Montana Pitmaster Classic
2019-08-23 – 2019-08-24 · Bozeman, MT · 📍 1243 Oak St · State championship
Reps: TROY YOUNGBLOOD · Prize money: $13,000.00
Grand Champion: MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ (691.9888) · 29 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 CAMP HOUSE BBQ
Entries
29
4 judged meats
Top score
691.9888
Winning margin
6.2748
GC over RC
Field average
620.45
median 636.95
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4400 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
646.2400
10th place overall
Field spread
322.1376
winner to last place
Prize money
$13,000.00
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 80%
beats 20% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
17%
of the 29 teams with a home region came from outside MT
Form held
Weak
ρ = -0.26 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1500
avg power rating going in · stronger than 2% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ has won this contest 4 times across its 8 tracked editions.
🧹 A double category winner
CAMP HOUSE BBQ won Chicken, Pork — a double.
📸 Photo finishes
Pork places 4–5: BEER BELLY BBQ and GRATE EXPECTATIONS tied on 172.5484 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 3–4: MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ edged 202 BBQ Montana by 0.0116. Pork Ribs places 9–10: 12 BAR BLUES CUE edged BLUE LINE BBQ by 0.0116.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ (won 2017, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-25 | 1243 Oak St | 20 | 681.6684 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 2018-08-24 | 1243 Oak St | 26 | 698.2740 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 2019-08-23 ← this one | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak St | 29 | 691.9888 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | CAMP HOUSE BBQ |
| 2021-08-27 | Bozeman, MT | Bozeman, MT 59717 | 31 | 711.4172 | Montana Outlaw BBQ | BEER BELLY BBQ |
| 2022-08-26 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 37 | 706.8688 | BEER BELLY BBQ | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ |
| 2023-08-25 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 44 | 705.2116 | Bushmaster BBQ | SMELLAQUE |
| 2024-08-23 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 39 | 713.1544 | Piggin' Whiskey | BURNT TREES BBQ |
| 2025-08-22 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 38 | 704.5600 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | Mountain Smoke BBQ |
| 2026-08-28 | Bozeman, MT | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 174.2856 | 170.8456 | 167.9656 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.9028 | 168.5600 | 163.9884 |
| Pork | 176.0000 | 172.5484 | 159.9428 |
| Brisket | 175.4056 | 168.5372 | 163.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
29 entries · top 691.9888 · median 636.9484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 2 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 3 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 4 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 5 | ROCKIN' N BBQ | |
| 6 | 202 BBQ Montana | |
| 7 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 8 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 9 | Outta Left Field BBQ | |
| 10 | Ball-n-Chain BBQ | |
| 11 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 12 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 13 | BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 15 | CAMP CHEF | |
| 16 | G STRONG BBQ | |
| 17 | GRUMPS BBQ | |
| 18 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 19 | BROKEN BARREL BBQ & KITCHEN | |
| 20 | SPICE GRILLS | |
| 21 | TASTE OF MITCH | |
| 22 | KICK BACK BBQ | |
| 23 | ROSIE'S TOOL | |
| 24 | CHEF'S TABLE FOOD TRUCK | |
| 25 | ODD SQUAD BBQ | |
| 26 | RANDOM GUYS SMOKING | |
| 27 | RUSTY GRILLSWALD | |
| 28 | Q MCB'S BBQ | |
| 29 | BRYAN STUCKY |
Chicken
29 entries · top 174.2856 · median 159.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 2 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 3 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 4 | 202 BBQ Montana | |
| 5 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 6 | CAMP CHEF | |
| 7 | Ball-n-Chain BBQ | |
| 8 | GRUMPS BBQ | |
| 9 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 10 | BRYAN STUCKY | |
| 11 | ROCKIN' N BBQ | |
| 12 | BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 13 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 14 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 15 | Outta Left Field BBQ | |
| 16 | G STRONG BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 18 | Q MCB'S BBQ | |
| 19 | ODD SQUAD BBQ | |
| 20 | CHEF'S TABLE FOOD TRUCK | |
| 21 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 22 | BROKEN BARREL BBQ & KITCHEN | |
| 23 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 24 | SPICE GRILLS | |
| 25 | TASTE OF MITCH | |
| 26 | RANDOM GUYS SMOKING | |
| 27 | ROSIE'S TOOL | |
| 28 | RUSTY GRILLSWALD | |
| 29 | KICK BACK BBQ |
Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 174.9028 · median 161.1086
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROCKIN' N BBQ | |
| 2 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 3 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 4 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 5 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 6 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 7 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 8 | Outta Left Field BBQ | |
| 9 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 10 | BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 11 | BRYAN STUCKY | |
| 12 | SPICE GRILLS | |
| 13 | Ball-n-Chain BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 15 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 16 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 17 | BROKEN BARREL BBQ & KITCHEN | |
| 18 | KICK BACK BBQ | |
| 19 | CAMP CHEF | |
| 20 | ROSIE'S TOOL | |
| 21 | 202 BBQ Montana | |
| 22 | G STRONG BBQ | |
| 23 | RANDOM GUYS SMOKING | |
| 24 | TASTE OF MITCH | |
| 25 | GRUMPS BBQ | |
| 26 | ODD SQUAD BBQ | |
| 27 | RUSTY GRILLSWALD | |
| 28 | CHEF'S TABLE FOOD TRUCK |
Pork
29 entries · top 176.0000 · median 152.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 2 | 202 BBQ Montana | |
| 3 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 4 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 5 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 6 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 7 | ROCKIN' N BBQ | |
| 8 | G STRONG BBQ | |
| 9 | Ball-n-Chain BBQ | |
| 10 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 11 | Outta Left Field BBQ | |
| 12 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 14 | KICK BACK BBQ | |
| 15 | TASTE OF MITCH | |
| 16 | RANDOM GUYS SMOKING | |
| 17 | CHEF'S TABLE FOOD TRUCK | |
| 18 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 19 | GRUMPS BBQ | |
| 20 | RUSTY GRILLSWALD | |
| 21 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 22 | Q MCB'S BBQ | |
| 23 | CAMP CHEF | |
| 24 | BROKEN BARREL BBQ & KITCHEN | |
| 25 | BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 26 | ODD SQUAD BBQ | |
| 27 | SPICE GRILLS | |
| 28 | ROSIE'S TOOL | |
| 29 | BRYAN STUCKY |
Brisket
28 entries · top 175.4056 · median 162.5370
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 2 | YOU NEED A BBQ | |
| 3 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 4 | 202 BBQ Montana | |
| 5 | GRATE EXPECTATIONS | |
| 6 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 7 | Outta Left Field BBQ | |
| 8 | BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 9 | GRUMPS BBQ | |
| 10 | ROCKIN' N BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN JERKS | |
| 12 | UP IN SMOKE BBQ | |
| 13 | BROKEN BARREL BBQ & KITCHEN | |
| 14 | CAMP CHEF | |
| 15 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 16 | ROSIE'S TOOL | |
| 17 | G STRONG BBQ | |
| 18 | SPICE GRILLS | |
| 19 | Poor Richard's BBQ | |
| 20 | ODD SQUAD BBQ | |
| 21 | Ball-n-Chain BBQ | |
| 22 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 23 | CHEF'S TABLE FOOD TRUCK | |
| 24 | RUSTY GRILLSWALD | |
| 25 | TASTE OF MITCH | |
| 26 | KICK BACK BBQ | |
| 27 | Q MCB'S BBQ | |
| 28 | RANDOM GUYS SMOKING |