In a down-to-the-wire KCBS Team of the Year battle, Jordan Kirkpatrick and Janky Leg BBQ came through in clutch fashion. Needing a Grand Championship on the season’s final weekend to leapfrog Brad Leighninger and Gettin’ Basted, that’s exactly what Janky Leg accomplished on Day 1 of Boo-B-Que in Oak Grove, Missouri. Adding an RGC on Day 2, Jordan came away with his first Team of the Year and denied Gettin’ Basted an unprecedented fourth. We talk it over with Jordan on Episode 236 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast and find out his thoughts on the stress of a title chase, future BBQ plans and who exactly is “Teen Wolf” and his role in Janky Leg’s success. We also welcome Chase Willard, a former Tailgate Guys BBQ Show “Under the Radar” subject to discuss his first career KCBS Grand Championship, which came on Day 2 of Boo-B-Que. Chase breaks down his winning cook in the cold and windy conditions and recaps his road to a GC in a relatively short time period since jumping into competition BBQ.  Meanwhile, Lyndal touches on the Tailgate Guys BBQ team’s clunker at Boo-B-Que and co-host Steve tells us what’s been cooking on his backyard deck.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq  Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq  The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

The Kansas City Barbeque Society has released a 16-page report in the aftermath of the scoring errors and subsequent audit following the American Royal World Series of BBQ Open. The link to the full report is posted here:  KCBS CEO Rod Gray joins me on a special edition of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast to discuss the event, from the time that errors were discovered late Sunday afternoon at The Royal. Rod hits on several topics from an external IT report on what went wrong and why and he discusses the damage done to KCBS’ credibility with its members and how to go about fixing it.  I encourage you to read the report, then listen to Rod’s interview and draw your own conclusions.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq  Clark Crew BBQ  The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

The husband-wife team of Greg Boggs and Karryl Boggs - Boggs Hog BBQ out of Audubon, New Jersey - had one career KCBS Grand Championship in 64 career competitions prior to last weekend. And what a weekend it was for Boggs Hog as Greg and Karryl doubled their prior amount of title after sweeping both ends of the Red White & Que in Jackson, New Jersey.  Making it even better? Boggs Hog had not one, not two but three perfect 180s on Day 2, scoring 710.83 to win in a runaway. We visit with Greg and Karryl on Episode 234 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast to find out how they did it, their background in competition BBQ and what’s ahead for Boggs Hog. Also joining us for his monthly visit is Richard Fergola, pitmaster of Fergolicious BBQ and marketing director for Proud Souls BBQ & Provisions. Fergie fills us in on the big announcement that came out this week about Proud Souls’ expanding footprint into central Florida. He also recaps his KCBS season and plans to take a mental break from the competition side following this weekend’s Boo-B-Que doubleheader in Oak Grove, Missouri. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their cooking weeks and the wet, cold assignment that awaits the Tailgate Guys team at this weekend’s Boo-B-Que. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq  The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

One year after winning KCBS Team of the Year honors for the first time, Ercole Chila and Uncle Pig’s Barbecue Pit has brought home a Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational championship home to New Jersey. Ercole joins us on Episode 233 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast to describe the tension and eventual elation upon learning that his team had captured one of the most-prestigious prizes on competition BBQ. We also review what’s been another outstanding season for Uncle Pig’s and what’s ahead. Co-hosts Steve and Lyndal also talk about the demise of our hometown KCBS event, the $20,000 Ozarks BBQ Fest. It’s where we got our competition BBQ start in 2015 as “Dr. L and the Meatheads,” where we took our lumps for several years and where we eventually got our first KCBS 180 and 700 pins - and nearly our first Grand Championship earlier this year. Turns out that’s the last time for the event, which began a quarter-century ago under the Memphis BBQ Network banner. Summed up: It’s another sad day as a great contest bites the dust, but not uncommon in today’s world of shrinking quality contests. Meanwhile, we still await KCBS CEO Rod Gray to do a special-edition show with us to discuss what went wrong at the American Royal World Series of BBQ Open results. The BBQ world wants transparency and Rod has said he will give it, when he’s fully researched the situation. So stay tuned.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq  The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

The American Royal World Series of BBQ Open results saga continues to be a big story and on Episode 232 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with the two pitmasters most affected by the initial scoring mistakes that led to a full audit and change in the order of finish.  First up is Jordan Kirkpatrick of Janky Leg BBQ from Benton, Illinois. Fifth overall at the awards ceremony, Janky Leg was elevated to the Grand Championship after the review. Jordan reviews the rollercoaster of emotions that saw him win BBQ’s largest competition while missing out on the feeling of being crowned on stage, in front of a large gathering of his peers. We also chat about the red-hot KCBS Team of the Year race that finds Janky Leg and three-time TOY Gettin’ Basted entering the home stretch in an all-out duel. We also get the perspective from the team that initially was announced as the American Royal Open winner. David Ellis of Machete Boys BBQ from Minneapolis has been a class act in how he handled the situation of thinking you’ve won The Royal only to find out 48 hours after receiving the crown that there were errors. Relegated to Reserve Grand Champion, David talks honestly about the need for KCBS to be totally transparent about what went wrong and how they need to fix the issues to regain trust from competitors going foward. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq  The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Episode 231 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast was to be an American Royal special, reviewing the event and visiting with the Grand Champion of the Open. But major technical issues delayed the awards and has prompted KCBS CEO Rod Gray to initiate a full audit of all the scoring before results are made official. This has caused quite the stir and understandably so. Rod has said he will come on the show and explain all, once the situation is resolved - or resolved the best it can be. Stay tuned. Look for a special edition of the show with Rod Gray later this week or next. Meanwhile, we carry on with a terrific conversation with one of the biggest names in southern BBQ. It’s Carey Bringle, the Peg Leg Porker has been competing, cooking BBQ and entertaining the masses for a quarter century. He’s a renowned entrepreneur who has restaurants, a spirits company, and a retail clothing & food products company. He’s written books on how to master fire and smoke, including the acclaimed BBQ for Dummies. Recently, Carey’s Peg Leg Porker restaurant in Nashville was named by Southern Living magazine as one of the South’s top 50 BBQ restaurants. Carey also weighs in on the apparent end of Memphis in May on the riverfront at Tom Lee Park. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve wrap things up by talking a little sports and what’s ahead on their grills.   Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

The American Royal World Series of BBQ is special to many pitmasters, none more so than Darren Warth. A three-time American Royal Open Grand Champion with his Iowa Smokey D’s BBQ, Darren is ready to chase No. 4 this weekend when more than 500 teams converge on Kansas Speedway for the world’s biggest BBQ competition. The man known as the “GOAT” for his two-decade run of success also will be inducted into the BBQ Hall of Fame on Saturday, making it even more special. On Episode 230 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Darren about the upcoming weekend and reflect a bit on his career, the restaurant business and why he’s never been interested in teaching a BBQ class. We also talk it over with Joe Gera, owner of Keystone Que in Pittsburgh. Joe has celiac disease, a serious and potentially deadly disorder for those who consume gluten through cross contamination in the kitchen. Joe has a book coming out soon titled “From Scratch With Love, Professional Gluten-Free Home Cooking.” He discusses healthy eating and how to keep enjoying quality BBQ, even with a celiac disorder and about his Carolina-inspired BBQ sauces. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their BBQ weeks and preview the Tailgate Guys BBQ team’s upcoming trip to The Royal.   Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

It’s always a blast to talk open-fire cooking with BBQ Hall of Famer Ray Lampe, better known as “Dr. BBQ.” This is especially true as the American Royal World Series of BBQ nears and on Episode 229 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Ray tells us about what makes the American Royal so special for him, talks Turkey Smoke and gives his thoughts on some of the Class of 2023 BBQ Hall of Famers. Ray also gives us a rundown of his recent trip to Wales where BBQ has become a mainstream way of culinary life. Even the beer is cold these days in Europe. The American Royal theme continues as director of communications Allyssa King and event manager Kayci Vincent give us a preview of what the 500-plus teams and BBQ enthusiasts coming out to Kansas Speedway can expect as the world’s biggest BBQ event is held next week. Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve also break down their cooking weeks, including the ongoing Tailgate Guys BBQ competition team’s continuing preparation for The Royal.   Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Richard Fergola has accomplished a lot of awesome things in competition barbecue, but had never won his hometown KCBS event. That all changed last weekend as Fergolicious BBQ earned Grand Championship honors at Smokin’ on the Trails in Gardner, Kansas. On Episode 228 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with “Fergie” about that, plus plans for a huge day of food, fun and BBQ knowledge that Proud Souls BBQ and Provisions has on tap Friday, Sept. 29 at the American Royal World Series of BBQ.  We also welcome Norris Sydnor back to the show after Baltimore-based Good Googly Goo - a Tailgate Guys BBQ Show “Under the Radar” alum - kicked off what Syd is calling the Triple G Ugly Tour with a $10,000 Grand Championship last week at the Primo BBQ Bash in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Syd has mapped out an ambitious schedule over the next month and we ask him about that, plus Good Googly Goo’s pursuit of KCBS Chicken Team of the Year honors.  Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve also break down their cooking weeks, including a review of the team’s performance at Smokin’ on the Trails.   Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 227 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk to the man behind the upcoming Saluting With Smoke BBQ Festival, Sept. 15-17 in Yorkville, Illinois. Sean Young, an Army veteran who is brutally honest about his life struggles after leaving the service in the early 2000s, formed Mission Zero Hundred Hours to help veterans deal with PTSD by connecting them with open-fire cooking. At Saluting With Smoke, five teams with four veterans apiece representing each brand of the military will be mentored by five top professional pitmasters - Sterling Smith, Chris Webb, Lee Hickel, Richard Fergola and Brad Leighninger - will compete for bragging rights.  Would you trust your competition BBQ meat trimming to someone else, particularly those pesky and time-consuming chicken thighs? Aaron Huentelman is a butcher and competition meat manager at Mister Brisket in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Aaron and the team there are providing such a service, trimming and shipping to teams around the nation. He talks about the specifics, including skin-scraping and weights - and his background in competition BBQ with the team Go Big or Go BBQ.  Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve also break down their cooking weeks and discuss the start of the NFL season as the Kansas City Chiefs are minus a couple of key players as their Super Bowl defense begins. Wherever you are, we send best wishes for a great BBQ Week!  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

It might go down in competition BBQ history as the “Basted Triple” or whatever clever phrase you’d like to use. But if Brad Leighninger and Gettin’ Basted win a fourth KCBS Team of the Year, last weekend will be a big reason. On Episode 226 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Brad joins us to recap his remarkable feat of cooking a Friday-Saturday doubleheader at the Death’s Door Barbecue in northern Wisconsin, where he earned Grand Championship and RGC honors, then making a 12-hour haul to Paola, Kansas, for a Sunday Grand Championship at the Paola Roots Festival. The impressive three-day stretch helped solidify Gettin’ Basted’s Team of the Year lead. Brad also weighs in on a variety of other BBQ topics, including high-scoring and the difficulty of winning, how he deals with outlier results and some new restaurant projects in the works.  With Labor Day Weekend ahead, we also check in with Kevin Green of The Butcher Shoppe about the state of the meat business, what’s been hot this summer and some under-the-radar cuts to add to your menu this fall. It’s also fun to visit with Kevin, one of the biggest supporters of our show and one of the most-important suppliers of high-quality briskets to competition and backyard cooks across the land. Lyndal and Steve also break down their cooking weeks and throw in some sports talk as we big farewell to August and look forward to autumn. Wherever you are, we send best wishes for a great BBQ Week!  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Chris Davis of Crossed Rifles BBQ from Schertz, Texas, knocked down the Grand Championship at last weekend’s prestigious Red Raiders Challenge in Lubbock with a huge score of 713.16. We visit with the Marine Corps veteran on Episode 225 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast about his journey into competition BBQ, which he credits for helping him cope with PTSD from his time in the military. It’s a common theme for veterans who come on the show and Chris discusses why he thinks open-fire cooking resonates with them. We go to north Texas for our other guest as Shane LeClair of Damn Yankee BBQ Texas joins us for our “Under the Radar” segment on up-and-coming teams. A transplanted New Yorker and avid Yankees fan, LeClair has been knocking on the door of his first KCBS Grand Championship in just his second year of competitive cooking. LeClair cooks out of one of the most-distinctive trailers on the circuit, wrapped in a distinctive Yankees them including a large illustration of Mickey Mantle swinging for the fences on the back. Lyndal and Steve break down their cooking weeks and throw in some sports talk in the hot days of August. Wherever you are, we send best wishes for a great BBQ Week!  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 224 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, it’s a review of the KCBS World Invitational where it was a weekend to remember for Aaron and Christy Stoffer of Man Meat BBQ. Aaron joins me to talk about the team’s Grand Championship, worth $6,000, in the Invitational on Sunday one day after Man Meat scored a whopping 711.4 overall total but had to settle for Reserve Grand Champion behind Smoked & Furious BBQ’s record of 717.71. Aaron talks about his biggest championship to date, how confidence plays a big role in competition success and how the Man Meat BBQ line of rubs and sauces fit into the scheme of things. We also pay tribute to the often-overlooked KCBS Backyard division as Alan Larrimore from Minnesota’s Wrecking Crew BBQ joins us to break down his team’s KCBS Invitational Backyard championship. Alan and wife Allison are retired Air Force veterans who found competition BBQ through an organization called Hometown Hero Outdoors, a non-profit that benefits and teaches veterans and first responders the art of open-fire cooking. Many, like the Larrimores, go on to compete and others get into the judging aspect.  Meanwhile, Lyndal and Steve break down their cooking weeks with Steve discussing a Korean short rib process that sounds delicious.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 223 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we take a trip to southern California to visit with one of the top teams on the West Coast. It was quite a 48-hour period last week for B’ Mackin BBQ out of San Diego as the team got its first-ever draw into The Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational on Thursday and then won its first Grand Championship of 2023 on Saturday. Brett McKinney and Benny Watsman of B’Mackin BBQ join us to talk about the emotions and excitement, the background of the team and the challenges of competing on the West Coast, where competitions are not easy to find.  Then we go “Under the Radar” with an up-and-coming team that’s yet to win a KCBS Master’s Series Grand Championship - but is closing in. Travis Farthing from Oklahoma’s Fine As Swine BBQ already has two Reserve Grands in 2023, plus overall finishes of third and fourth in just six competitions. Travis tells us the background of Fine As Swine, which he and wife Melissa oversee, while offering up advice to those considering jumping into competition Q.  Meanwhile, co-host Lyndal Scranton reviews the Tailgate Guys BBQ team’s latest try at competition with a review of Que for a Cause in Tahlequah, Okla., and Steve Koehler talks about his latest backyard cooking adventures.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Richard Fergola has been on the competition BBQ grind, cooking three KCBS doubleheaders over the last three weekends. We discuss that mental aspect of that, plus much more with the pitmaster of Fergolicious BBQ and Marketing/PR director of Proud Souls BBQ & Provisions on Episode 222 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. “Fergie” says even seasoned veterans like himself can be puzzled by scoring at times and says sometimes you just have to shake your head and move on. He gives us a rundown on the rebranding of his line of seasonings, an upcoming class this weekend he and Sterling Smith are teaching, a recent win for his pupil on The Country Network program BBQ Country and the latest news from Proud Souls BBQ & Provisions Kansas City. We also check in with the Team of the Year leader in the KCBS Backyard Team of the Year points race. JP Parran and wife Colleen comprise Bourbon and Blues BBQ out of Wilmington, N.C. This summer, JP and Colleen are on a memorable competition journey, setting up in a west-central Missouri campground and commuting from there to competitions around the region. JP tells us the story behind Bourbon and Blues BBQ and their goals for the rest of 2023, starting with this weekend’s competition at Que for a Cause in Tahlequah, Okla. (Note: We had some audio issues and I apologize that the sound of JP’s segment is a bit rough in some spots). Meanwhile, the Tailgate Guys BBQ team gets ready to compete again this weekend. We are very fortunate to get a spot in Que for a Cause after cancellation of an event closer to home.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 221 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk it over with Curt Wallace from Smoked & Furious BBQ out of Oklahoma City, the No. 4-ranked team in this week’s KCBS Team of the Year standings. Curt tells us about how he got started in competition BBQ and risen into national prominence in a relatively short period of time. We also talk about some bumps in the road how to decipher sub-par scores along the way and the influence of some of his fellow Oklahoma BBQ legends such as David Bouska and Donnie Teel. While no longer technically “Under the Radar,” after capturing their first career grand championship earlier this month, we learn the story of Team Crawford from Roger Crawford out of Atlantic, Iowa. Roger said a perfect storm came together for the first GC in Council Bluffs, Iowa, a few weeks ago and it even more special as he edged out one of BBQ’s best, Blane Hunter and Pork Butts BBQ for the win. On the opening segment of the show, we recap the Tailgate Guys BBQ team’s weekend at the Smokin’ on the Osage in Osceola, Missouri. Organizers Chuck and Jessica Simpson put on a first-class event in a beautiful setting and no team seemed immune from some bizarre judging and weird comments from some of the certified barbecue judges.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Anyone who’s attempted competition BBQ knows how hard it is to win a grand championship, no matter the sanctioning body. Joel Fleetwood and his Meat Rushmore BBQ team is fresh off an impressive rarity, KCBS Grand Championships on back-to-back weekends. On Episode 220 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Joel about how it happened and what it feels like to be hitting on all cooking cylinders as Meat Rushmore has risen to No. 15 in the KCBS Team of the Year standings. Joel also is on the KCBS Board of Directors and we ask him about how that is going and some of the challenges facing the organization. John Lindsey from All Qued Up BBQ also returns for his monthly Team Arkassippi segment and, as usual, John has been busy with competition, teaching and catering. On the latter, John talks about the best way to test the waters of starting a catering business and he also discusses his involvement with Bama-Q on the teaching and competitive side. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their recent cooking ventures and preview the weekend ahead.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

In addition to being one of America’s great pitmasters, Fred Robles wears many other hats in the BBQ world. The 2019 American Royal World Series of BBQ Open Grand Champion runs his own butcher shop (Rio Valley Meats) in Weslaco, Texas, and is president of the Champions BBQ Alliance, a sanctioning body that’s successfully into its third year. We talk to Fred about all of those things on Episode 219 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, plus ways to help out one of his Texas BBQ brothers who’s battling cancer. Robert Sierra, a Texas BBQ icon in his own right, was recently diagnosed with lymphoma and Fred tells us about Robert as a great pitmaster and friend and how the BBQ family can help Robert with medical costs through Venmo (RobertSierraSPC) or CashApp (SrobertSierraSSPC). The Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast certainly sends our best wishes to Robert for a full and speedy recovery! We also take a look at the upcoming Smokin’ on the Harbor, a KCBS Master’s and Backyard competition coming up Aug. 5-6 in scenic Warsaw, Mo., with organizer Lynette Stokes. Hear about the contest’s transition from all-backyard to adding the Master’s series a couple of years ago and how the public gets involved in the annual event. Go to WelcometoWarsaw.com and click on events to find out more.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their recent cooking ventures and preview the weekend ahead.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 218 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, the guys recap their holiday cooking and other adventures and take a dive into the archives to find one of the most-popular guests of our time in podcast form. So iconic in the BBQ world that he needs only one name, Darian Khosravi  - better known as Kosmo - went from modest beginnings to a career of championship cooking and a world-renowned line of rubs, sauces and accessories. Kosmo talks about his unique career, which began on a cheap box store smoker he purchased while working as a trucker hauling hazardous waste around the Oklahoma City area. We hope you enjoy this look back at one of the top guest segments from 2022.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

We head into the long July 4th holiday weekend with a bang on Episode 217 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Leading off is a conversation with Christie Vanover, whose website GirlsCanGrill.com is one of the top sources for BBQ information including recipes, instructional videos, product reviews and much more. Christie also is a champion pitmaster and recently achieving a Grand Championship and her first career KCBS 700. She also is one of the contestants on Season 4 of the Food Network show BBQ Brawl - with mentors Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell and Sunny Anderson - which debuts July 10.  We also check in with Richard Fergola of Proud Souls BBQ & Provisions Kansas City and get the lowdown on all things Proud Souls and the latest from Fergolicious BBQ. Much like his schedule, there’s no pumping the brakes on the enthusiasm meter with “Fergie” and it’s always fun to catch up with him as he hints about a huge public event that the Proud Souls team will play host to this fall at the American Royal World Series of BBQ. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve recap their cooking weeks and preview the big holiday weekend ahead.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Byron Chism has cooked BBQ all over the world and won 39 Grand Championships along the way. But Chism, who will be inducted into the BBQ Hall of Fame this fall during the American Royal World Series of BBQ at Kansas Speedway, is best known for producing the first widely distributed rub specifically designed for BBQ. On Episode 216 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Chism about his “Bad Byron’s Butt Rub” that’s still one of the top sellers in stores around the globe, 26 years after its creation. Byron tells us about how he came up with the rub, the origin of its name and why it’s still a hit all these years later. We also check in with Nick Davis of Double Barrel BBQ about his upcoming Que For a Cause benefit competition in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Aug. 4-5 event is for backyard and pro teams and already has attracted a star-studded field in just its third year. Davis, himself an outstanding competition cook, tells us why the event’s benefactor, Special Olympics, is so meaningful to him. Nick also touches on his growing BBQ restaurant, which offers both rewards and challenges. Meanwhile, the guys recap their cooking weeks and round up the latest Grand Champions on the KCBS circuit.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizzaHave a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 215 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with the family team fresh off one of the biggest prizes in competition BBQ. The O.G. Bandits out of Oak Grove, Missouri, led by Josh Farley and Ashton Smith, earned a $25,000 prize for their Grand Championship at the KCBS Competitors’ Series Made for K.C. BBQ Championship in Kansas City. The Bandits also receive naming rights, branding and the opportunity to create their own menu and market their own line of sauces and rubs at the BBQ restaurant inside the new Kansas City International Airport terminal in 2024. Josh and Ashton talk about their BBQ journey and how they’ve reached this possible life-changing opportunity. We remain in the Kansas City area to check in with Carl McBee, who’s been a cook, judge and contest organizer for the last two decades. Carl is the organization at the KCBS Cameron (Missouri) Elks BBQ Cookoff, July 7-8 where he will not only have a one-day Masters’ Series competition, but a unique same-day doubleheader for backyard cooks. Carl talks about this hopefully being a launching pad for backyard cooks to get some experience and perhaps draw some newcomers to the sport.  Meanwhile, the Tailgate Guys BBQ competition team has taken plenty of lumps over the years - and always owned up to it on the show. This week is different. Head coach Lyndal Scranton and family cooked up a storm at their hometown Ozarks BBQ Fest, with 180 first-place Pork, 5th-place Brisket and 7th-place Ribs. Overall, the team finished third with a 704.52 to realize a dream and crack the rather exclusive KCBS 700 club. We try to stay humble while reviewing the awesome weekend!  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 214 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we catch up with 2021 American Royal World Series of BBQ Invitational Grand Champion Bill Heyen, whose Triple H BBQ picked up their second Grand Championship of 2023 last weekend in Covington, Tenn. Heyan and wife Andrea, part of a large farm family in west-central Illinois, have 12 GCs and seven RGCs since 2019. They’re offering their knowledge in a unique “hands-on, behind the scenes” style with 1-on-1 classes in real time during competitions. Bill, who’s also one of the nicer people we’ve met in BBQ, explains how it works and even how much it costs to take this unique class, as opposed to the typical 20-30 folks in a classroom tell-all. We also take a trip to southern California to find out more about 5th Gear BBQ with head cook Nick Barrick after the family team won its first career KCBS Grand Championship recently in Big Bear Lake, California, in their first competition of 2023. Nick, a self-taught cook, talks about why he was bitten by the competition bug a few years ago and lays out some goals in both competition and catering for 5th Gear the rest of 2023.  Meanwhile, it’s the first “Game Week” of the year for the Tailgate Guys BBQ cooking team and Lyndal has a preview of the hometown Ozarks BBQ Fest while Steve keeps his focus on the backyard with an array of ideas for grill time on his deck this weekend. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 213 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast we catch up with John Lindsey of All Qued Up BBQ about his latest happenings, of which there are many. John leads off by telling us about his role as one of the all-star mentors to backyard cooks on the new television show Barbecue Country on The Country Network. The show made its debut this week and will have new episodes each Monday night and John, who does everything from professional competition to catering to teaching BBQ tells us about the importance of putting an emphasis on America’s backyard cooks. We then check in with Joshua DeWitt on the heels of his JDQBBQ Spicy Rub being named “Best Rub on the Planet” in the American Royal Association Best Rub contest. Josh has been involved in competition BBQ for several years and release his JDQ Spicy for sale last year, joining his already popular JDQ Sweet. Both are excellent on pork, used either individually or together. Josh tells us about the process of creating his own rub and the long road it takes from the idea stage to development, distribution and finally to store shelves.  If you don’t already follow the Tailgate Guys BBQ Facebook page, please consider giving us a “like” or “follow” and join the conversation. We’ll have some live content coming up from next week’s Ozarks BBQ Fest.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Those of us who love BBQ can agree there are few things in life better than a perfectly cooked baby back rib. But outstanding Ribs haven’t been good enough - compared to Pork Shoulder and Whole Hog - to win a Memphis in May World Championship since 2002. Until last weekend, that is. On Episode 212 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with John David Wheeler, pitmaster of the Ribdiculous Bar-B-Krewe team that broke the Memphis in May Ribs hex by capturing the overall title last weekend on the banks of the Mississippi at Tom Lee Park in Memphis. Wheeler, a former Memphis in May world champ with his Natural Born Grillers team, tells us about teaming up with chefs from around the USA and his 21-year-old son, John Dalton Wheeler, to find the winning formula. Why hasn’t the Rib category won in so long? Wheeler has a theory. He also tells us about cooking the winning entry on his “mailbox,” the origins of his storied BBQ-cooking career and being a proud and long-time member of Operation BBQ Relief. We also spread the news of a big KCBS competition with a hefty, $20,000 prize fund coming up soon in our hometown of Springfield, Missouri. That’s Ozarks BBQ Fest and event organizer Larry Krauck runs down the happenings at the June 9-10 event at the spacious Ozark Empire Fairgrounds where music and cold drinks also will be in abundance, along with a new, Backyard Grillers category on Friday night for anyone who’s ever aspired to compete at an entry level.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve preview their Memorial Day Weekend cooking plans and take a quick tour of the sports world.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

It’s National BBQ Month and there’s a ton going on to celebrate the occasion at Proud Souls Barbecue and Provisions Kansas City. Richard Fergola, Marketing and Public Relations Director for Proud Souls, stops by Episode 211 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast to give us a rundown starting off with Demo Days the next two Sundays, where folks can learn all about Ribs on May 21st and how to cook on a Gateway Drum Smoker on May 28th. Richard’s Fergolicious BBQ competition team also has been busy and he gives a quick recap and preview of a busy summer on the trail.  We also go back “Under the Radar” to find out more about an up-and-coming competition team. This time it’s a trip to New York City for a visit with John Zervoulakos of Grandpa Val’s BBQ. John says it’s a family gathering and a party whenever Grandpa Val’s competes - and the results have been impressive as well.   Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve recap their own busy cooking weeks and look ahead to the run-up to the Memorial Day Weekend, in both BBQ and sports.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Team Blues Hog shocked the BBQ world in 2022 by winning what many consider the biggest prize in competition BBQ - Memphis in May’s Grand Championship - by cooking Whole Hog hot and fast on an oversized Gateway Drum Smoker. Next week, the Blues Hog team returns to Memphis with a target on its back, traditional low-and-slow pitmasters ready to take aim. That’s fine with Tim Scheer. The team captain and owner of Blues Hog joins us on Episode 210 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast for a Memphis in May preview. Tim explains that the preparation for 2023 Memphis in May began only a few days after last year’s title celebration as he began planning the breeding schedule for the trio of hogs he’s taking in the bid to repeat. Also, a Hall of Famer has been added to the team. Check out our conversation with Tim to find this legend’s identity. Also, there’s a great new book on the market called “Butcher on the Block: Everyday Recipes, Stories and Inspirations from Your Local Butcher and Beyond.” Author Matt Moore joins us to talk about the book, which shares stories, coveted family recipes and expert tips from a dozen butchers around the globe who share their experiences and knowledge. Find the book anywhere books are sold and enjoy as both the written and visual content is outstanding.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve review their cooking weeks and talk a little sports.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

There’s a new No. 1 team in the KCBS Team of the Year standings this week and we learn more about Colorado Bulldawg BBQ from pitmaster Levi Stoakes on Episode 209 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Levi, wife Jessica and their mascot bulldog named Brisket have traveled the country, cooking 13 competition so far in 2023 and have been a top-five scoring machine with seven overall top-five finishes cooking primarily on their Jambo. Levi tells us about achieving consistency and recounts how he got into competition BBQ.   We also have another Under the Radar segment, learning about an up-and-coming team. This week, we go to Mayetta, Kansas, for a visit with Bo Wheless of Bocephus BBQ. In just 13 career competitions, Bocephus BBQ - yes, it’s named after Hank Jr. - also has scored four overall top-10 finishes and a first place in Ribs. Bo tells us about his inspiration to get into competition cooking and what’s next for his team.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve review their cooking weeks and talk a little sports, including memories of Mike Shannon, who spent 50 years in the St. Louis Cardinals’ broadcast booth. The "Moon Man" passed away last weekend at the age of 83.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Buckle up because Episode 208 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast is one of the longest we’ve done, checking in at 72 minutes … but it’s packed full of big names with good and fun info. First up is Mark Lambert, a seven-time world BBQ champion who’s won the overall title at Memphis in May twice and is reigning world pork shoulder champion. Mark and his Sweet Swine O’ Mine team is ready for another title run in a few weeks on the banks of the Mississippi and he tells us about preparations for Memphis in May and what he envisions as the BBQ Major returns to Tom Lee Park.  Next up is a brief-but-fun segment with St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher Adam Wainwright. During an injury rehab assignment recently in Springfield, Missouri, “Waino” talked about his love for BBQ, what he likes to cook in his backyard and what kinds of smokers and grills he has.  Then it’s one of the best to ever light a pit as Rod Gray, CEO of the Kansas City Barbeque Society joins us. Rod, by the way, is not officially retired from competition cooking, it’s just that his job can be a handful. The timing of Rod’s appearance coincides with the recent announcement that the 2023 KCBS World Invitational will be held Aug. 11-13 in Mayetta, Kansas. Rod takes us through how the decision was made to put the $60,000 event in August and why in Kansas. He also talks about his view of where KCBS is headed eight months after taking the job as CEO.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve review their cooking weeks and offer some sports opinions before turning this week’s show in to the judges.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

The open-fire cooking season officially is launching into high gear as we hit mid-April. For those backyard cooks wondering what type of charcoal - hardwood lump, briquette or pellets - are best for them, check out our conversation with Craig Verhage. Known as “The BBQ Ninja,” Craig offers some advice and also tells us what’s new in the world of Royal Oak Charcoal, where he is marketing director and lead brand ambassador. It looks like another strong year for Team Royal Oak, whose roster of pitmasters captured Team of the Year honors in seven sanctioning bodies in 2023. Craig also previews some big events on his calendar, including Memphis in May which is closing fast. It’s always a pleasure to talk BBQ with Craig, one of the most-knowledgeable and enthusiastic folks in cooking. While Memphis is May is nearing, so is Minnesota in May. Sixty Masters' Series teams plus a good crop of Backyard teams are expected to fire it up in the premier KCBS competition in the northern United States next month and David Ellis, from one of Minnesota’s top pro teams, gives us a preview. Machete Boys BBQ out of Minneapolis has become a force on the KCBS circuit, winning its first two career Grand Championships in a span of three weeks last fall. David says Machete Boys BBQ is shooting for bigger and better in 2023 and he gives us a rundown. Meanwhile, it was a busy week of cooking for co-hosts Lyndal and Steve and they recap what was on the menu and what might be next on the smoker while also recapping the competition news of the last week. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

What goes into organizing a great barbecue competition? If there’s a template for a KCBS event, Smoke in the Spring in Osage, Kansas, could be it. The 20th annual edition was held last weekend with 103 teams on hand and on Episode 206 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Smoke in the Spring organizer Corey Linton. He’s been in charge of the comp the last 17 years and, while other good competitions have gone by the wayside, Corey talks about some keys in how Smoke in the Spring keeps thriving. What would he tell a new contest organizer? Corey tells us. Also a member of the KCBS Board of Directors, we also visit with Corey about that state of competition BBQ in general and if he plans to seek another term in 2024. It’s also time for our monthly segment featuring Proud Souls Barbecue & Provisions Kansas City as marketing director Richard Fergola joins us. We run down what’s coming up at Proud Souls KC, which has been open for three months. Richard also talks about a whirlwind month of competition for his Fergolicious BBQ team, which has risen to No. 4 in the KCBS Team of the Year standings, plus what it’s like when flights are canceled and five top pitmasters hop in a rental car and drive nine hours to Kansas City.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their BBQ weeks and take a spin around the sports world, reviewing the Masters and the start of baseball season. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Everyone loves a great slider. Mitche Graf wants to find out who can cook the world’s best compact burger. Graf is putting together the first World’s Best Slider Championship, coming to Las Vegas in March of 2024. Modeled a bit after the Steak Cookoff Association model, Graf hopes that about 100 Best Slider qualifying competitions will be held this year - as ancillary events to KCBS or SCA competitions - with two “Golden Tickets” earned at each for a trip to the championships. Graf is quite the entrepreneur with a BBQ background, with his own syndicated BBQ Radio Show and BBQ Nation BBQnation.net company of spice rubs and sauces.  We also head to West Virginia for another edition of “Under the Radar” where we learn about an aspiring pitmaster. Retired Navy veteran Shawn McColligan and his wife Tracy comprise T&S BBQ Competition Team and found immediate success in the Backyard division last year with plans to dive in a bit deeper in 2023. Shawn tells us about his BBQ journey and how it’s been an important part of his life post-military.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their BBQ weeks and take a spin around the sports world where college basketball is over, the Masters is here and baseball gets cranked up. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

One of the iconic figures in BBQ joins us on Episode 204 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Ed Maurin was a member of the KCBS Board of Directors in the organization’s early days, when he battled the likes of Johnny Trigg, Ray Lampe and Jeff Stehney on the competition circuit. Honing his skills as a Kansas City firefighter, “Fast Eddy” would modify Traeger cookers to his liking, often raising eyebrows - and interest - from fellow competitors. By 1997, Maurin had developed his own line of FEC (Fast Eddy Cookers) that would revolutionize the pellet-cooking industry for restaurants and food trucks worldwide.  Ed is still teamed up with Oklahoma-based Cookshack to bring new smokers to the market, with pizza cooking a primary focus these days. He talks his career, plus his passion for Off Road racing in the desert, in an extended conversation before catching a flight for a marathon off road race in Mexico this weekend.   Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their BBQ weeks, review March Madness and the Final Four field and preview the new baseball season.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Cooking in brutally cold weather can test the best pitmasters, physically and mentally. That was the case last weekend at the Qlathe BBQ Championship in Olathe, Kansas, where Justin Bowman of Bull Creek BBQ overcame temps in the teens and gusty winds to prevail in a 68-team field to earn the Grand Championship. On Episode 203 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, the Paola, Kansas, cook talked about some improvising to meet the arctic-like challenges while reviewing his career in competition BBQ. We also go back “Under the Radar” and learn the story of another aspiring, up-and-coming competition pitmaster. Nick Owensby of Ohio’s Sailor Nick’s Crazy Good BBQ is a Navy veteran who has enthusiastically adopted open-fire cooking as a passion. Nick is diving into competition cooking in 2023 and he tells us about the journey and how being a part of the BBQ family has filled a post-military void in his life. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their BBQ weeks and review what they have in common with the rest of America - busted March Madness brackets. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Chris Webb of Colorado’s Bushmaster BBQ had a weekend to remember at the Kansas City Barbeque Society's BBQ & Brew Fest - Best in the Southwest, in Yuma, Arizona. Chris scored not one, not two but THREE perfect 180s en route to the Grand Championship and we visit with him about the rare trifecta on Episode 202 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Chris, who’s also a managing partners in Proud Souls BBQ & Provisions, has been one of the nation’s hottest competition cooks since the middle of 2022 and shows little sign of cooling off - though he does tell us about a break to teach a BBQ class in Costa Rica. One of our most-popular recurring segments over the last couple of season has been “Under the Radar.” It’s where we take a look at some up-and-coming teams in competition BBQ. Out first “Under the Radar” visit in 2023 is with Jason Harris of Cities Edge BBQ in Topeka, Kansas. Jason tells us about some of his early success, including a walk in brisket at last year’s American Royal Open, and how he got started in competition Q with an assist from the great Travis Clark. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their BBQ weeks and tell you their bracket picks for March Madness, including some upset specials to look for in the first round.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

They were a breakout competition BBQ team in 2022, winning their first KCBS Grand Championship and the Made for KC Grand Championship. The latter included putting their own menu creation and recipes in the new Made for KC BBQ Experience restaurant in a new terminal at Kansas City International Airport. Brad Colter and Breana Via of Smoke N Magic BBQ are living an open-fire dream these days - while dealing with a whirlwind schedule for the just-opened restaurant. On Episode 201 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Brad and Breana about life and what’s ahead for the talented and personable couple. Also joining us is a two-time World Champion at the Houston Livestock Rodeo & BBQ Cookoff. You might not know Craig Sharry right off the bat, but his products might be in your BBQ pantry. Craig owns and operates Texas Pepper Jelly and Rib Candy, game-changing additions whether you’re cooking competition or in the backyard. Craig discusses his BBQ journey and the growth of his company, which has now expanded into BBQ sauce and spice rubs. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their BBQ weeks and what’s ahead with March Madness only days away. BBQ and basketball? What a combo.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

We celebrate a milestone of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast this week, with Episode 200. After three seasons and 154 shows on low-powered, local radio the move to podcast form in 2019 has been a good one as our audience has expanded to worldwide. A big thanks to all our guests and sponsors who made the content possible. Most of all, a big “thank you” to our listeners! Leading off the guest lineup this week are the leaders of the #ArkassippiCombo line of rubs and seasonings. John Lindsey from All Qued Up and Ronald Burns of Hotty Totty BBQ not only are two of the top steak cooks in the world, they are traveling the country in 2023 bringing knowledge with classes and “Arkassippi Roadshow” appearances. They also are part of the upcoming BBQ Country show on The Country Network, serving as mentors for backyard cooks. It’s always a good time when John and Ronald stop by. We also welcome first-time show guest Kathy Trainor, a female pitmaster turned contest organizer. Kathy’s Inclusive BBQ Events is her way of giving back to the sport by creating more contests, specifically in the northeastern USA. That includes the Hogs 4 Heroes, May 5-7 in Jamestown, Rhode Island. The event is the lone KCBS comp in Rhode Island this year, making it an auto qualifier for the Jack Daniels Invitational, American Royal Invitational and KCBS Invitational. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Iowa BBQ Store #iowacornercookers Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrew Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq #proudsoulsbarbecueandprovisions Randy Vanslyke and Pro Technology Solutions Affordable Financial Services Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  In the Garden of Eden Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Welcome to Episode 199 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, where we’re joined by one of the giants of competition BBQ and the guitar business. We stick mostly to open-fire-cooking talk during a wide-ranging conversation with Sterling “Big Poppa” Ball of Big Poppa Smokers. With 46 career KCBS Grand Championships and 40 Reserve Grands in 254 lifetime competitions, plus his own line of seasons, smokers and accessories, Sterling touches on the tough environment for competition these days, the glory days of his career, his remaining goals in BBQ and compares the creative process in cooking to the music world. Remember to check out BigPoppaSmokers.com to see the latest products along with a section for recipes and tips to up your BBQ game. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve talk about their cooking weeks as the sunlight hours continue to lengthen and look ahead to March, when spring arrives along with a bonanza of college basketball, baseball and competition cooking.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Proud Souls Barbecue Kansas City, Clark Crew BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

It’s been a crazy week in mid-America as Chiefs Kingdom celebrates its second Super Bowl championship in four years. On Episode 198 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we go to Kansas City to get a feel for the enthusiasm with Richard Fergola of Fergolicious BBQ and Proud Souls Barbecue & Provisions. Before he joined half a million red-clad friends at the victory parade, Richard discussed a variety of topics beyond football, including his two recent KCBS competition in Florida and some big doings at the new Proud Souls Barbecue Kansas City where they’re raffling off a $17,500 Yoder smoker - painted in a Chiefs theme - during the official store grand opening on March 4. Richard’s segment begins at about the 10:48 mark. Then we go to the Pacific Northwest and find out about one of the most-interesting BBQ-themed restaurants in any part of the USA. Tyler Palagi and Evan Carter are part of the ownership group at Lady Jaye Restaurant and Butcher Shop in West Seattle, Washington. They have a no-boundaries take on cooking with the food coming off their 2,500-pound smoker named Cletus in a place described as Anthony Bourdain meets Clint Eastwood. Their passion for meat shines in a segment that begins at the 26:20 mark of the show. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve break down the Chiefs’ 38-35 victory over the Eagles and review their game-day food selections before looking ahead as the winter season slowly dissipates. C’mon spring!!! Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Proud Souls Barbecue Kansas City, Clark Crew BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm 

The ultimate combination of food and football arrives this Sunday and we take a preview of Super Bowl XVII on Episode 197 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. First up, representing the Kansas City Chiefs, is Megan Day of Burnt Finger BBQ. Megan, a former Food Network Chopped Grillmasters champion, will be featured on NBC’s Today Show at 8:30 a.m. Friday showing off the best of Kansas City-style BBQ. But first, we ask Megan about her food plans for Super Sunday, how to improve your open-fire cooking experience and what’s ahead for Burnt Finger BBQ in 2023.  We then take a trip to suburban Philadelphia to get the Eagles’ angle on the match-up from Rob Weber, owner/pitmaster of Weber’s Backyard BBQ. Rob, a former firefighter who now has a food truck, also is a KCBS competitor in the mid-Atlantic region. He serves up some Philly-themed ideas for the big game that include some unique spins on the classic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich that we all are familiar with.  Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve preview the game in their own way, not through food but actual analysis and make their picks (it’s a split decision). Agree or disagree, let us know - and let us know what you plan to cook for the big game.  Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Proud Souls Barbecue Kansas City, Clark Crew BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

In his relatively brief competition BBQ career, Bill Purvis and Chicken Fried BBQ has enjoyed considerable success cooking in various sanctioning bodies. But Bill’s Grand Championship at last weekend’s San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo BBQ Cookoff was his biggest to date. We catch up with Bill on Episode 196 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast to review the victory, discuss what it’s like cooking with cameras from the Food Network show BBQ USA following his every move and his soon-to-be expanding product line. Randy Vanslyke of High I Que BBQ also joins us to preview his upcoming BBQ class, while offering some good advice on how to prepare for the upcoming season. If it’s too cold to cook outside, Randy says you can mentally prepare yourself for those warmer days that are coming. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve review the NFL conference championship games and preview the upcoming Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Eagles. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Proud Souls Barbecue Kansas City, Clark Crew BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

We’re back!!! Season 5 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast debuts with a powerhouse conversation with one of the great ambassadors. He’s a United States Navy veteran who worked more than two decades on the night shift at the Des Moines, Iowa water treatment plant cooking BBQ in his spare time and bursting onto the scene as a contestant and judge on the groundbreaking television show BBQ Pitmasters. After retiring a few years ago, Big Moe Cason is now a full-time BBQ man, traveling the USA and the world spreading the good word of Q. Moe joins us to preview a busy 2023 and unveils plans to team up with his buddy Bob Trudnak for a BBQ restaurant in Texas. Thanks to Moe for his time, just before he heads to New Zealand for a BBQ outing. One of our new marketing partners in 2023 is Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City and General Manager Kim Groneman fills us in on the new superstore in the Northlands portion of Kansas City. Kim is well known in the BBQ world as she and husband Andy formed the Smoke On Wheels team for many years and she fills us in on some of their competition highlights. Along with Proud Souls BBQ Kansas, it’s great to welcome Clark Crew BBQ as another new show sponsor for Season 5. Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Proud Souls Barbecue Kansas City, Clark Crew BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. Have a great BBQ week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

We wrap a bow on Season 4 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast with a bonus edition, featuring Rod Gray, CEO of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. Rod is one of the all-time great competition cooks with his Pellet Envy team, winning more than 50 KCBS Grand Championships and he was KCBS Team of the Year in 2009. Rod became known to BBQ enthusiasts worldwide in 2013 when he was crowned Season 4 champion of the groundbreaking television show BBQ Pitmasters. On Episode 194 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Rod discusses his first four months on the job as CEO of the KCBS, assesses the biggest challenges ahead in 2023 and answers some listener-submitted questions. We also touch on his great cooking career and what he misses - or doesn’t miss - about the competition circuit. A big thanks to Rod for making time to come on the show for an extended conversation. This wraps up 2022 for the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. A big thanks to our listeners - and to our great sponsor/marketing partners who made Season 4 possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. We’ll return Jan. 24 to kick off Season 5 and our eighth season overall of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Show. If you’re interested in joining us as a show sponsor/marketing partner in 2023, shoot me an email at [email protected] Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Have a great BBQ holiday season and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Travis Clark is arguably the greatest ever to fire up a competition BBQ pit and the statistics back that up. As a two-time KCBS Team of the Year, Grand Champion at both the American Royal World Series of BBQ and The Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational, Clark Crew BBQ has 58 KCBS Grand Championships in 245 career events (an amazing 24-percent win percentage). On Episode 193 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, the always straight-talking Travis Clark visits with us about the state of competition BBQ, where he ranks among the greats and his award-winning Clark Crew BBQ restaurant in Oklahoma City. It’s an extended conversation that we hope you will enjoy. Meanwhile, on our final regularly scheduled show of Season 4, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve talk about smoking holiday treats - meat or otherwise - and offer some gift ideas for the BBQ enthusiast in your life. As we wrap up another year, a big thanks goes out to our great sponsor/marketing partners who made Season 4 possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. We may have a special edition next week. Watch our Facebook page for news about that. Otherwise, we’ll return in January to kick off Season 5 and our ninth season overall of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Show. If you’re interested in joining us as a show partner in 2023, shoot me an email at [email protected] Have a great BBQ Week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 192 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we have an extended conversation with one of biggest names - and one of the nicest people - in BBQ. It’s always a pleasure to welcome Tuffy Stone, a six-time world champion and BBQ Hall of Famer Class of 2018, back to the show and we have a wide-ranging visit about Tuffy’s 2022 and what’s ahead in 2023. Tuffy re-tooled a new line of rubs and sauces that hit the market this year and unveiled plans for a couple of more rubs that will roll out shortly after the new year. We talked about how to become creative with your grilling and about where Tuffy’s attention to detail - earning him the nickname “The Professor” - came from. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discussed their cooking adventures over the past week and plans for the two weeks leading into Christmas. They also took a quick spin of the sports world, with takes on the college football playoffs, whether the Bengals have the Chiefs’ number and speculated on the St. Louis Cardinals’ next catcher. A big thanks to our great sponsor/marketing partners who make Season 4 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather. We have just one episode remaining in Season 4. If you’re interested in joining us as a show partner for Season 5 in 2023, shoot me an email at [email protected] Have a great BBQ Week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Phillip Breeden is one of America’s busiest competition pitmasters. His LC BBQ team, based in Bandera, Texas, can be found cooking nearly every weekend on one circuit or another, with his name more often than not called at or near the top of the standings. LC BBQ recently was crowned Team of the Year on the Champions Barbecue Alliance and on Episode 191 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Phillip joins us to discuss his season and his line of LC BBQ products. We also catch up with Richard Fergola of Fergolicious BBQ for the final “Fergie Time” segment of the season. Richard recaps his season, which found Fergolicious 10th in the KCBS Team of the Year standings, previews some upcoming BBQ classes and gives an update on the soon-to-open new Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City store. Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve also recap their Thanksgiving cooking adventures and talk a little college and pro football. A big thanks to our great sponsor/marketing partners who make Season 4 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather and Domino’s. We have just three episodes remaining in Season 4. If you’re interested in joining us as a show partner for Season 5 in 2023, shoot me an email at [email protected] Have a great BBQ Week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 190 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we catch up with one of the busiest people in BBQ a day after the launch of not one, not two, not three … but SIX new Blues Hog spice rubs. Tim Scheer of Blues Hog, Gateway Drum Smokers and Marble Ridge Farms joins me with a description of each of the new rubs, plus a breakdown of a 2022 season that included a Memphis in May World BBQ Championship. The planning for a title defense next May on the riverfront is underway. We also welcome a former show “Under the Radar” guest who’s now blazing quite a trail in the competition world. It’s Brian Peyton of Meat Me in St. Louis, fresh off his first KCBS Grand Championship against a star-studded field at the Atlanta BBQ Store Classic. Brian discusses that cook, plus other career highlights including a world baked beans championship at this year’s American Royal World Series of BBQ. Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve preview their Thanksgiving cooking plans, touch on the merits of tofu turkey (not that anyone who eats tofu listens to this show) and take a quick tour of the sports world. A big thanks to our great sponsor/marketing partners who make Season 4 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather and Domino’s. We have just three episodes remaining in Season 4. If you’re interested in joining us as a show partner for Season 5 in 2023, shoot me an email at [email protected] Have a great BBQ Week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Long-time BBQ competitor and United States Navy veteran Sterling Smith of Loot ’N Booty BBQ has won numerous grand championships over the years, but his latest ranks at or near the top. Sterling and his team captured the BBQ division at the World Food Championships last weekend in Dallas, earning $10,000 and a berth in the WFC finals next spring. On Episode 189 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast we hear from Sterling about his winning dish (an awesome and unique take on smoked brisket), his reflections on 2022 and his must-have side and dessert for Thanksgiving. It’s also time for the November segment of “Arkassippi Alley” with John Lindsey from All Qued Up. Since our last visit with John, he earned two more Steak Cookoff Association victories and discusses a couple of his new rubs - which are now headed to market - that impacted his wins. John also gives some tips on how to get that perfect Thanksgiving turkey off your smoker for the biggest family food day of the year. A big thanks to our great sponsor/marketing partners who make Season 4 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather and Domino’s. Have a great BBQ Week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm