Oct 22–23, 2021 · Union Grove, WI · 📍 19805 Durand Ave · State championship
Reps: Becky Druetzler, Dave Druetzler · Prize money: $7,500
BIG "E" BBQ won Grand Champion at the Best of the Midwest BBQ on October 22, 2021 in Union Grove, WI at 19805 Durand Ave, scoring 690.2172 in a field of 44 teams. RUSTY PIG BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 689.6572. Category winners: Chicken — DB BBQ (178.8572); Pork Ribs — Crown Town Q (174.2856); Pork — RUSTY PIG BBQ (176.5600); Brisket — Crown Town Q (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ with 333.6572. This is the 2nd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2020 edition was won by Shiggin Ain't Easy BBQ; 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, 2020 to 2022 — 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.
Closer than 91% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5600 points — closer than 91% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 68 times in 100
BIG "E" BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 32-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
BIG "E" BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 2 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
Master Series — Chicken places 6–7: IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ and Red Rock Cafe tied on 172.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: WICKED SMOKE BBQ and MACHETE BOYS BBQ tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 8–9: HOME FARM BBQ and Shiggin aint easy tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Crown Town Q won Pork Ribs, Brisket — a double.
Crown Town Q turned in 180.0000 in brisket — past the 176.0000 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2020 | Union Grove, WI | 19805 Durand Ave | 50 | 692.5600 | Shiggin Ain't Easy BBQ | GETTIN' BASTED |
| Oct 22, 2021 ← this one | Union Grove, WI | 19805 Durand Ave | 44 | 690.2172 | Big E BBQ | RUSTY PIG BBQ |
| Oct 14, 2022 | Union Grove, WI | 19805 Durand Ave | 36 | 697.6456 | iBQ'n | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 178.8572 | 173.1084 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 174.2856 | 173.1316 | 170.8572 |
| Master Series — Pork | 176.5600 | 174.8456 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 174.8456 | 171.4172 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 170.8344 | 158.2628 | 119.8972 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 167.4172 | 146.7772 | 99.9088 |
44 entries · top 690.2172 · median 664.4512
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 2 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 3 | Risky Brisket | |
| 4 | Crown Town Q | |
| 5 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 6 | DB BBQ | |
| 7 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 10 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 11 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 12 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 13 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 14 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 15 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 16 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 17 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 18 | QUE U | |
| 19 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 20 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 21 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 22 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 23 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 24 | iBQ'n | |
| 25 | Little O BBQ | |
| 26 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 27 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 28 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 29 | Blue Island | |
| 30 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 31 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 32 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 33 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 34 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 35 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 36 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 37 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 38 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 39 | MC BBQ | |
| 40 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 41 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 42 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 43 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 44 | Caught Smoking Again |
44 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DB BBQ | |
| 2 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 3 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 4 | Risky Brisket | |
| 5 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 6 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 7 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 8 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 9 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 10 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 11 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 12 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 14 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 15 | iBQ'n | |
| 16 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 17 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 18 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 19 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 20 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 21 | Blue Island | |
| 22 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 23 | Little O BBQ | |
| 24 | QUE U | |
| 25 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 26 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 27 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 28 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 29 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 30 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 31 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 32 | MC BBQ | |
| 33 | Crown Town Q | |
| 34 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 35 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 36 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 37 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 38 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 39 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 40 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 41 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 42 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 43 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 44 | Caught Smoking Again |
44 entries · top 174.2856 · median 164.2514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crown Town Q | |
| 2 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 3 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 4 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 5 | Little O BBQ | |
| 6 | QUE U | |
| 7 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 8 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 9 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 10 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 11 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 12 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 13 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 14 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 15 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 16 | Risky Brisket | |
| 17 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 18 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 19 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 20 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 21 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 22 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 23 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 24 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 25 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 26 | DB BBQ | |
| 27 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 28 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 30 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 31 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 32 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 33 | Blue Island | |
| 34 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 35 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 36 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 37 | iBQ'n | |
| 38 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 39 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 40 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 41 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 42 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 43 | Caught Smoking Again | |
| 44 | MC BBQ |
44 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 3 | Risky Brisket | |
| 4 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 5 | Crown Town Q | |
| 6 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 7 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 8 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 9 | iBQ'n | |
| 10 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 11 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 12 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 13 | DB BBQ | |
| 14 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 15 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 16 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 17 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 18 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 19 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 20 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 21 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 22 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 23 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 24 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 25 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 26 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 27 | MC BBQ | |
| 28 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 29 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 30 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 31 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 32 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 33 | QUE U | |
| 34 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 35 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 36 | Little O BBQ | |
| 37 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 38 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 39 | Blue Island | |
| 40 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 41 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 42 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 43 | Caught Smoking Again | |
| 44 | MIL-TOWN BBQ |
44 entries · top 180 · median 164.8056 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crown Town Q | |
| 2 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 3 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 4 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 5 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 7 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 8 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 9 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 10 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 11 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 12 | Risky Brisket | |
| 13 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 14 | QUE U | |
| 15 | DB BBQ | |
| 16 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 17 | Blue Island | |
| 18 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 19 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 20 | iBQ'n | |
| 21 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 22 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 23 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 24 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 25 | Little O BBQ | |
| 26 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 27 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 28 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 29 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 30 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 31 | MC BBQ | |
| 32 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 33 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 34 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 35 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 36 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 37 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 38 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 39 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 40 | Caught Smoking Again | |
| 41 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 42 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 43 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 44 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ |
10 entries · top 333.6572 · median 301.6342
10 entries · top 170.8344 · median 155.7142
10 entries · top 167.4172 · median 145.9200