A dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 13 tracked editions
BIG "E" BBQ has won this contest 3 times across its 13 tracked editions.
- 2015
- 2016
- 2019
Puckaway Pigfest 2023
Sep 8–9, 2023 · Montello, WI · 📍 W781 Fox Ct · State championship
Reps: Charlie Brinza, Jeanne Titus · Prize money: $5,750
THE BBQ BUS won Grand Champion at the Puckaway Pigfest on September 8, 2023 in Montello, WI at W781 Fox Ct, scoring 684.5256 in a field of 28 teams. IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 679.3144. Category winners: Chicken — Second Hand Smoke SLV (177.7028); Pork Ribs — SMOKE INFUSION (173.1544); Pork — THE BBQ BUS (176.5600); Brisket — UGLY BABY BBQ (176.0000). This is the 10th of 13 editions of this contest on record; the 2022 edition was won by Que U; the next was held in 2024.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
591.76
median 652.72
684.53 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.70
- Pork Ribs 173.15
- Pork 176.56
- Brisket 176
138.24
177.70
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
28
4 judged meats
Top score
684.5256
Winning margin
5.2112
GC over RC
Field average
650.52
591.76684.53
median 652.72 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
3.4400 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
670.2060
591.76684.53
10th place overall
Field spread
92.7652
winner to last place
Prize money
$5,750
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 83%
beats 17% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
53%
20 of 38 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.77 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,578
avg power rating going in · stronger than 61% of contests
Storylines (4 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 8 calls decided inside half a point
Pork places 7–8: IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ and WE WILL ROCK QUE tied on 169.6800 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 3–4: FIREHOUSE SMOKE and THE BBQ BUS tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 9–10: WICKED SMOKE BBQ edged FIREHOUSE SMOKE by 0.0116.
- Pork 7–8 · tie
- Brisket 3–4 · tie
- Chicken 9–10 · 0.0116
- Brisket 6–7 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
THE BBQ BUS took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 10th.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 10th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 4th
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (won 2013), Que U (won 2021, 2022).
- IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ · 2013
- Que U · 2021, 2022
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 2013 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI | 31 | 680.5144 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | BRINGIN' THE HEAT |
| Sep 5, 2014 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI 53949 | 40 | 691.4628 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ |
| Sep 11, 2015 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI 53949 | 33 | 672.1600 | BIG "E" BBQ | A FINE SWINE |
| Sep 9, 2016 | Montello, WI | Montello , WI | 37 | 687.9428 | BIG "E" BBQ | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 31 | 680.5716 | TURNIN' UP THE HEAT | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW |
| Sep 7, 2018 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 31 | 684.5144 | SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN | BIG "E" BBQ |
| Sep 6, 2019 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 39 | 681.0172 | Big E BBQ | THE BBQ BUS |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 30 | 681.6228 | Que U | WICKED SMOKE BBQ |
| Sep 9, 2022 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 38 | 700.5256 | Que U | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ |
| Sep 8, 2023 ← this one | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 28 | 684.5256 | The BBQ Bus | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ |
| Sep 6, 2024 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 37 | 694.8000 | Janky Leg BBQ | BURNT TREES BBQ |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 35 | 701.6688 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | QUE U |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 23 | 702.2284 | Hot Daddy's BBQ | Aces High BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7028 | 169.1200 | 166.8112 |
| Pork Ribs | 173.1544 | 168.5256 | 164.5828 |
| Pork | 176.5600 | 171.4172 | 167.9656 |
| Brisket | 176 | 172.5600 | 167.9772 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
28 entries · top 684.5256 · median 652.7198
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 2 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 3 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 4 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 5 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 6 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 7 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | PORKRASTINATORS | |
| 10 | SMOKE INFUSION | |
| 11 | QUE U | |
| 12 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 13 | Black Crown Barbeque | |
| 14 | Low Rent Bbq | |
| 15 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 16 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 17 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 18 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 19 | Wisco Fire BBQ | |
| 20 | QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE | |
| 21 | Flavor Frame BBQ | |
| 22 | C&M BBQ | |
| 23 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 24 | BS BBQ | |
| 25 | ROLL THE BONES BBQ | |
| 26 | Big JT and the pork pistols | |
| 27 | SMOKE'N THE EYE BBQ | |
| 28 | Food Dude |
Chicken
28 entries · top 177.7028 · median 164.5428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 2 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 3 | QUE U | |
| 4 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 5 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 6 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 7 | Black Crown Barbeque | |
| 8 | PORKRASTINATORS | |
| 9 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 10 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 11 | Low Rent Bbq | |
| 12 | C&M BBQ | |
| 13 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 14 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 15 | Wisco Fire BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKE INFUSION | |
| 17 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 18 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 19 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 20 | QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE | |
| 21 | Food Dude | |
| 22 | Big JT and the pork pistols | |
| 23 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 24 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 25 | BS BBQ | |
| 26 | ROLL THE BONES BBQ | |
| 27 | Flavor Frame BBQ | |
| 28 | SMOKE'N THE EYE BBQ |
Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 173.1544 · median 162.5258
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKE INFUSION | |
| 2 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 3 | Low Rent Bbq | |
| 4 | Flavor Frame BBQ | |
| 5 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 6 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 7 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 8 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 9 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 10 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 11 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 12 | QUE U | |
| 13 | PORKRASTINATORS | |
| 14 | Wisco Fire BBQ | |
| 15 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 16 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 17 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 18 | ROLL THE BONES BBQ | |
| 19 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 20 | Black Crown Barbeque | |
| 21 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKE'N THE EYE BBQ | |
| 23 | QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE | |
| 24 | Big JT and the pork pistols | |
| 25 | BS BBQ | |
| 26 | C&M BBQ | |
| 27 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 28 | Food Dude |
Pork
28 entries · top 176.5600 · median 162.5314
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 2 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 3 | PORKRASTINATORS | |
| 4 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 5 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 7 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 8 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 9 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 10 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 11 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 12 | Flavor Frame BBQ | |
| 13 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKE INFUSION | |
| 15 | QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE | |
| 16 | BS BBQ | |
| 17 | QUE U | |
| 18 | Black Crown Barbeque | |
| 19 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 20 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 21 | ROLL THE BONES BBQ | |
| 22 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 23 | Wisco Fire BBQ | |
| 24 | C&M BBQ | |
| 25 | Food Dude | |
| 26 | Low Rent Bbq | |
| 27 | SMOKE'N THE EYE BBQ | |
| 28 | Big JT and the pork pistols |
Brisket
28 entries · top 176 · median 163.1086
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 2 | ACES HIGH BBQ | |
| 3 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 4 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 5 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 6 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 7 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 8 | QUE U | |
| 9 | SMOKE INFUSION | |
| 10 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 11 | PORKRASTINATORS | |
| 12 | Black Crown Barbeque | |
| 13 | Low Rent Bbq | |
| 14 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 15 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 16 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 17 | SIX BUTT BBQ | |
| 18 | QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE | |
| 19 | C&M BBQ | |
| 20 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 21 | BS BBQ | |
| 22 | Big JT and the pork pistols | |
| 23 | Wisco Fire BBQ | |
| 24 | ROLL THE BONES BBQ | |
| 25 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKE'N THE EYE BBQ | |
| 27 | Flavor Frame BBQ | |
| 28 | Food Dude |