 3 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 4 | BONE COLLECTOR BBQ & CATERING | |
| 5 | QUAU | |
| 6 | Blue Island BBQ | |
| 7 | Midnight Smoker | |
| 8 | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE | |
| 9 | 82'S BBQ CREW | |
| 10 | ARGO PITMASTERS | |
| 11 | GRILLZILLA | |
| 12 | JUST SMOKE | |
| 13 | Buster Q'ue | |
| 14 | Sticks and Stones | |
| 15 | Fat Kid's BBQ |
15 entries · top 173.7260 · median 164.0116
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUAU | |
| 2 | BONE COLLECTOR BBQ & CATERING | |
| 3 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 4 | Blue Island BBQ | |
| 5 | Midnight Smoker | |
| 6 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 7 | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE | |
| 8 | Buster Q'ue | |
| 9 | 82'S BBQ CREW | |
| 10 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 11 | ARGO PITMASTERS | |
| 12 | JUST SMOKE | |
| 13 | GRILLZILLA | |
| 14 | Fat Kid's BBQ | |
| 15 | Sticks and Stones |
15 entries · top 179.4400 · median 161.6684
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 2 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 3 | QUAU | |
| 4 | BONE COLLECTOR BBQ & CATERING | |
| 5 | Midnight Smoker | |
| 6 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 7 | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE | |
| 8 | Buster Q'ue | |
| 9 | 82'S BBQ CREW | |
| 10 | Blue Island BBQ | |
| 11 | GRILLZILLA | |
| 12 | ARGO PITMASTERS | |
| 13 | Sticks and Stones | |
| 14 | JUST SMOKE | |
| 15 | Fat Kid's BBQ |
15 entries · top 171.9656 · median 166.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUAU | |
| 2 | 82'S BBQ CREW | |
| 3 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 4 | Buster Q'ue | |
| 5 | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE | |
| 6 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 7 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 8 | BONE COLLECTOR BBQ & CATERING | |
| 9 | Midnight Smoker | |
| 10 | Blue Island BBQ | |
| 11 | GRILLZILLA | |
| 12 | Fat Kid's BBQ | |
| 13 | JUST SMOKE | |
| 14 | Sticks and Stones | |
| 15 | ARGO PITMASTERS |