Jun 13–14, 2025 · Absarokee, MT · 📍 Main Street · State championship
Reps: Del Anderson, Forrest Bruce · Prize money: $10,375
HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ won Grand Champion at the Montana BBQ Cookoff on June 13, 2025 in Absarokee, MT at Main Street, scoring 691.3828 in a field of 33 teams. PAPA'S PIT CREW took Reserve Grand Champion with 684.5028. Category winners: Chicken — SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ (178.2972); Pork — PARROTHEAD SMOKERS (180.0000); Brisket — Dirty Little Pigs BBQ (177.7372). This is the 3rd of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by Bushmaster BBQ; the next was held in 2026.
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, 2023 to 2026 — 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 69 times in 100
Heifers, Butts, & Clucks BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, SMELLAQUE, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 31-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Chicken places 3–4: MACHETE BOYS BBQ and TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: OWENS BBQ and HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 6–7: Smoke On The Waters and At Ease BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 16th.
HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ turned in 178.2972 in pork ribs — past the 177.1544 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 2023 | Absarokee, MT | Woodard Ave | 36 | 707.4400 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Absarokee, MT | Main Street | 28 | 703.9772 | Bushmaster BBQ | American Heroes BBQ |
| Jun 13, 2025 ← this one | Absarokee, MT | Main Street | 33 | 691.3828 | Heifers, Butts, & Clucks BBQ | PAPA'S PIT CREW |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Absarokee, MT | Main Street | 29 | 691.9428 | Smellaque | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 176.5600 | 174.2856 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.2972 | 172.0232 | 168.5256 |
| Pork | 180 | 174.2628 | 169.1200 |
| Brisket | 177.7372 | 174.2628 | 171.4172 |
33 entries · top 691.3828 · median 667.3028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ | |
| 2 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 3 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 4 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 5 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 6 | At Ease BBQ | |
| 7 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 8 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 10 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 11 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 12 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 14 | Smoke On The Waters | |
| 15 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 16 | Monarchbbq | |
| 17 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 18 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 19 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 20 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 21 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 22 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 23 | Moist Meats | |
| 24 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 25 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 26 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 27 | Big Pig | |
| 28 | Smokin' Hot Montana | |
| 29 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 30 | H & H BBQ | |
| 31 | Montana Kick A$$ BBQ | |
| 32 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 33 | My Meat In Your Mouth |
32 entries · top 180 · median 169.1200 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 2 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 3 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 4 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 5 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 6 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 7 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 8 | HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ | |
| 9 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 10 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 11 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 12 | At Ease BBQ | |
| 13 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 14 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 15 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 16 | Smoke On The Waters | |
| 17 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 19 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 20 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 21 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 22 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 23 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 24 | Montana Kick A$$ BBQ | |
| 25 | Big Pig | |
| 26 | Monarchbbq | |
| 27 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 28 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 29 | H & H BBQ | |
| 30 | Moist Meats | |
| 31 | Smokin' Hot Montana | |
| 32 | Absarokee Fire Department |
32 entries · top 178.2972 · median 160.8056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ | |
| 2 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 4 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 5 | At Ease BBQ | |
| 6 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 7 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 8 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 9 | Smokin' Hot Montana | |
| 10 | Monarchbbq | |
| 11 | Moist Meats | |
| 12 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 13 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 14 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 15 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 16 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 17 | Smoke On The Waters | |
| 18 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 19 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 20 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 21 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 22 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 23 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 24 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 25 | Big Pig | |
| 26 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 27 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 28 | H & H BBQ | |
| 29 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 30 | Montana Kick A$$ BBQ | |
| 31 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 32 | Grills Gone Wild |
33 entries · top 180 · median 163.9428 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 3 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 4 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 5 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 6 | Smoke On The Waters | |
| 7 | At Ease BBQ | |
| 8 | Monarchbbq | |
| 9 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 10 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 12 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 13 | Moist Meats | |
| 14 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 15 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 16 | HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ | |
| 17 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 18 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 19 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 20 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 21 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 22 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 23 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 24 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 25 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 26 | Big Pig | |
| 27 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 28 | Smokin' Hot Montana | |
| 29 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 30 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 31 | H & H BBQ | |
| 32 | Montana Kick A$$ BBQ | |
| 33 | My Meat In Your Mouth |
33 entries · top 177.7372 · median 166.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 2 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 3 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 4 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 5 | BURNT TREES BBQ | |
| 6 | HEIFERS, BUTTS, & CLUCKS BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 8 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 9 | Tuffy's BBQ | |
| 10 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 11 | Monarchbbq | |
| 12 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 13 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 14 | Smoke On The Waters | |
| 15 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 17 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 18 | BIG BOYZ BBQ | |
| 19 | At Ease BBQ | |
| 20 | Whistle Pig BBQ | |
| 21 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 22 | ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | |
| 23 | SLINGIN MEATS | |
| 24 | Big Pig | |
| 25 | Moist Meats | |
| 26 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 27 | H & H BBQ | |
| 28 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 29 | Smokin' Hot Montana | |
| 30 | Montana Kick A$$ BBQ | |
| 31 | Absarokee Fire Department | |
| 32 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 33 | My Meat In Your Mouth |
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
17 entries · top 177.7028 · median 173.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Pig | |
| 2 | SinBin BBQ | |
| 3 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 4 | OWENS BBQ | |
| 5 | Dirty Little Pigs BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin' Hot Montana | |
| 7 | H & H BBQ | |
| 8 | Kreiser Barbecue | |
| 9 | SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | |
| 10 | PAPA'S PIT CREW | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | |
| 12 | No Measurements BBQ | |
| 13 | Montana Kick A$$ BBQ | |
| 14 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 15 | AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | |
| 16 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 17 | BIG BOYZ BBQ |