Jun 3–4, 2016 · Owatonna, MN
WOODWARD BARBEQUE won Grand Champion at the Smokin in Steele on June 3, 2016 in Owatonna, MN, scoring 689.6684 in a field of 53 teams. BIG T'Z Q CRU took Reserve Grand Champion with 683.9088. Category winners: Chicken — BIG T'Z Q CRU (176.0000); Pork Ribs — FNG BBQ (177.7028); Pork — SMOKIN PUP (178.8572); Brisket — PIGSKIN BBQ (180.0000). This is the 3rd of 10 editions of this contest on record; the 2014 edition was won by LUCKY'S Q; the next was held in 2017.
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, 2013 to 2025 — 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.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 65 times in 100
WOODWARD BARBEQUE came in rated below the field's top team, Pig Skin BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 35-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
WOODWARD BARBEQUE won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
Chicken places 9–10: SHIGGIN & GRINNIN and BLACK DOG BBQ IA tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 6–7: LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY and SMOKIN PUP tied on 173.7260 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 8–9: HOGLINE and MARIE'S tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: LUCKY'S Q (won 2014).
This contest was away for 2 years — the previous tracked edition ran on 2014-05-30.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2013 | Owatonna, MN | Owatonna, MN | 51 | 697.7148 | TIPPYCANOE BBQ CREW | JAESTAR BBQ |
| May 30, 2014 | Owatonna, MN | Owatonna, MN 55060 | 67 | 699.4056 | LUCKY'S Q | PIGSKIN BBQ |
| Jun 3, 2016 ← this one | Owatonna, MN | Owatonna, MN 55060 | 53 | 689.6684 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | BIG T'Z Q CRU |
| Jun 2, 2017 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 South Cedar st, Steele County Fairgrounds | 46 | 691.3140 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW |
| Jun 1, 2018 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 South Cedar st, Steele County Fairgrounds | 45 | 697.6688 | HOGLINE | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA |
| May 31, 2019 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 South Cedar Ave | 43 | 697.6916 | Lucky 19 Sauce Co | HOGLINE |
| Jun 3, 2022 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 S Cedar Ave | 33 | 689.6684 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| Jun 2, 2023 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 S Cedar Ave | 29 | 692.5600 | Wags Backwoods BBQ | HOT DADDY'S BBQ |
| May 31, 2024 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 S Cedar Ave | 32 | 699.9656 | T-Rex bbq | MACHETE BOYS BBQ |
| May 30, 2025 | Owatonna, MN | 18th St SE & Elm Ave | 28 | 697.0856 | Dry 2 Da Bone | HOT DADDY'S BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176 | 174.2744 | 171.9656 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7028 | 174.2628 | 170.8228 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 173.1428 | 170.8228 |
| Brisket | 180 | 174.2628 | 169.1544 |
53 entries · top 689.6684 · median 653.0168
50 entries · top 176 · median 164.8342
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 2 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | |
| 3 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 4 | QUETOPIA | |
| 5 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 6 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 7 | OVERSIZE LOAD BBQ | |
| 8 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 9 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 10 | BLACK DOG BBQ IA | |
| 11 | SONS OF BUTCHERS | |
| 12 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 13 | Croix Valley Sauces | |
| 14 | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 15 | IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 16 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 17 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 18 | GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ | |
| 19 | CASE OF RIBS | |
| 20 | BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ | |
| 21 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 22 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 23 | PIG APPROVED BBQ | |
| 24 | Fergolicious BBQ | |
| 25 | BIG AL'S GHETTO HOGS | |
| 26 | Smokin Fat Racks | |
| 27 | MARK'S SMOKIN QUE | |
| 28 | BARK 'N BONES BBQ | |
| 29 | HOGLINE | |
| 30 | BUGHOUSE BBQ | |
| 31 | LUCKY BRISKET | |
| 32 | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW | |
| 33 | SMOKIN BONES - MN | |
| 34 | BIGBRAD'S BBQ | |
| 35 | 3 THIRDS BBQ | |
| 36 | FNG BBQ | |
| 37 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 38 | Piggy Blues BBQ | |
| 39 | FULL BOAR BBQ | |
| 40 | DRAWN TO SMOKE | |
| 41 | CROW RIVER BBQ | |
| 42 | MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 43 | UHLENHOPP'S SWEET N HEAT | |
| 44 | SWAMPVIEW BBQ | |
| 45 | MARIE'S | |
| 46 | B.S. BARBEQUE | |
| 47 | FARMBOY BBQ | |
| 48 | LERMON BBQ | |
| 49 | SMOKIN PUP | |
| 50 | THE Q CREW |
52 entries · top 177.7028 · median 161.3944
51 entries · top 178.8572 · median 163.9428
51 entries · top 180 · median 163.4056 · 🔥 perfect 180
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.
13 entries · top 180 · median 175.4172 · 🔥 perfect 180