Montana BBQ Cookoff
2026-06-12 – 2026-06-13 · Absarokee, MT · State championship
Reps: DEL ANDERSON, FORREST BRUCE · Prize money: $9,200.00
Grand Champion: Smellaque (691.9428) · 29 teams
Entries
29
5 categories
Top score
691.9428
Winning margin
3.4516
GC over RC
Field average
657.95
median 675.35
Perfect 180s
6 🔥
Tightest race
Ancillary — Anything goes
0.0000 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
678.2172
what a walk cost here
Field spread
309.1772
winner to last place
Prize money
$9,200.00
on the line
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 58%
beats 42% of 2713 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1574
avg power rating going in · stronger than 77% of contests
Storylines
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
SMELLAQUE took the Grand Championship home to AB.
🔥 A day of perfect scores
6 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-09 | Absarokee, MT | 36 | 707.4400 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ |
| 2024-06-07 | Absarokee, MT | 28 | 703.9772 | Bushmaster BBQ |
| 2025-06-13 | Absarokee, MT | 33 | 691.3828 | Heifers, Butts, & Clucks BBQ |
| 2026-06-12 ← this one | Absarokee, MT | 29 | 691.9428 | Smellaque |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Ancillary — Anything goes
11 entries · top 180.0000 · median 178.3200 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 2 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 3 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 4 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 5 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 6 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 7 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 8 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 9 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 10 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 11 | Q McB's BBQ |
Master Series — Brisket
29 entries · top 173.7028 · median 166.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 3 | Texas Smoke Whisperer | |
| 4 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 5 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 6 | At Ease | |
| 7 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 8 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 9 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 10 | Monarch BBQ | |
| 11 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 12 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 13 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 14 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 15 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 16 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 17 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 18 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 19 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 20 | Heifers, Butts, and Clucks BBQ | |
| 21 | BEEHIVE BARBEQUE | |
| 22 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 23 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 24 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 25 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 26 | Frank's BBQ Trading Post | |
| 27 | My Meat In Your Mouth | |
| 28 | Q McB's BBQ | |
| 29 | BIG PIG BBQ |
Master Series — Chicken
28 entries · top 178.2972 · median 170.5428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 2 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 3 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 4 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 5 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 6 | Heifers, Butts, and Clucks BBQ | |
| 7 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 8 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 9 | Texas Smoke Whisperer | |
| 10 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 12 | Monarch BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 14 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 15 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 16 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 17 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 18 | BEEHIVE BARBEQUE | |
| 19 | Frank's BBQ Trading Post | |
| 20 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 21 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 22 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 23 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 24 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 25 | At Ease | |
| 26 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 27 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 28 | Q McB's BBQ |
Master Series — Overall
29 entries · top 691.9428 · median 675.3480
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 2 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 3 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 4 | Texas Smoke Whisperer | |
| 5 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 7 | Heifers, Butts, and Clucks BBQ | |
| 8 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 9 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 10 | Monarch BBQ | |
| 11 | At Ease | |
| 12 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 13 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 14 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 15 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 16 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 17 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 18 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 19 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 20 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 21 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 22 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 23 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 24 | BEEHIVE BARBEQUE | |
| 25 | Frank's BBQ Trading Post | |
| 26 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 27 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 28 | Q McB's BBQ | |
| 29 | My Meat In Your Mouth |
Master Series — Pork
29 entries · top 176.5944 · median 167.4284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 2 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 3 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 4 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 5 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 6 | At Ease | |
| 7 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 8 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 9 | Texas Smoke Whisperer | |
| 10 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 11 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 12 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 13 | Heifers, Butts, and Clucks BBQ | |
| 14 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 15 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 16 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 17 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 18 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 19 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 20 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 21 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 22 | Monarch BBQ | |
| 23 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 24 | Frank's BBQ Trading Post | |
| 25 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 26 | BEEHIVE BARBEQUE | |
| 27 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 28 | Q McB's BBQ | |
| 29 | My Meat In Your Mouth |
Master Series — Pork Ribs
29 entries · top 180.0000 · median 169.1428 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 2 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | |
| 3 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 4 | Heifers, Butts, and Clucks BBQ | |
| 5 | Monarch BBQ | |
| 6 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 7 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 8 | At Ease | |
| 9 | CHICKEN FRIED BBQ | |
| 10 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 11 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 12 | WYO SMOKE SHOW | |
| 13 | B-S BBQ OUTLAWS | |
| 14 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 15 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | |
| 16 | Texas Smoke Whisperer | |
| 17 | BEEHIVE BARBEQUE | |
| 18 | 1 Bite BBQ | |
| 19 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 20 | Smoke on the Water BBQ | |
| 21 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 22 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 23 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 24 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 25 | Frank's BBQ Trading Post | |
| 26 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 27 | Q McB's BBQ | |
| 28 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 29 | My Meat In Your Mouth |