2018-06-01 – 2018-06-02 · Owatonna, MN · 📍 1525 South Cedar st, Steele County Fairgrounds
Grand Champion: HOGLINE (697.6688) · 45 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA
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.
Closer than 88% of the 4,742 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5948 points — closer than 88% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100
Hogline came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Pork Ribs places 3–4: HOGLINE and LUCKY'S Q tied on 176.5716 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 4–5: CITY SLICKERS BBQ and TOTALLY SAUCED tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 5–6: TOTALLY SAUCED and LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HOGLINE took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 24th.
CITY SLICKERS BBQ turned in 180.0000 in chicken — past the 177.1544 that had stood across 4 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: LUCKY'S Q (won 2014), GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA (won 2017).
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-05-31 | Owatonna, MN | Owatonna, MN | 51 | 697.7148 | TIPPYCANOE BBQ CREW | JAESTAR BBQ |
| 2014-05-30 | Owatonna, MN | Owatonna, MN 55060 | 67 | 699.4056 | LUCKY'S Q | PIGSKIN BBQ |
| 2016-06-03 | Owatonna, MN | Owatonna, MN 55060 | 53 | 689.6684 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | BIG T'Z Q CRU |
| 2017-06-02 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 South Cedar st, Steele County Fairgrounds | 46 | 691.3140 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW |
| 2018-06-01 ← this one | Owatonna, MN | 1525 South Cedar st, Steele County Fairgrounds | 45 | 697.6688 | HOGLINE | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA |
| 2019-05-31 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 South Cedar Ave | 43 | 697.6916 | Lucky 19 Sauce Co | HOGLINE |
| 2022-06-03 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 S Cedar Ave | 33 | 689.6684 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ |
| 2023-06-02 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 S Cedar Ave | 29 | 692.5600 | Wags Backwoods BBQ | HOT DADDY'S BBQ |
| 2024-05-31 | Owatonna, MN | 1525 S Cedar Ave | 32 | 699.9656 | T-Rex bbq | MACHETE BOYS BBQ |
| 2025-05-30 | Owatonna, MN | 18th St SE & Elm Ave | 28 | 697.0856 | Dry 2 Da Bone | HOT DADDY'S BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180.0000 | 175.4172 | 171.4056 |
| Pork Ribs | 180.0000 | 176.5600 | 169.7372 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 173.7144 | 171.9888 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 174.2628 | 170.8456 |
45 entries · top 697.6688 · median 663.3028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOGLINE | |
| 2 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 3 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 4 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 5 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 6 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 7 | TOTALLY SAUCED | |
| 8 | SONS OF BUTCHERS | |
| 9 | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW | |
| 10 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 11 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 12 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 13 | PO PO PORK | |
| 14 | UTAH BBQ COMPANY | |
| 15 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 16 | BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ | |
| 17 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 18 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 19 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 20 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 21 | SWAMPVIEW BBQ | |
| 22 | NAGAN FOR MORE BBQ | |
| 23 | CROIX VALLEY SAUCES | |
| 24 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 25 | SMOKIN THE BONE | |
| 26 | FLYING ACES BBQ | |
| 27 | MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 28 | FNG BBQ | |
| 29 | IOWA BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 30 | CASE OF RIBS | |
| 31 | GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ | |
| 32 | THE Q CREW | |
| 33 | Ques Yer Daddy | |
| 34 | 3 BRATS AND A COCKTAIL WEENIE | |
| 35 | OD'S QUE | |
| 36 | Nobody | |
| 37 | BUGHOUSE BBQ | |
| 38 | ROOT RIVER BOTTOM SMOKER | |
| 39 | Smokin' G's BBQ | |
| 40 | Smokin Fat Racks | |
| 41 | TATTOO BARBEQUE MN | |
| 42 | PAPA BEAR BAR-B-QUE | |
| 43 | PIGGY BLUES CREW | |
| 44 | 3 THIRDS BBQ | |
| 45 | TRIPLE T BBQ |
45 entries · top 180.0000 · median 166.8112 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 2 | HOGLINE | |
| 3 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 4 | SMOKIN THE BONE | |
| 5 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 6 | TOTALLY SAUCED | |
| 7 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 8 | SONS OF BUTCHERS | |
| 9 | BUGHOUSE BBQ | |
| 10 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 11 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 12 | BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 14 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 15 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 16 | PO PO PORK | |
| 17 | FLYING ACES BBQ | |
| 18 | MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 19 | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW | |
| 20 | GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ | |
| 21 | OD'S QUE | |
| 22 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 23 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 24 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 25 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 26 | UTAH BBQ COMPANY | |
| 27 | CROIX VALLEY SAUCES | |
| 28 | THE Q CREW | |
| 29 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 30 | FNG BBQ | |
| 31 | TATTOO BARBEQUE MN | |
| 32 | NAGAN FOR MORE BBQ | |
| 33 | CASE OF RIBS | |
| 34 | SWAMPVIEW BBQ | |
| 35 | IOWA BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 36 | 3 BRATS AND A COCKTAIL WEENIE | |
| 37 | Ques Yer Daddy | |
| 38 | PIGGY BLUES CREW | |
| 39 | PAPA BEAR BAR-B-QUE | |
| 40 | Nobody | |
| 41 | Smokin Fat Racks | |
| 42 | ROOT RIVER BOTTOM SMOKER | |
| 43 | Smokin' G's BBQ | |
| 44 | 3 THIRDS BBQ | |
| 45 | TRIPLE T BBQ |
43 entries · top 180.0000 · median 164.5488 · 🔥 perfect 180
42 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.6742
43 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.0972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOGLINE | |
| 2 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 3 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 4 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 5 | TOTALLY SAUCED | |
| 6 | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW | |
| 7 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 8 | SWAMPVIEW BBQ | |
| 9 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 10 | UTAH BBQ COMPANY | |
| 11 | PO PO PORK | |
| 12 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 13 | SONS OF BUTCHERS | |
| 14 | CROIX VALLEY SAUCES | |
| 15 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 16 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | |
| 17 | SMOKERS PURGATORY | |
| 18 | GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ | |
| 19 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 20 | IOWA BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 21 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 22 | NAGAN FOR MORE BBQ | |
| 23 | BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ | |
| 24 | RUB MY RACK | |
| 25 | SMOKIN THE BONE | |
| 26 | OD'S QUE | |
| 27 | BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ | |
| 28 | CASE OF RIBS | |
| 29 | ROOT RIVER BOTTOM SMOKER | |
| 30 | MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 31 | DRY 2 DA BONE | |
| 32 | Smokin' G's BBQ | |
| 33 | Ques Yer Daddy | |
| 34 | 3 BRATS AND A COCKTAIL WEENIE | |
| 35 | FNG BBQ | |
| 36 | FLYING ACES BBQ | |
| 37 | Nobody | |
| 38 | 3 THIRDS BBQ | |
| 39 | THE Q CREW | |
| 40 | BUGHOUSE BBQ | |
| 41 | PAPA BEAR BAR-B-QUE | |
| 42 | Smokin Fat Racks | |
| 43 | TATTOO BARBEQUE MN |
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.
33 entries · top 180.0000 · median 162.8116 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CASE OF RIBS | |
| 2 | UTAH BBQ COMPANY | |
| 3 | MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 4 | PO PO PORK | |
| 5 | SLAP SHOT BBQ | |
| 6 | CROIX VALLEY SAUCES | |
| 7 | LUCKY'S Q | |
| 8 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 9 | SMOKIN EGGHEADS | |
| 10 | SMOKIN THE BONE | |
| 11 | DAD BOD BBQ | |
| 12 | Smokin' G's BBQ | |
| 13 | Ques Yer Daddy | |
| 14 | Nobody | |
| 15 | C R BUTTS SMOKE | |
| 16 | BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ | |
| 17 | FLYING ACES BBQ | |
| 18 | Baby Blue Eyes | |
| 19 | Machette Boys BBQ | |
| 20 | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW | |
| 21 | IOWA BONEHEAD BBQ | |
| 22 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 23 | ROOT RIVER BOTTOM SMOKER | |
| 24 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 25 | SWAMPVIEW BBQ | |
| 26 | Smok'in Barrel | |
| 27 | 3 THIRDS BBQ | |
| 28 | TATTOO BARBEQUE MN | |
| 29 | Ash Kickers | |
| 30 | PAPA BEAR BAR-B-QUE | |
| 31 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | |
| 32 | NAGAN FOR MORE BBQ | |
| 33 | Ugly Baby |