In this edition
Every sanctioned contest scored in January 2023 — 1 Jan to 31 Jan.
Covering KCBS-sanctioned contests
January 2023 in BBQ
The recap: every contest scored, every story, every board
Inside
The Stories
Score of the month
top 1% of every Master overall ever scored
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit put up 706.8228 at Lakeland Pig Festival — the highest overall of the month.
- a new contest record
First one ever
STEVO'S BBQ TEAM won their first Grand Championship at Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge, in their 16th contest in the data.
- 13 Jan
Upset of the month
The ratings gave them a 10% chance
STEVO'S BBQ TEAM won Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge over top-rated BIG POPPA SMOKERS as the ratings underdog.
Perfect 180s
Six judges, every card a 9: 7 perfect 180s were handed out in January 2023.
- Pork ×3
- Pork Ribs ×2
- Chicken ×1
- Brisket ×1
Closest call
STEVO'S BBQ TEAM edged LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ by 0.0000 at Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge.
- Master Series
Biggest riser
Two Drummer's Q-Crew gained 21 rating points across 1 contest — the biggest climb of the month.
- 1 contest
- now #5030 overall
State champions crowned
4 state championships were decided in January 2023. The biggest, Lakeland Pig Festival (51 teams), went to UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT.
- Florida
- Arizona
- Nebraska
Best debut
Belen Grill and Chill finished 1st at Panama BBQ Fest — the first contest they appear in anywhere in the data.
- 106 new teams in Jan 2023
- field of 19
Biggest blowout
Belen Grill and Chill won Panama BBQ Fest by 7.4400 points over Los Smokies — the widest winning margin of the month.
- field of 19
Biggest field
Lakeland Pig Festival drew 51 teams, and UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT won it.
- Lakeland, FL
Won without a meat
STEVO'S BBQ TEAM won Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge without winning a single meat — their best category finish was 3rd.
- field of 45
New on the calendar
Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge ran for the first time on record, drawing 45 teams, and STEVO'S BBQ won it. Somebody put in the work to make a new contest happen.
- 3 first editions in Jan 2023
- Bullhead City, AZ
Rep of the month
Debra Gage repped 3 contests in January 2023 — somebody has to run the table.
The Boards
Highest overall scores (Master · /720)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit Lakeland Pig Festival |
706.8228 |
| 2 | Kings BBQ Team Lakeland Pig Festival |
705.7032 |
| 3 | Fergolicious BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
702.2516 |
| 4 | Optimus Swine Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
699.3484 |
| 5 | GETTIN' BASTED Lakeland Pig Festival |
698.2516 |
| 6 | Optimus Swine Lakeland Pig Festival |
697.6456 |
| 7 | Two Drummer's Q-Crew Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
697.0744 |
| 8 | Ham Squad Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
696.5488 |
| 9 | Poppa Pig Lakeland Pig Festival |
696.5260 |
| 10 | Bushmaster BBQ SJV Winter Rub |
694.7884 |
| 11 | BAD AZZ MULE BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
694.7772 |
| 12 | B Team BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
693.6688 |
| 13 | KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
693.0744 |
| 14 | Pappy & Roleys Lakeland Pig Festival |
693.0744 |
| 15 | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
692.5144 |
Best of each meat (both series · /180)
| Category | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken ×1 💯 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
180 |
| Pork Ribs ×2 💯 | Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit Lakeland Pig Festival |
180 |
| Pork ×3 💯 | Poppa Pig Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
180 |
| Brisket ×1 💯 | Smokin' Ain't EZ Lakeland Pig Festival |
180 |
Straight nines (perfect 180s)
| Team | Category | Contest |
|---|---|---|
| Cooters N Smoke | Pork Ribs | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| Optimus Swine | Pork | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | Pork | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| Smokin' Ain't EZ | Brisket | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit | Pork Ribs | Lakeland Pig Festival |
| GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | Chicken | Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
| Poppa Pig | Pork | Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest |
On the move (power rating)
| Team | Rating | Jan 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Two Drummer's Q-Crew No. 5,030 in the power rankings |
1,462 | +21 |
| Denim Dan the BBQ Man No. 2,296 in the power rankings |
1,527 | +18 |
| Cherry Anchor BBQ No. 324 in the power rankings |
1,719 | +17 |
| Bourbon & Blues BBQ No. 1,184 in the power rankings |
1,588 | +16 |
| Belen Grill and Chill No. 2,123 in the power rankings |
1,534 | +16 |
| The Smoked Biscuit Company No. 3,114 in the power rankings |
1,503 | +16 |
| STEVO'S BBQ TEAM No. 349 in the power rankings |
1,712 | +16 |
| Weekend Warrior BBQ No. 2,109 in the power rankings |
1,535 | +15 |
| ROOSTERS BULLS & BOARS No. 1,609 in the power rankings |
1,557 | +15 |
| Slightly Sauced No. 1,459 in the power rankings |
1,568 | +15 |
| FOCUS REMODELS | 1,486 | -14 |
| BBQ Love Club | 1,492 | -14 |
| Bien Pega'o | 1,484 | -16 |
| SWAMP BOYS No. 652 in the power rankings |
1,649 | -16 |
| Phil the Grill No. 1,929 in the power rankings |
1,542 | -17 |
Who showed up
| Team | Contests | GCs | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimus Swine | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | 2 | — | 5 |
| Ramblin Fork BBQ Co | 2 | — | 5 |
| Poppa Pig | 2 | — | 6 |
| UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | 2 | — | 6 |
| HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | 2 | — | 8 |
| Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | 2 | — | 9 |
| ROOSTERS BULLS & BOARS | 2 | — | 9 |
| FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | 2 | — | 10 |
| Mad Dog BBQ | 2 | — | 11 |
| SCORE ONE SMOKIN' | 2 | — | 12 |
| HOT WACHULA'S | 2 | — | 13 |
| Accutech BBQ | 2 | — | 15 |
| K & E's Little Smokers | 2 | — | 22 |
| Belen Grill and Chill | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Who ran the table
| Rep | Contests | States |
|---|---|---|
| Debra Gage | 3 | 1 |
| William Gage | 3 | 1 |
| Charlie Brinza | 2 | 1 |
| Maria Lohman | 2 | — |
| Wayne Lohman | 2 | — |
| Alan Rothrock | 1 | 1 |
| Bill Jones | 1 | 1 |
| Bunny Tuttle | 1 | 1 |
| Carol Bigler | 1 | 1 |
| Carolyn Wells | 1 | 1 |
| Dave Rogers | 1 | 1 |
| Jeanne Titus | 1 | 1 |
| Julie Cook | 1 | 1 |
| Kelly McIntosh | 1 | 1 |
| Marianne Van Galen | 1 | — |
| Mayco Van Galen | 1 | — |
| Michael Winter | 1 | 1 |
| Mike Garretson | 1 | 1 |
| Peg Rogers | 1 | 1 |
| Randy G Bigler | 1 | 1 |
Where they cooked
| State/Prov. | Contests | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2 | 169 |
| Arizona | 1 | 62 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 31 |
New to the circuit
First editions (new on the calendar)
| Contest | Teams | Won by |
|---|---|---|
| Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ |
45 | STEVO'S BBQ |
| SJV Winter Rub Omaha, NE |
31 | Bushmaster BBQ |
| Panama BBQ Fest Panama City, Panama |
19 | Belen Grill and Chll |
Running a contest? The organizer tools →
Every contest scored (5 in January 2023)
| Contest | Grand Champion | score |
|---|---|---|
| Panama BBQ Fest Jan 28, 2023 · Panama City · 19 teams |
Belen Grill and Chll RC: Los Smokies |
670.7996 |
| Lakeland Pig Festival Jan 27, 2023 · Lakeland, FL · 51 teams |
UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT RC: Kings BBQ Team |
706.8228 |
| SJV Winter Rub Jan 27, 2023 · Omaha, NE · 31 teams |
Bushmaster BBQ RC: AMERICAN FIRE BBQ |
694.7884 |
| Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Jan 13, 2023 · Bullhead City, AZ · 45 teams |
STEVO'S BBQ RC: LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ |
691.3716 |
| Southern Sunshine BBQ Fest Jan 13, 2023 · Lake Wales, FL · 26 teams |
Optimus Swine RC: Two Drummers Q Crew |
699.3484 |
The Archive
Every month with scored results, back to the start of the data. Subscribe to the monthly feed and each one lands as it closes.
2026 (338 contests) · the 2026 season in review
2025 (386 contests) · the 2025 season in review
2024 (343 contests) · the 2024 season in review
2023 (376 contests) · the 2023 season in review
2022 (376 contests) · the 2022 season in review
2021 (310 contests) · the 2021 season in review
2020 (134 contests) · the 2020 season in review
2019 (430 contests) · the 2019 season in review
2018 (480 contests) · the 2018 season in review
2017 (517 contests) · the 2017 season in review
2016 (505 contests) · the 2016 season in review
2015 (494 contests) · the 2015 season in review
2014 (469 contests) · the 2014 season in review
2013 (436 contests) · the 2013 season in review
2012 (1 contest) · the 2012 season in review
Every figure here is computed from the public results at kcbs.us, refreshed nightly. The Smoke Ring is not a publication of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.