Montana BBQ Cook-Off
2019-06-22 – 2019-06-23 · Absarokee, MT · 📍 Hwy 78 · State championship
Reps: MICHAEL EBERLE, TROY YOUNGBLOOD · Prize money: $10,000.00
Grand Champion: Parrothead Smokers (699.9196) · 29 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ
Entries
29
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
699.9196
Winning margin
4.5136
GC over RC
Field average
639.10
median 653.59
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
3.4516 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
672.4800
10th place overall
Field spread
264.0684
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,000.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 49%
beats 51% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
34%
of the 29 teams with a home region came from outside MT
Form held
Weak
ρ = -0.15 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1501
avg power rating going in · stronger than 4% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS has won this contest 3 times across its 9 tracked editions.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS took the Grand Championship home to SD.
🧹 A double category winner
HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ won Pork Ribs, Pork — a double.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 8–9: HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ and 202 BBQ tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: PAPA'S PIT CREW and 202 BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 5–6: GRATE EXPECTATIONS and Blue Line BBQ tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (won 2014, 2017), HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ (won 2018).
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
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-06 | Absarokee, MT | 22 | 650.2858 | LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2014-07-05 | Absarokee, MT 59001 | 25 | 694.3316 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | SUNRISE BBQ | |
| 2015-07-03 | Absarokee, MT 59001 | 29 | 696.5828 | LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | |
| 2016-06-25 | Downtown Absarokee | 29 | 701.7144 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | |
| 2017-06-24 | Hwy 78 | 35 | 701.1200 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 2018-06-23 | Hwy 78 | 26 | 695.9660 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2019-06-22 ← this one | Absarokee, MT | Hwy 78 | 29 | 699.9196 | Parrothead Smokers | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ |
| 2021-06-11 | Absarokee, MT | Woodard Ave | 27 | 708.5600 | Texas Smoke Whisperer | Bushmaster BBQ |
| 2022-06-10 | Absarokee, MT | Woodard Ave | 27 | 693.6112 | Stoake-D-Fire.com | OWENS BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1428 | 173.1084 | 170.8112 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 174.2628 | 168.5944 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 172.5600 | 170.2744 |
| Brisket | 178.2972 | 173.7028 | 167.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
29 entries · top 699.9196 · median 653.5884
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 3 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 4 | HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ | |
| 5 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 6 | 202 BBQ | |
| 7 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 8 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 9 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 10 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 11 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 12 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 14 | Outta Retirement BBQ | |
| 15 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 16 | Rolling Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | Southern Hospitality | |
| 18 | Rockin N BBQ | |
| 19 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 20 | MT Big Sky BBQ | |
| 21 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 22 | LONGBOARD BBQ | |
| 23 | Absarokee Ambulance Dept | |
| 24 | Rosies Tool | |
| 25 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 26 | Absarokee Fire Dept | |
| 27 | Hot Wheels | |
| 28 | Broken Tub BBQ | |
| 29 | Kyle Kelly BBQ |
Chicken
29 entries · top 177.1428 · median 165.0972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 3 | HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ | |
| 4 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 5 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 6 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 7 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 8 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 9 | 202 BBQ | |
| 10 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 11 | Outta Retirement BBQ | |
| 12 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 13 | MT Big Sky BBQ | |
| 14 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 15 | Rolling Smoke BBQ | |
| 16 | Rockin N BBQ | |
| 17 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 18 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 19 | Southern Hospitality | |
| 20 | Absarokee Ambulance Dept | |
| 21 | Absarokee Fire Dept | |
| 22 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 23 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 24 | Rosies Tool | |
| 25 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 26 | LONGBOARD BBQ | |
| 27 | Hot Wheels | |
| 28 | Broken Tub BBQ | |
| 29 | Kyle Kelly BBQ |
Pork Ribs
29 entries · top 177.7144 · median 164.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 2 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 3 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 4 | 202 BBQ | |
| 5 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 6 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 7 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 8 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 9 | HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ | |
| 10 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 11 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 12 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 13 | Rosies Tool | |
| 14 | Outta Retirement BBQ | |
| 15 | Southern Hospitality | |
| 16 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 17 | Rockin N BBQ | |
| 18 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 19 | Rolling Smoke BBQ | |
| 20 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 21 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 22 | Absarokee Fire Dept | |
| 23 | MT Big Sky BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 25 | Hot Wheels | |
| 26 | Absarokee Ambulance Dept | |
| 27 | LONGBOARD BBQ | |
| 28 | Broken Tub BBQ | |
| 29 | Kyle Kelly BBQ |
Pork
29 entries · top 178.8572 · median 162.2516
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 2 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 3 | HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ | |
| 4 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 5 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 6 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 8 | Rockin N BBQ | |
| 9 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 10 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 11 | Outta Retirement BBQ | |
| 12 | Southern Hospitality | |
| 13 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 14 | MT Big Sky BBQ | |
| 15 | 202 BBQ | |
| 16 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 17 | LONGBOARD BBQ | |
| 18 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 19 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 20 | Absarokee Ambulance Dept | |
| 21 | Rolling Smoke BBQ | |
| 22 | Rosies Tool | |
| 23 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 25 | Hot Wheels | |
| 26 | Absarokee Fire Dept | |
| 27 | Broken Tub BBQ | |
| 28 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 29 | Kyle Kelly BBQ |
Brisket
29 entries · top 178.2972 · median 159.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 2 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 3 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 4 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 5 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 6 | 202 BBQ | |
| 7 | HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ | |
| 8 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 9 | Rolling Smoke BBQ | |
| 10 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 11 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 12 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 13 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 14 | G AND L BBQ | |
| 15 | MT Big Sky BBQ | |
| 16 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 17 | Blue Line BBQ | |
| 18 | Southern Hospitality | |
| 19 | LONGBOARD BBQ | |
| 20 | Outta Retirement BBQ | |
| 21 | Kyle Kelly BBQ | |
| 22 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 23 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 24 | Rockin N BBQ | |
| 25 | Absarokee Ambulance Dept | |
| 26 | Hot Wheels | |
| 27 | Absarokee Fire Dept | |
| 28 | Broken Tub BBQ | |
| 29 | Rosies Tool |
Ancillary categories
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.
Ancillary — Anything Goes
19 entries · top 180.0000 · median 170.2972 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 2 | HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ | |
| 3 | Rolling Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | Broken Tub BBQ | |
| 5 | Absarokee Ambulance Dept | |
| 6 | MT Big Sky BBQ | |
| 7 | 202 BBQ | |
| 8 | LONGBOARD BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 10 | BURNINTHE BONE BBQ | |
| 11 | BIG PIG BBQ | |
| 12 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 13 | Absarokee Fire Dept | |
| 14 | YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG | |
| 15 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 16 | Southern Hospitality | |
| 17 | Rosies Tool | |
| 18 | POPPIN' SMOKE | |
| 19 | Blue Line BBQ |