In this edition
Every sanctioned contest scored in May 2023.
Covering KCBS-sanctioned contests
The Smoke Ring
Competition Barbecue’s Paper of Record
The Index
- Grand Champions A2
- The Month in Brief A3
- Perfect Scores A5
- Ratings Market A6
- The Backyard A7
- New to the Circuit A8
- Box Scores B1
- Complete Results B4
- Back Issues C4
Score of the month
JANKY LEG BBQ Turns In the Month’s Best Card
713.7372 out of 720 at 3rd Annual Obion County Fair BBQ Cook Off - Day 1 — the highest Master overall scored in May 2023.
top 1% of every Master overall ever scored
UNION CITY, Tenn. — JANKY LEG BBQ put up 713.7372 at 3rd Annual Obion County Fair BBQ Cook Off - Day 1 — the highest overall of the month.
Across May 2023, 37 sanctioned contests were scored, across 20 states and provinces, drawing 869 teams to the turn-in table. Judges made 1,384 top-ten calls and handed out 37 perfect 180s. 178 teams appear in the record for the first time. The full standings run on B1.
Every Grand Championship in this edition — 37 in all. The 1 oldest are listed under Complete Results, B4.
- Janky Leg BBQ Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest
- Shmack Q Westmont Red White & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY)
- Smokin' Axe BBQ BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay
- Mean Moes Jack 9 Memorial
- Stevo's BBQ Best Dam Barbeque
- Simply Marvelous BBQ Roaring Camp BBQ Cook-Off
- 5th Gear Big Bear Grill & Chill BBQ Championship
- Paddy MCQ'S Somerset Sizzle
- Battle Brothers Que Patio Porkers on Beale (ONE MEAT RIBS)
- Bunch of Swines Twin Smoke
- SON OF A BOAR BBQ King of the Corn
- Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit Twin Valley Fire and Smoke
- SmokinGhost BBQ Rocking BBQ Warsaw
- 2 Swine Crew The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- Piglitically Incorrect BBQ Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival
- Que U Rocking BBQ Warsaw (ONE MEAT RIBS)
- Smoke and Brew Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival
- Janky Leg BBQ 3rd Annual Obion County Fair BBQ Cook Off - Day 1
- Smokin' Volts Barbeque IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- Hot Daddys BBQ Minnesota in May
- Shiggin & Grinnin Minnesota in May (One Meat Ribs)
- ROLLIN KOLBZ 17th Annual Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off
- Pig Destroyer Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- Bushmaster BBQ Wild West BBQ Cook-Off
- THE PIT FATHER City of Springs BBQ Championship
- Tailgate Warriors UMB's Smokin' Vault (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- Insane Swine BBQ HOGS 4 HEROES
- One Eyed Pig BBQ Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2
- Smokecraft Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)
- IQ 3rd De Vliegende Hollander BBQ Contest
- Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS)
- Redneck Scientific Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1
- Rusty Pig BBQ Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off
- Kevlar BBQ Smoke in the Mitten BBQ Competition
- Mispillion Meat Works Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)
- SMOKED & FURIOUS 2nd Annual Alva Police Department Cars, Concerts and BBQ Contest
Clean sweep
SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ Sweeps All Four Meats at Ibew So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off
First in chicken, ribs, pork and brisket, and the Grand Championship that goes with it.
4 of 4 meats won at one contest
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ won every meat at IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES) — chicken, ribs, pork and brisket.
Hottest hand
Two Grand Championships in May 2023 for JANKY LEG BBQ
Nobody else in the field ran a hotter hand.
2× Grand Championships
JANKY LEG BBQ took 2 Grand Championships in May 2023.
First one ever
Rusty Pig BBQ Wins Its First, on the 58th Try
A first Grand Championship at Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off, after 58 contests in the record.
58th contest — and their first GC
KENNETT, Mo. — Rusty Pig BBQ won their first Grand Championship at Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off, in their 58th contest in the data.
Also in May 2023
The Long Shot Comes In at Best Dam Barbeque
STEVO'S BBQ TEAM won Best Dam Barbeque over top-rated GETTIN' BASTED as the ratings underdog.
Judges Hand Out 37 Perfect 180s
Six judges, every card a 9: 37 perfect 180s were handed out in May 2023.
Decided by 0.0000 of a Point
SMOKECRAFT - MD edged Ham Squad by 0.0000 at Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2).
5TH GEAR BBQ Back on Top After Four Years
5TH GEAR BBQ won Big Bear Grill & Chill BBQ Championship — their first Grand Championship since May 2019, after 21 contests without one.
SMOKE N BREW Sets the Record at Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival
SMOKE N BREW put up 705.6684 at Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival — the best overall in 6 editions of the contest on record, past the old mark of 691.9772.
Needs More Cowbell BBQ Climbs 45 Rating Points
Needs More Cowbell BBQ gained 45 rating points across 4 contests — the biggest climb of the month.
23 State Champions Crowned
23 state championships were decided in May 2023. The biggest, Minnesota in May (59 teams), went to Hot Daddys BBQ.
First Time Out, Rack Shack bbq Takes 1st
Rack Shack bbq finished 1st at Minnesota in May — the first contest they appear in anywhere in the data.
Bourbon & Blues BBQ Tops the Backyard Board at Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1
Bourbon & Blues BBQ put up 357.1428 on the Backyard board at Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 — two meats, a different scale, and the same nerves.
MEAN MOE'S BBQ Runs Away With Jack 9 Memorial
MEAN MOE'S BBQ won Jack 9 Memorial by 14.4000 points over BBQwithDREW — the widest winning margin of the month.
59 Teams Roll Into St. Peter
Minnesota in May drew 59 teams, and Hot Daddys BBQ won it.
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ Cooks Its 250th Contest
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ cooked their 250th contest on record at Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1, with 29 Grand Championships along the way.
Nobody Hauled Further Than SMOKECRAFT - MD
SMOKECRAFT - MD cooked 5 contests in May 2023 — nobody hauled the rig further.
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit Wins Twin Valley Fire and Smoke Without Winning a Meat
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit won Twin Valley Fire and Smoke without winning a single meat — their best category finish was 2nd.
A New Contest Opens in St. Peter
Minnesota in May ran for the first time on record, drawing 59 teams, and Hot Daddys BBQ won it. Somebody put in the work to make a new contest happen.
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA Takes Reserve Two Times
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA finished second overall 2 times in May 2023 without a Grand Championship — one place short every time.
Nine Contests on One Friday
9 sanctioned contests were cooked on 19 May alone.
Bunny Tuttle Works Five Contests
Bunny Tuttle repped 5 contests in May 2023 — somebody has to run the table.
Perfect 180s
37 perfect scores — six judges, every card a nine.
- Brisket AMERICAN HEROES BBQ Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest · May 27
- Pork Ribs CROOKED PIGS BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay · May 27
- Chicken Smoke324 BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay · May 27
- Brisket B' Mackin BBQ Big Bear Grill & Chill BBQ Championship · May 26
- Brisket Bad Boyz BBQ Best Dam Barbeque · May 26
- Brisket PADDY MCQ'S Somerset Sizzle · May 20
- Brisket Blowing Smoke BBQ Rocking BBQ Warsaw · May 19
- Pork Damn Fine Beef & Swine King of the Corn · May 19
- Chicken Furlongs Smoke & Seafood The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) · May 19
- Brisket JANKY LEG BBQ 3rd Annual Obion County Fair BBQ Cook Off - Day 1 · May 19
- Pork JANKY LEG BBQ 3rd Annual Obion County Fair BBQ Cook Off - Day 1 · May 19
- Brisket Kith n' Kin 3rd Annual Obion County Fair BBQ Cook Off - Day 1 · May 19
- Pork Red Rock Cafe Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival · May 19
- Pork Ribs SMOKE N BREW Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival · May 19
- Chicken SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES) · May 19
- Chicken Son of a Boar BBQ King of the Corn · May 19
- Pork Ribs TRIPLE H BBQ 3rd Annual Obion County Fair BBQ Cook Off - Day 1 · May 19
- Chicken Compete BBQ Team City of Springs BBQ Championship · May 12
- Chicken HOT DADDY'S BBQ Minnesota in May · May 12
- Chicken Small Batch BBQ - TN Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) · May 12
- Brisket Bushmaster BBQ Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2 · May 6
- Chicken Ham Squad Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) · May 6
- Chicken ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2 · May 6
- Brisket BAD HABIT BBQ Smoke in the Mitten BBQ Competition · May 5
…and 13 more.
The Ratings Market Power rating and the move over May 2023; # is the team’s place in the power rankings
| Team | Rating | Chg. |
|---|---|---|
| Needs More Cowbell BBQ #1,236 | 1,584 | ▲ 45 |
| ONE EYED PIG BBQ #357 | 1,710 | ▲ 45 |
| Bourbon & Blues BBQ #1,184 | 1,588 | ▲ 42 |
| Smoked & Furious #181 | 1,764 | ▲ 38 |
| Capt. Blue BBQ #287 | 1,727 | ▲ 37 |
| Piggy & Swine BBQ #681 | 1,645 | ▲ 34 |
| All About the Wood #943 | 1,611 | ▲ 31 |
| RED SMOKE BAR-B-QUE #553 | 1,668 | ▲ 30 |
| Team | Rating | Chg. |
|---|---|---|
| DB BBQ #402 | 1,699 | ▲ 28 |
| Better Half Barbecue #503 | 1,676 | ▲ 27 |
| LADY OF Q #527 | 1,672 | ▼ 26 |
| Petie's Smokin Pits BBQ #206 | 1,754 | ▼ 26 |
| MANHATTAN JACK'S BBQ #2,310 | 1,527 | ▼ 29 |
| BUFFALO'S BBQ #182 | 1,764 | ▼ 30 |
| WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ #237 | 1,745 | ▼ 30 |
Full power rankings → · Ratings move only on rated contests; invitationals and non-points events are excluded.
The Backyard Two meats, out of 360 — never against the Master board
The Backyard division was cooked at nine contests in May 2023.
- 1 Bourbon & Blues BBQ Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 · Kannapolis, N.C. 357.1428
- 2 RED SMOKE BAR-B-QUE Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 · Kannapolis, N.C. 354.2744
- 3 Jury's Out Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 · Kannapolis, N.C. 354.2628
- 4 2 Swine Crew The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) · Winchester, Tenn. 353.1200
- 5 Furlongs Smoke & Seafood The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) · Winchester, Tenn. 353.1200
- 6 Compete BBQ Team City of Springs BBQ Championship · Sulphur, Okla. 352.5828
- 7 Better Half Barbecue Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) · Lincoln, Del. 351.9772
- 8 Swine 'N' Roses BBQ Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 · Kannapolis, N.C. 351.4172
- 9 BULL IN THE RING City of Springs BBQ Championship · Sulphur, Okla. 350.8460
- 10 LEE LA Q Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 · Kannapolis, N.C. 350.8228
The Backyard series in full → · Its own record board, its own champions and its own Team of the Year.
New to the Circuit First appearance anywhere in the record — the figure is their best finish
- 1st Rack Shack bbq Minnesota in May
- 3rd Alkanas Briedis Twin Smoke
- 3rd Anderson BBQ Supply Minnesota in May
- 3rd Sparkys Pit BBQ IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- 4th BBQ Squad Twin Smoke
- 4th We Shock the Competition BBQ IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- 5th Healthcare BBQ Crew UMB's Smokin' Vault (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- 5th THE BIG ORANGE SMOKERS Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- 6th Banks the Butcher BBQ IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- 6th Manos al Fuego BBQ Team Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- 7th Bear Claw BBQ Team Twin Smoke
- 7th Do-Do-Que Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)
- 7th We BBQ For Those Who Can't IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- 8th Black Bobby Flay Jack 9 Memorial
- 8th Local 441 BBQ IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- 9th Bigfoot Mountain Barbecue Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- 9th Canucks delivering Q Jack 9 Memorial
- 9th Imperial Valley Locos IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)
What a first season usually looks like → · 12 contests also ran for the first time on record: Minnesota in May, HOGS 4 HEROES, Minnesota in May (One Meat Ribs), 17th Annual Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off, Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest, Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1, Rocking BBQ Warsaw, Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES), Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival, Rocking BBQ Warsaw (ONE MEAT RIBS), Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off, Smoke in the Mitten BBQ Competition.
Best of Each Meat
Both series, out of 180
| Meat | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken†13 | Jury's Out Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 |
180 |
| Pork Ribs†6 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 |
180 |
| Pork†5 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 |
180 |
| Brisket†13 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 |
180 |
† a perfect 180 was scored in this category during the edition.
Who Showed Up
Contests · Grand Championships · best overall finish
| Team | C | GC | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMOKECRAFT - MD | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| STICKS & STONES BBQ | 5 | — | 3 |
| Bushmaster BBQ | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Smoked & Furious | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| LEE LA Q | 4 | — | 2 |
| WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | 4 | — | 2 |
| HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | 4 | — | 3 |
| Needs More Cowbell BBQ | 4 | — | 3 |
| Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | 4 | — | 5 |
| Optimus Swine | 4 | — | 6 |
| QUE U | 4 | — | 9 |
| HotItems | 4 | — | 12 |
| Second Helping BBQ -PA | 4 | — | 18 |
| Bourbon & Blues BBQ | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Who Ran the Table
Contests worked · states & provinces
| Rep | C | St. |
|---|---|---|
| Bunny Tuttle | 5 | 3 |
| Rich Tuttle | 5 | 3 |
| Jeanne Titus | 4 | 3 |
| Jeff Chambers | 4 | 1 |
| Regina Bodnar | 4 | 1 |
| Alan Rothrock | 2 | 1 |
| Charlie Brinza | 2 | 2 |
| Clara Williams | 2 | 1 |
| Connie Amidei | 2 | 2 |
| Craig Maidens | 2 | 1 |
| Doug Reid | 2 | 1 |
| Heather Maidens | 2 | 1 |
| John Scharffbillig | 2 | 1 |
| Jonathan Amidei | 2 | 2 |
| Jonathan B Williams | 2 | 1 |
| Kathleen McIntosh | 2 | 2 |
| Kelly McIntosh | 2 | 2 |
| Larry Voth | 2 | 1 |
| Laurie Tweten | 2 | 1 |
| Louise Weidner | 2 | 2 |
Where They Cooked
Contests · teams
| State/Prov. | C | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 5 | 125 |
| Delaware | 4 | 39 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 67 |
| California | 3 | 51 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 115 |
| Colorado | 2 | 49 |
| Indiana | 2 | 43 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 33 |
| Missouri | 2 | 31 |
| Georgia | 1 | 74 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 59 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 58 |
| Iowa | 1 | 45 |
| Illinois | 1 | 34 |
| Nevada | 1 | 27 |
| Michigan | 1 | 26 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 24 |
| Oregon | 1 | 24 |
| Ontario | 1 | 19 |
| LT | 1 | 14 |
Every sanctioned contest scored in this edition — 37 in all, newest first. Click a column head to sort; click a row for the contest.
Contests Advertised
- Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) — Friday, Oct. 23. West Creek, N.J. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
- Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) — Friday, Oct. 23. West Creek, N.J. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
- VPD Back the Blue BBQ Competition — Friday, Oct. 23. Vidalia, La. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
- Rock Lane Presents Grills Gone Wild — Friday, Oct. 23. Branson, Mo. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
- The Butcher's Smoke & Flames Barbeque Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) — Friday, Oct. 23. Cullman, Ala. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
- Foothills Smoke-Off Challenge — Friday, Oct. 23. Lenoir, N.C. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
- Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) — Saturday, Oct. 24. West Creek, N.J. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
- Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS) — Saturday, Oct. 24. West Creek, N.J. Entries through the organizer; sanctioned by KCBS.
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