May 31 – Jun 1, 2019 · Owatonna, MN · 📍 1525 South Cedar Ave · State championship
Reps: Cindy Juhl, Tom Juhl · Prize money: $11,250
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY won Grand Champion at the Smokin In Steele on May 31, 2019 in Owatonna, MN at 1525 South Cedar Ave, scoring 697.6916 in a field of 43 teams. HOGLINE took Reserve Grand Champion with 694.7768. Category winners: Chicken — LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY (177.7144); Pork Ribs — PO PO PORK (177.7144); Pork — TOTALLY SAUCED (176.5716); Brisket — HOGLINE (176.5600). This is the 6th of 10 editions of this contest on record; the 2018 edition was won by HOGLINE; the next was held in 2022.
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 80 times in 100
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY came in rated below the field's top team, LUCKY'S Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 20-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Chicken places 7–8: THE DOCFATHER BBQ and PO PO PORK tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 1–2: PO PO PORK and LUCKY'S Q tied on 177.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 4–5: BEND OF THE RIVER BBQ and GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA tied on 174.2744 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 8th.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: LUCKY'S Q (won 2014), GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA (won 2017), HOGLINE (won 2018).
| 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 | 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 ← this one | 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 | 177.7144 | 174.8572 | 173.1084 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 173.1428 | 169.6800 |
| Pork | 176.5716 | 174.2744 | 171.4056 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 171.9656 | 169.1428 |
43 entries · top 697.6916 · median 655.4176
43 entries · top 177.7144 · median 166.2856
43 entries · top 177.7144 · median 162.2744
43 entries · top 176.5716 · median 167.9656
43 entries · top 176.5600 · median 162.2516