Nov 5–6, 2021 · Indio, CA · 📍 83040 Ave 42 · State championship
Reps: Kathleen McIntosh, Kelly McIntosh · Prize money: $10,000
GIRLS CAN GRILL won Grand Champion at the Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival on November 5, 2021 in Indio, CA at 83040 Ave 42, scoring 697.1544 in a field of 33 teams. PORTERHOUSE BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 697.0512. Category winners: Chicken — Meat Candy Q (180.0000); Pork Ribs — LADY OF Q (177.1544); Pork — GIRLS CAN GRILL (178.8572); Brisket — SMOKE HOUND BBQ (179.4400). This is the 4th of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2019 edition was won by DG Firehouse BBQ Inc; 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, 2016 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 95% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.1032 points — closer than 95% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 91 times in 100
GIRLS CAN GRILL came in rated below the field's top team, BIG POPPA SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 9-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was Girls Can Grill's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 23rd tracked contest.
Chicken places 2–3: Bad Boyz BBQ and 5TH GEAR BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: SMOKE HOUND BBQ and B' MACKIN BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 3–4: The Grinnin Goat edged B' MACKIN BBQ by 0.0116.
GIRLS CAN GRILL took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 14th.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BIG POPPA SMOKERS (won 2017).
This contest was away for 2 years — the previous tracked edition ran on 2019-11-01.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 11, 2016 | Indio, CA | Indio, CA 92276 | 38 | 712.5828 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | BIG POPPA SMOKERS |
| Nov 3, 2017 | Indio, CA | 83040 Ave 42 | 35 | 698.2516 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ |
| Nov 1, 2019 | Indio, CA | 83040 Ave 42 | 37 | 694.2400 | DG Firehouse BBQ Inc | BIG POPPA SMOKERS |
| Nov 5, 2021 ← this one | Indio, CA | 83040 Ave 42 | 33 | 697.1544 | Girls Can Grill | PORTERHOUSE BBQ |
| Nov 4, 2022 | Indio, CA | The Lights Golf Course | 35 | 694.2516 | 7 Sins BBQ | West Coast BBQ Shop |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 175.4400 | 174.2628 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.1544 | 174.2744 | 169.1316 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 176 | 173.1200 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 173.1200 | 170.8228 |
33 entries · top 697.1544 · median 677.6916
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 2 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 4 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 5 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 6 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 7 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 8 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 9 | ROCKBAND BBQ | |
| 10 | Bad Boyz BBQ | |
| 11 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 12 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 13 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 14 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 15 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 16 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 17 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 18 | LADY OF Q | |
| 19 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 20 | Day of the Pig | |
| 21 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 22 | SD Smoke BBQ | |
| 23 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 24 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 25 | Bob's Morning Wood Barbeque | |
| 26 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 27 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 28 | Blue Ribbon BBQ NC | |
| 29 | Smoke City BBQ L.A | |
| 30 | The Barbacoa Boyz | |
| 31 | Blowin Smoke BBQ | |
| 32 | Stop Playin BBQ | |
| 33 | Bear Bonz |
33 entries · top 180 · median 170.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 2 | Bad Boyz BBQ | |
| 3 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 4 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 5 | ROCKBAND BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 7 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 8 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 9 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 10 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 11 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 12 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 13 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 14 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 15 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 16 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 17 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 18 | Day of the Pig | |
| 19 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 20 | SD Smoke BBQ | |
| 21 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 22 | LADY OF Q | |
| 23 | Bob's Morning Wood Barbeque | |
| 24 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 25 | Blue Ribbon BBQ NC | |
| 26 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 27 | Smoke City BBQ L.A | |
| 28 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 29 | Blowin Smoke BBQ | |
| 30 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 31 | The Barbacoa Boyz | |
| 32 | Stop Playin BBQ | |
| 33 | Bear Bonz |
33 entries · top 177.1544 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LADY OF Q | |
| 2 | ROCKBAND BBQ | |
| 3 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 4 | SD Smoke BBQ | |
| 5 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 6 | Bad Boyz BBQ | |
| 7 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 8 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 9 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 10 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 11 | Day of the Pig | |
| 12 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 13 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 14 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 15 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 16 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 17 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 18 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 19 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 20 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 21 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 22 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 23 | Bob's Morning Wood Barbeque | |
| 24 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 25 | Smoke City BBQ L.A | |
| 26 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 27 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 28 | The Barbacoa Boyz | |
| 29 | Bear Bonz | |
| 30 | Blowin Smoke BBQ | |
| 31 | Stop Playin BBQ | |
| 32 | Blue Ribbon BBQ NC | |
| 33 | Pops BBQ 22 |
33 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 2 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 3 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 4 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 5 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 6 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 7 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 8 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 9 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 10 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 11 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 12 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 13 | Day of the Pig | |
| 14 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 15 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 17 | LADY OF Q | |
| 18 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 19 | ROCKBAND BBQ | |
| 20 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 21 | Bad Boyz BBQ | |
| 22 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 23 | Bob's Morning Wood Barbeque | |
| 24 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 25 | SD Smoke BBQ | |
| 26 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 27 | Blue Ribbon BBQ NC | |
| 28 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 29 | The Barbacoa Boyz | |
| 30 | Stop Playin BBQ | |
| 31 | Blowin Smoke BBQ | |
| 32 | Smoke City BBQ L.A | |
| 33 | Bear Bonz |
33 entries · top 179.4400 · median 168.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 2 | PORTERHOUSE BBQ | |
| 3 | BIG RED BBQ | |
| 4 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 5 | The Grinnin Goat | |
| 6 | Rad Fondo BBQ | |
| 7 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 8 | SHIG NINJA BBQ | |
| 9 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 10 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 11 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 12 | ROCKBAND BBQ | |
| 13 | Bad Boyz BBQ | |
| 14 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 15 | KNIFE PORK AND SPOON | |
| 16 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 17 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 18 | STEVO'S BBQ TEAM | |
| 19 | 5TH GEAR BBQ | |
| 20 | LADY OF Q | |
| 21 | B Lee's BBQ | |
| 22 | Jolley's Bad to the Bone Barbeque | |
| 23 | Day of the Pig | |
| 24 | SD Smoke BBQ | |
| 25 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 26 | Blue Ribbon BBQ NC | |
| 27 | Bob's Morning Wood Barbeque | |
| 28 | Weekend Warrior BBQ | |
| 29 | The Barbacoa Boyz | |
| 30 | Smoke City BBQ L.A | |
| 31 | Stop Playin BBQ | |
| 32 | Blowin Smoke BBQ | |
| 33 | Bear Bonz |
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.
8 entries · top 180 · median 167.4286 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 2 | Blowin Smoke BBQ | |
| 3 | ROCKBAND BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKE HOUND BBQ | |
| 5 | Smoke City BBQ L.A | |
| 6 | GIRLS CAN GRILL | |
| 7 | Bear Bonz | |
| 8 | Weekend Warrior BBQ |