Best Dam BBQ
2026-05-23 – 2026-05-24 · Boulder City, NV · State championship
Reps: KATHLEEN MCINTOSH, KELLY MCINTOSH · Prize money: $8,500.00
Grand Champion: Big Johns BBQ Company (700.4912) · 33 teams
Entries
33
4 categories
Top score
700.4912
Winning margin
1.1428
GC over RC
Field average
670.12
median 687.43
Perfect 180s
3 🔥
Tightest race
Chicken
1.1428 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
691.4060
what a walk cost here
Field spread
232.1140
winner to last place
Prize money
$8,500.00
on the line
Double threats
1
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 33%
beats 67% of 2715 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1554
avg power rating going in · stronger than 59% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1428 points — closer than 81% of every championship in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Big Johns BBQ Company took the Grand Championship home to CA.
🔥 A day of perfect scores
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
🃏 An upset on the books
Big Johns BBQ Company came in rated below the field's top team, Meat Candy Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 26-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-05-26 | 37 | 699.4172 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 2025-05-23 | Boulder City, NV | 29 | 703.9656 | Tuffy's BBQ |
| 2026-05-23 ← this one | Boulder City, NV | 33 | 700.4912 | Big Johns BBQ Company |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series — Brisket
33 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.5256 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 2 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 4 | Bad Boys | |
| 5 | HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ | |
| 6 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 7 | Uncle Jesse's BBQ | |
| 8 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 9 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 10 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 11 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 12 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 13 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 14 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 15 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 16 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 17 | Vegas Grillbillies | |
| 18 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 19 | 5XL BBQ | |
| 20 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 21 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 22 | WILD WILLY'S SMOKIN HOT BBQ | |
| 23 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 24 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 25 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 26 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 27 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 28 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 29 | LUCKY LADIES BBQ | |
| 30 | Churchill Down | |
| 31 | Jay's Stupid BBQ | |
| 32 | Rollin Smoke Barbeque | |
| 33 | Smokilicious BBQ |
Master Series — Chicken
32 entries · top 180.0000 · median 172.5370 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 2 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 3 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 4 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 5 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 6 | Uncle Jesse's BBQ | |
| 7 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 8 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 9 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 10 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 11 | HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 13 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 14 | Bad Boys | |
| 15 | 5XL BBQ | |
| 16 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 18 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 19 | Vegas Grillbillies | |
| 20 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 21 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 22 | WILD WILLY'S SMOKIN HOT BBQ | |
| 23 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 24 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 25 | Jay's Stupid BBQ | |
| 26 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 27 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 28 | Smokilicious BBQ | |
| 29 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 30 | LUCKY LADIES BBQ | |
| 31 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 32 | Churchill Down |
Master Series — Overall
33 entries · top 700.4912 · median 687.4288
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 2 | Uncle Jesse's BBQ | |
| 3 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 4 | Bad Boys | |
| 5 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 6 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 7 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 9 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 10 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 11 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 12 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 13 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 14 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 15 | HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ | |
| 16 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 17 | 5XL BBQ | |
| 18 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 19 | Vegas Grillbillies | |
| 20 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 21 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 22 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 23 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 24 | WILD WILLY'S SMOKIN HOT BBQ | |
| 25 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 26 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 27 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 28 | LUCKY LADIES BBQ | |
| 29 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 30 | Smokilicious BBQ | |
| 31 | Jay's Stupid BBQ | |
| 32 | Churchill Down | |
| 33 | Rollin Smoke Barbeque |
Master Series — Pork
33 entries · top 177.7028 · median 170.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 2 | 5XL BBQ | |
| 3 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 4 | Uncle Jesse's BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 6 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 7 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 8 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 9 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 10 | LUCKY LADIES BBQ | |
| 11 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 12 | Bad Boys | |
| 13 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 14 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 15 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 16 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 17 | Vegas Grillbillies | |
| 18 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 19 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 20 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 21 | HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ | |
| 22 | Bowling Bro's BBQ | |
| 23 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 24 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 25 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 26 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 27 | WILD WILLY'S SMOKIN HOT BBQ | |
| 28 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 29 | Rollin Smoke Barbeque | |
| 30 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 31 | Jay's Stupid BBQ | |
| 32 | Smokilicious BBQ | |
| 33 | Churchill Down |
Master Series — Pork Ribs
33 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Johns BBQ Company | |
| 2 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 3 | Wild West BBQ | |
| 4 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 5 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 6 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 7 | MAR-B-QUE'S BBQ | |
| 8 | Big Juicy BBQ | |
| 9 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 10 | WILD WILLY'S SMOKIN HOT BBQ | |
| 11 | Vegas Grillbillies | |
| 12 | RACK CITY BBQ | |
| 13 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 14 | All About Smokin Q | |
| 15 | Q LIVE CREW | |
| 16 | Bad Boys | |
| 17 | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | |
| 18 | Uncle Jesse's BBQ | |
| 19 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 20 | 5XL BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | |
| 22 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 23 | HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ | |
| 24 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 25 | Smokilicious BBQ | |
| 26 | STEVE'S PIG PIKINS BBQ | |
| 27 | Pork Bombin BBQ | |
| 28 | Rollin Smoke Barbeque | |
| 29 | LUCKY LADIES BBQ | |
| 30 | The Smokin' B.A.R. | |
| 31 | Jay's Stupid BBQ | |
| 32 | Churchill Down | |
| 33 | Bowling Bro's BBQ |