Jul 14–15, 2023 · Eureka, IL · 📍 506 Reagan Dr · State championship
Reps: Charlie Brinza, Dave Rogers, Peg Rogers · Prize money: $5,025
TRIPLE H BBQ won Grand Champion at the Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown on July 14, 2023 in Eureka, IL at 506 Reagan Dr, scoring 690.7540 in a field of 25 teams. Heavy Smoke BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 689.6228. Category winners: Chicken — DB BBQ (179.4400); Pork Ribs — Chasin Chicken BBQ (171.9656); Pork — Heavy Smoke BBQ (176.5600); Brisket — AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by Furlongs Smoke & Seafood with 346.2744. This is the 4th of 7 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Triple H BBQ; the next was held in 2023.
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, 2019 to 2025 — 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 82% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1312 points — closer than 82% of every championship in the data.
Triple H BBQ won here last time out too — 2 straight editions of this contest.
TRIPLE H BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.
2 of 7 tracked editions
Triple H BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 7 tracked editions.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 3.9884 points.
Michigan Outlaws finished 3rd overall in the first contest the data has them cooking at all.
Master Series — Chicken places 8–9: QUE U and AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 3–4: DB BBQ and UP FROM THE PITS BBQ tied on 169.6800 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 5–6: Michigan Outlaws and JaBs BBQ tied on 168.5372 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW turned in 180.0000 in brisket — past the 178.8572 that had stood across 3 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Que U (won 2022), Triple H BBQ (won 2022).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 2019 | Peoria, IL | 200 NE Water St | 40 | 704.5372 | Heavy Smoke STL | SMOKE FREAKS |
| Jul 15, 2022 | Eureka, IL | 112 N Main St | 25 | 705.6916 | Que U | TRIPLE H BBQ |
| Jul 15, 2022 | Eureka, IL | 112 N Main St | 19 | 177.7028 | Triple H BBQ | — |
| Jul 14, 2023 ← this one | Eureka, IL | 506 Reagan Dr | 25 | 690.7540 | Triple H BBQ | Heavy Smoke BBQ |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Eureka, IL | 506 Reagan Dr | 15 | 180 | Smokinghostbbq | — |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Eureka, IL | 1448 County Rd 800 N | 26 | 706.8344 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | TRIPLE H BBQ |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Eureka, IL | 1448 County Rd 800 N | 15 | 178.2972 | LEE LA Q | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 179.4400 | 174.2628 | 170.8800 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 171.9656 | 168.5372 | 167.3944 |
| Master Series — Pork | 176.5600 | 174.2628 | 170.8228 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 173.1200 | 168.5372 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 177.1428 | 169.7028 | 162.2972 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 174.2744 | 167.3944 | 161.6684 |
25 entries · top 690.7540 · median 676.3996
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 2 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 3 | Michigan Outlaws | |
| 4 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 5 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 6 | Chasin Chicken BBQ | |
| 7 | QUE U | |
| 8 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 9 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 10 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 11 | DB BBQ | |
| 12 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 13 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 14 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 15 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 16 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokin At Noonish | |
| 19 | Blue Island | |
| 20 | Monsters of the Ribway | |
| 21 | Rub Runners BBQ | |
| 22 | MOON KING BBQ | |
| 23 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 24 | Red Eye BBQ | |
| 25 | Kickin Ash |
25 entries · top 179.4400 · median 169.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DB BBQ | |
| 2 | Michigan Outlaws | |
| 3 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 4 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 5 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 6 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 7 | MOON KING BBQ | |
| 8 | QUE U | |
| 9 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 10 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 11 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 12 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 13 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 14 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 15 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 16 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | Kickin Ash | |
| 18 | Chasin Chicken BBQ | |
| 19 | Smokin At Noonish | |
| 20 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 21 | Monsters of the Ribway | |
| 22 | Blue Island | |
| 23 | Rub Runners BBQ | |
| 24 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 25 | Red Eye BBQ |
24 entries · top 171.9656 · median 166.8114
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chasin Chicken BBQ | |
| 2 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 3 | DB BBQ | |
| 4 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 5 | Michigan Outlaws | |
| 6 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 7 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 8 | Blue Island | |
| 9 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 10 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 11 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 12 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 14 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 15 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 16 | Monsters of the Ribway | |
| 17 | QUE U | |
| 18 | Rub Runners BBQ | |
| 19 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 20 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 21 | Smokin At Noonish | |
| 22 | Red Eye BBQ | |
| 23 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 24 | MOON KING BBQ |
25 entries · top 176.5600 · median 169.7144
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 2 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 3 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 4 | QUE U | |
| 5 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 6 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 7 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 8 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 9 | Michigan Outlaws | |
| 10 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 11 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 12 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | Smokin At Noonish | |
| 14 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 15 | Chasin Chicken BBQ | |
| 16 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 17 | DB BBQ | |
| 18 | Kickin Ash | |
| 19 | Blue Island | |
| 20 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 21 | Monsters of the Ribway | |
| 22 | MOON KING BBQ | |
| 23 | Rub Runners BBQ | |
| 24 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 25 | Red Eye BBQ |
25 entries · top 180 · median 166.2400 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 2 | Chasin Chicken BBQ | |
| 3 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 4 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 5 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 6 | QUE U | |
| 7 | Michigan Outlaws | |
| 8 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 9 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 10 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 11 | Smokin At Noonish | |
| 12 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | The Drunken Sailor | |
| 14 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 15 | Blue Island | |
| 16 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 17 | DB BBQ | |
| 18 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 19 | Monsters of the Ribway | |
| 20 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 21 | Rub Runners BBQ | |
| 22 | MOON KING BBQ | |
| 23 | Kickin Ash | |
| 24 | SAUCED N SMOKED | |
| 25 | Red Eye BBQ |
17 entries · top 346.2744 · median 327.9660
17 entries · top 177.1428 · median 165.1200
17 entries · top 174.2744 · median 162.2516
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 169.3942 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 2 | DB BBQ | |
| 3 | Must B Smokin' Somethin' BBQ Team | |
| 4 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 5 | MAK'S BBQ | |
| 6 | Loose Cannon BBQ | |
| 7 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 8 | Champion Oaks BBQ |
9 entries · top 174.8456 · median 163.9428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 2 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 3 | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ | |
| 4 | Sermerstout BBQ | |
| 5 | DB BBQ | |
| 6 | Monsters of the Ribway | |
| 7 | 309 BBQ | |
| 8 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 9 | Rub Runners BBQ |