Aug 28–29, 2026 · Lincoln, IL · 📍 601 Pulaski Street
Reps: Brandon Bressner, David Burstein · Prize money: $5,000
Smokin E's BBQ won Grand Champion at the Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) on August 28, 2026 in Lincoln, IL at 601 Pulaski Street, scoring 349.6916 in a field of 16 teams. E Squared BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 347.9656. Category winners: Chicken — Smokin E's BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Smoked by the Brooks (176.0116). This is the 12th of 12 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Electro-Que-ted.
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 2019 — 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 67 times in 100
SMOKIN E'S BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, LEE LA Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 33-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was Smokin E's BBQ's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 33rd tracked contest.
Pork Ribs places 8–9: LEE LA Q and 309 BBQ tied on 167.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: Two Pigs And A Smoker edged E Squared BBQ by 0.0116. Pork Ribs places 9–10: 309 BBQ edged T Daddys BBQ by 0.0116.
Smokin E's BBQ turned in 180.0000 in chicken — past the 179.4400 that had stood across 11 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: 309 BBQ (won 2023).
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2013 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL | 46 | 689.6916 | A BOY & HIS BBQ | Twyford's BBQ & Catering |
| Aug 22, 2014 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL 62656 | 50 | 699.4400 | MONSTER-QUE | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE |
| Jun 5, 2015 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL 62656 | 40 | 689.0740 | ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ | THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS |
| Jun 3, 2016 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln , IL 62656 | 52 | 685.6800 | OUTSIDERS BBQ | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE |
| Jun 2, 2017 | Lincoln, IL | Kilkapool/Plilaski | 32 | 695.8968 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | PORK PARADISE |
| Jun 1, 2018 | Lincoln, IL | Kilkapool/Plilaski | 40 | 687.3600 | SMOKIN ACES@THEBBQSUPERSTORE.COM | iBQ'n |
| May 31, 2019 | Lincoln, IL | Lincoln, IL 62656 | 36 | 682.8576 | The BBQ Bus | iBQ'n |
| Jun 4, 2021 | Lincoln, IL | — | — | — | — | — |
| Aug 25, 2023 | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 26 | 346.8344 | 309 BBQ | — |
| Aug 23, 2024 | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 28 | 350.8688 | Up From The Pits BBQ | — |
| Aug 22, 2025 | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 31 | 357.7144 | Electro-Que-ted | — |
| Aug 28, 2026 ← this one | Lincoln, IL | 601 Pulaski Street | 16 | 349.6916 | Smokin E's BBQ | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 170.8228 | 168 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.0116 | 171.9656 | 167.9656 |
16 entries · top 349.6916 · median 336.7942
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin E's BBQ | |
| 2 | E Squared BBQ | |
| 3 | Smoked by the Brooks | |
| 4 | Two Pigs And A Smoker | |
| 5 | Sugba Smokehouse | |
| 6 | Sermerstout BBQ | |
| 7 | T Daddys BBQ | |
| 8 | River City Smoque | |
| 9 | LEE LA Q | |
| 10 | Body by Que | |
| 11 | Bro B Q | |
| 12 | 309 BBQ | |
| 13 | Firehouse 51 | |
| 14 | Big Foot BBQ | |
| 15 | Ivy League | |
| 16 | Go Blue BBQ |
15 entries · top 180 · median 168.5484 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin E's BBQ | |
| 2 | Sugba Smokehouse | |
| 3 | T Daddys BBQ | |
| 4 | E Squared BBQ | |
| 5 | Smoked by the Brooks | |
| 6 | Sermerstout BBQ | |
| 7 | Big Foot BBQ | |
| 8 | Body by Que | |
| 9 | LEE LA Q | |
| 10 | Bro B Q | |
| 11 | Two Pigs And A Smoker | |
| 12 | 309 BBQ | |
| 13 | River City Smoque | |
| 14 | Ivy League | |
| 15 | Firehouse 51 |
16 entries · top 176.0116 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoked by the Brooks | |
| 2 | Two Pigs And A Smoker | |
| 3 | E Squared BBQ | |
| 4 | River City Smoque | |
| 5 | Sermerstout BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin E's BBQ | |
| 7 | Sugba Smokehouse | |
| 8 | LEE LA Q | |
| 9 | 309 BBQ | |
| 10 | T Daddys BBQ | |
| 11 | Body by Que | |
| 12 | Bro B Q | |
| 13 | Firehouse 51 | |
| 14 | Go Blue BBQ | |
| 15 | Big Foot BBQ | |
| 16 | Ivy League |
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.
5 entries · top 172.6172 · median 170.3084
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body by Que | |
| 2 | 309 BBQ | |
| 3 | Smoked by the Brooks | |
| 4 | LEE LA Q | |
| 5 | Sugba Smokehouse |