Jun 9–10, 2023 · Huntsville, AL · 📍 Ditto Landing
Reps: Carol Bigler, Randy G Bigler · Prize money: $2,100
NORALA BBQ TEAM won Grand Champion at the Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) on June 9, 2023 in Huntsville, AL at Ditto Landing, scoring 346.2632 in a field of 26 teams. Bentley Que took Reserve Grand Champion with 346.2516. Category winners: Chicken — MAGNOLIA (175.4172); Pork Ribs — RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA (175.4056). This is the 5th of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Hickory Hangover; the next was held in 2024.
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.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 96% of the 610 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0116 points — closer than 96% of every championship in the data.
2 of 8 tracked editions
NORALA BBQ TEAM has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 2.8688 points — 4 teams sat within a single point of the lead.
Chicken places 3–4: NORALA BBQ TEAM and MAD ROCKET BARBECUE tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: Crimson Hot Bucky Que and BUTSY-Q tied on 173.1316 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: Wee Daddy's BBQ and Bentley Que tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Hickory Hangover (won 2022).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 8, 2018 | Huntsville, AL | 293 Ditto Landing RD | — | — | — |
| Jun 7, 2019 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 25 | 347.9772 | Thin Blue Swine |
| Jun 11, 2021 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 31 | 348 | The Real Squeal |
| Jun 10, 2022 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 23 | 350.2628 | Hickory Hangover |
| Jun 9, 2023 ← this one | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 26 | 346.2632 | NORALA BBQ TEAM |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 35 | 353.1428 | NORALA BBQ TEAM |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 35 | 358.8572 | Mind If I Smoke? |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Huntsville, AL | Ditto Landing | 31 | 360 | Big Fluff BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4172 | 173.1316 | 171.4056 |
| Pork Ribs | 175.4056 | 172.0004 | 169.6800 |
26 entries · top 346.2632 · median 333.9200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 2 | Bentley Que | |
| 3 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 4 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 5 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 6 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 7 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 8 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 9 | RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA | |
| 10 | Crimson Hot Bucky Que | |
| 11 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 12 | Modest Meats | |
| 13 | All Smoked Up | |
| 14 | Warden's Jailhouse BBQ | |
| 15 | Say My Name BBQ | |
| 16 | Traditions BBQ | |
| 17 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 18 | NATTY QUE | |
| 19 | Batten the Hatch BBQ | |
| 20 | Brother-In-Law BBQ | |
| 21 | The Catering Vets | |
| 22 | Boar on the Floor | |
| 23 | Butt Honey BBQ | |
| 24 | Sweaty Pig | |
| 25 | American BBQ | |
| 26 | Invarique |
26 entries · top 175.4172 · median 168.2456
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 2 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 3 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 4 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 5 | Crimson Hot Bucky Que | |
| 6 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 7 | Warden's Jailhouse BBQ | |
| 8 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 9 | Bentley Que | |
| 10 | NATTY QUE | |
| 11 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 12 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 13 | Say My Name BBQ | |
| 14 | RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA | |
| 15 | Modest Meats | |
| 16 | Batten the Hatch BBQ | |
| 17 | Traditions BBQ | |
| 18 | All Smoked Up | |
| 19 | Brother-In-Law BBQ | |
| 20 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 21 | The Catering Vets | |
| 22 | Sweaty Pig | |
| 23 | Butt Honey BBQ | |
| 24 | Boar on the Floor | |
| 25 | Invarique | |
| 26 | American BBQ |
26 entries · top 175.4056 · median 166.2630
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA | |
| 2 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 3 | Bentley Que | |
| 4 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 5 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | MAD ROCKET BARBECUE | |
| 7 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 8 | All Smoked Up | |
| 9 | BUTSY-Q | |
| 10 | Modest Meats | |
| 11 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 12 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 13 | Crimson Hot Bucky Que | |
| 14 | Traditions BBQ | |
| 15 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 16 | Say My Name BBQ | |
| 17 | Warden's Jailhouse BBQ | |
| 18 | Batten the Hatch BBQ | |
| 19 | The Catering Vets | |
| 20 | Brother-In-Law BBQ | |
| 21 | NATTY QUE | |
| 22 | Boar on the Floor | |
| 23 | American BBQ | |
| 24 | Invarique | |
| 25 | Butt Honey BBQ | |
| 26 | Sweaty Pig |