Back-to-back
2 in a row
editions of this contest
BIG "E" BBQ won here last time out too — 2 straight editions of this contest.
- 2015
- 2016
Puckaway Pigfest 2016
Sep 9–10, 2016 · Montello, WI
BIG "E" BBQ won Grand Champion at the Puckaway Pigfest on September 9, 2016 in Montello, WI, scoring 687.9428 in a field of 37 teams. TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI took Reserve Grand Champion with 683.9432. Category winners: Chicken — 43RD PARALLEL BBQ (179.4400); Pork Ribs — SMOKE INFUSION (173.7600); Pork — TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI (173.7144); Brisket — BIG "E" BBQ (176.5600). This is the 4th of 13 editions of this contest on record; the 2015 edition was won by BIG "E" BBQ; the next was held in 2017.
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.
606.90
median 651.31
687.94 🏆
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 173.76
- Pork 173.71
- Brisket 176.56
123.93
179.44
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
37
4 judged meats
Top score
687.9428
Winning margin
3.9996
GC over RC
Field average
649.44
606.90687.94
median 651.31 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
2.2516 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
665.0628
606.90687.94
10th place overall
Field spread
81.0396
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 76%
beats 24% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
61%
20 of 33 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.59 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,524
avg power rating going in · stronger than 17% of contests
Storylines (5 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 dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 13 tracked editions
BIG "E" BBQ has won this contest 3 times across its 13 tracked editions.
- 2015
- 2016
- 2019
Photo finishes
0.0112
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Pork places 8–9: Beer Belly Que edged Pride of America Camping Resort Cook Team by 0.0112. Brisket places 9–10: Beer Belly Que edged B.S. BARBEQUE by 0.0116. Pork Ribs places 4–5: TRUE SMOKE BBQ edged BIG "E" BBQ by 0.0116.
- Pork 8–9 · 0.0112
- Brisket 9–10 · 0.0116
- Pork Ribs 4–5 · 0.0116
- Pork 2–3 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
BIG "E" BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 6th.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 5th
- Pork 6th
- Brisket 1st
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BIG "E" BBQ (won 2015).
- BIG "E" BBQ · 2015
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 6, 2013 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI | 31 | 680.5144 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | BRINGIN' THE HEAT |
| Sep 5, 2014 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI 53949 | 40 | 691.4628 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ |
| Sep 11, 2015 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI 53949 | 33 | 672.1600 | BIG "E" BBQ | A FINE SWINE |
| Sep 9, 2016 ← this one | Montello, WI | Montello , WI | 37 | 687.9428 | BIG "E" BBQ | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 31 | 680.5716 | TURNIN' UP THE HEAT | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW |
| Sep 7, 2018 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 31 | 684.5144 | SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN | BIG "E" BBQ |
| Sep 6, 2019 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 39 | 681.0172 | Big E BBQ | THE BBQ BUS |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 30 | 681.6228 | Que U | WICKED SMOKE BBQ |
| Sep 9, 2022 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 38 | 700.5256 | Que U | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ |
| Sep 8, 2023 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 28 | 684.5256 | The BBQ Bus | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ |
| Sep 6, 2024 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 37 | 694.8000 | Janky Leg BBQ | BURNT TREES BBQ |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 35 | 701.6688 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | QUE U |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 23 | 702.2284 | Hot Daddy's BBQ | Aces High BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 179.4400 | 173.7372 | 169.2116 |
| Pork Ribs | 173.7600 | 167.9656 | 165.6800 |
| Pork | 173.7144 | 171.4628 | 168.5488 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 172.5828 | 166.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
37 entries · top 687.9428 · median 651.3144
Chicken
37 entries · top 179.4400 · median 162.2516
Pork Ribs
37 entries · top 173.7600 · median 161.7144
Pork
37 entries · top 173.7144 · median 165.1084
Brisket
37 entries · top 176.5600 · median 161.6800