In this edition
Every sanctioned contest scored in January 2024 — 1 Jan to 31 Jan.
Covering KCBS-sanctioned contests
January 2024 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
Poppa Pig put up 714.8572 at 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show — the highest overall of the month.
First one ever
Cherry Anchor BBQ won their first Grand Championship at 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge, in their 11th contest in the data.
- 12 Jan
Upset of the month
The ratings gave them a 11% chance
Cherry Anchor BBQ won 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge over top-rated BIG POPPA SMOKERS as the ratings underdog.
Perfect 180s
Six judges, every card a 9: 16 perfect 180s were handed out in January 2024.
- Chicken ×6
- Pork ×6
- Brisket ×4
Closest call
K-Dubs BBQ edged Joker Smoker BBQ by 1.1428 at Lakeland Pig Festival.
- Backyard Series
Back on top
Poppa Pig won 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show — their first Grand Championship since June 2021, after 36 contests without one.
- last won June 2021
- 36 contests in between
Contest record
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN put up 707.3828 at Lakeland Pig Festival — the best overall in 7 editions of the contest on record, past the old mark of 706.8228.
- old record 706.8228
- 6 earlier editions
Biggest riser
Ramblin Fork BBQ Co gained 27 rating points across 2 contests — the biggest climb of the month.
- 2 contests
- now #1456 overall
State champions crowned
4 state championships were decided in January 2024. The biggest, Lakeland Pig Festival (61 teams), went to Rooters-N-Tooters.
- Florida
- Arizona
- Nebraska
Best debut
Joker Smoker BBQ finished 2nd at Lakeland Pig Festival — the first contest they appear in anywhere in the data.
- 99 new teams in Jan 2024
- field of 61
Best in the backyard
Dogpatch Q put up 352.0000 on the Backyard board at 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show — two meats, a different scale, and the same nerves.
- 2 Backyard boards in Jan 2024
- won it
Biggest field
Lakeland Pig Festival drew 61 teams, and Rooters-N-Tooters won it.
- Lakeland, FL
Road warriors
Poppa Pig cooked 3 contests in January 2024 — nobody hauled the rig further.
- best finish 1st
- 1 GC
Won without a meat
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN won Lakeland Pig Festival without winning a single meat — their best category finish was 6th.
- field of 61
New on the calendar
9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge ran for the first time on record, drawing 58 teams, and CHERRY ANCHOR BBQ won it. Somebody put in the work to make a new contest happen.
- 2 first editions in Jan 2024
- Bullhead City, AZ
Rep of the month
Jeanne Titus repped 3 contests in January 2024 — somebody has to run the table.
The Boards
Highest overall scores (Master · /720)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poppa Pig 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
714.8572 |
| 2 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
711.9772 |
| 3 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN Lakeland Pig Festival |
707.3828 |
| 4 | Tillman's BBQ 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
706.2516 |
| 5 | Smoke Central BBQ 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
705.6800 |
| 6 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
705.1084 |
| 7 | Ham Squad Lakeland Pig Festival |
702.8116 |
| 8 | Cherry Anchor BBQ 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge |
699.9428 |
| 9 | Poppa Pig Lakeland Pig Festival |
699.4284 |
| 10 | MAN MEAT BBQ SJV Winter Rub |
699.3596 |
| 11 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
698.8000 |
| 12 | Kings BBQ Team 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
698.7884 |
| 13 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge |
698.7884 |
| 14 | SMOKE N' ASH BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
698.2404 |
| 15 | Meat Candy Q 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge |
697.6800 |
Best of each meat (both series · /180)
| Category | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken ×6 💯 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
180 |
| Pork Ribs | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
178.8572 |
| Pork ×6 💯 | Smoke Central BBQ 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
180 |
| Brisket ×4 💯 | Poppa Pig 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
180 |
Straight nines (perfect 180s)
On the move (power rating)
| Team | Rating | Jan 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Ramblin Fork BBQ Co No. 1,456 in the power rankings |
1,568 | +27 |
| Joker Smoker BBQ | 1,504 | +17 |
| Ring Of Fire No. 3,532 in the power rankings |
1,492 | +17 |
| SCORE ONE SMOKIN' No. 752 in the power rankings |
1,633 | +17 |
| K-Dubs BBQ No. 1,883 in the power rankings |
1,544 | +17 |
| BNL BARBECUE | 1,521 | +17 |
| Cherry Anchor BBQ No. 324 in the power rankings |
1,719 | +17 |
| Nuts & Butts No. 1,385 in the power rankings |
1,573 | +16 |
| Smokin' Ain't EZ No. 1,034 in the power rankings |
1,602 | +16 |
| SMOKE N' ASH BBQ No. 1,465 in the power rankings |
1,567 | +16 |
| Cookin with Stump | 1,478 | -14 |
| RED EYED SMOKERS No. 641 in the power rankings |
1,652 | -15 |
| JOE'S COOKSHACK No. 2,070 in the power rankings |
1,536 | -16 |
| WHISKEY CHURCH BBQ No. 4,777 in the power rankings |
1,468 | -17 |
| Blessed Beyond BBQ No. 4,212 in the power rankings |
1,479 | -18 |
Who showed up
| Team | Contests | GCs | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poppa Pig | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Dogpatch Q | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Ramblin Fork BBQ Co | 2 | — | 2 |
| Tillman's BBQ | 2 | — | 3 |
| Heavy Smoke BBQ | 2 | — | 4 |
| Smoke Central BBQ | 2 | — | 4 |
| FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | 2 | — | 5 |
| Pappy & Roleys | 2 | — | 6 |
| Kings BBQ Team | 2 | — | 7 |
| Smokin' Ain't EZ | 2 | — | 7 |
| Mad Dog BBQ | 2 | — | 8 |
| LOVE 2 Q | 2 | — | 9 |
| Cold Beer BBQ | 2 | — | 12 |
| Powered by Smoke | 2 | — | 12 |
| GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | 2 | — | 13 |
Who ran the table
| Rep | Contests | States |
|---|---|---|
| Jeanne Titus | 3 | 1 |
| Bunny Tuttle | 2 | 1 |
| Charlie Brinza | 2 | 1 |
| Mike Garretson | 2 | 1 |
| Rich Tuttle | 2 | 1 |
| Carolyn Wells | 1 | 1 |
| Dave Rogers | 1 | 1 |
| David Burstein | 1 | 1 |
| Kelly McIntosh | 1 | 1 |
| Michelle Mann | 1 | 1 |
| Peg Rogers | 1 | 1 |
Where they cooked
| State/Prov. | Contests | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2 | 219 |
| Arizona | 1 | 73 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 26 |
Best in the backyard (Backyard · /360)
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dogpatch Q 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
352 |
| 2 | Ramblin Fork BBQ Co 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
346.2400 |
| 3 | TRICKY PIG 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
345.0856 |
| 4 | K-Dubs BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
344.5372 |
| 5 | HESSHOGS 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
343.9428 |
| 6 | Split Creek BBQ 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show |
343.4288 |
| 7 | Joker Smoker BBQ Lakeland Pig Festival |
343.3944 |
| 8 | Nuts & Butts Lakeland Pig Festival |
342.8232 |
| 9 | Ring Of Fire Lakeland Pig Festival |
342.8000 |
| 10 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS Lakeland Pig Festival |
342.7884 |
| 11 | The Rusty Pig Lakeland Pig Festival |
342.2284 |
| 12 | Meat Monkey's Lakeland Pig Festival |
341.7376 |
New to the circuit
First editions (new on the calendar)
| Contest | Teams | Won by |
|---|---|---|
| 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ |
58 | CHERRY ANCHOR BBQ |
| 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show Elkton, FL |
43 | Poppa Pig? |
Running a contest? The organizer tools →
Every contest scored (4 in January 2024)
| Contest | Grand Champion | score |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeland Pig Festival Jan 26, 2024 · Lakeland, FL · 61 teams |
Rooters-N-Tooters RC: Ham Squad |
707.3828 |
| SJV Winter Rub Jan 26, 2024 · Omaha, NE · 26 teams |
Man Meat BBQ RC: SCORE ONE SMOKIN' |
699.3596 |
| 9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Jan 12, 2024 · Bullhead City, AZ · 58 teams |
CHERRY ANCHOR BBQ RC: BIG POPPA SMOKERS |
699.9428 |
| 8th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show Jan 4, 2024 · Elkton, FL · 43 teams |
Poppa Pig? RC: ELITE BBQ SMOKERS |
714.8572 |
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.