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Please check back for 2008 ticket information.
H-E-B BBQ SHOWDOWN
It’s the biggest prize purse in the country, and it’s
right here!

The Royalty of Ribs brought their smoking and grilling skills to compete for one of the biggest purses in ‘cue country -- nearly $80,000. On Sunday night, the Natural Born Grillers walked away as Grand Prize Champions with bragging rights for a year and a cool $20,000.

A team of expert judges tasted and scored all weekend long on a wide range of entries.

Click here to see the results

This years' event has passed. Please email bbq@bigstatefestival.com if you are interested in information on next year's contest.

The Categories
Championship Categories
Beef brisket, pork ribs, and pork shoulder. One of these winners was crowned Grand Champion.

Off the Hoof Categories
Poultry: Winged and tasty.
Exotic: We’re talking venison, ostrich, armadillo, squirrel, raccoon, water buffalo, goat, etc. If it’s not pig, poultry, or cow, it’s exotic.
Hot Wings: Hot, tasty pain-makers.
Sauce: Wars have been fought over this condiment.
Best Booth: Creativity and hospitality weigh in critically.

 BBQ Showdown

The Fan Flavorite
We swore in fans as judges and had them vote for the best brisket. For a small fee, fans received a quick how-to on judging criteria and were given a selection of entries to taste and score. We tallied the numbers and announced the Butler Chicks as the winner on Sunday evening. And everyone got full.

 Fan Flavorite

The Ring of Fire
Fans enjoyed a ranch-hand brunch with gospel singers, learned how to shake the perfect Mexican Martini and watched Texas barbecue legends and small-town Gems battle it out onstage. Fans walked away with recipes, menu ideas, tips and tricks from the people who do it best. But best of all, everyone got to taste what came out of the demo kitchen. Yum!

Here's what happened:

  • Opening Ceremony – The Lighting of the Ring of Fire
  • Beef is King and Other Things
  • Cowgirls in the Kitchen
  • Cocktail Shakedown
  • Texas Legends and Small-town Gems
  • Ranch-hand Brunch with Gospel Singers
  • Wild About Game
  • How the West was Won (American Western Cooking)
  • Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech “Rematch”
  • H-E-B BBQ Showdown Award Presentations
 Ring of Fire
H-E-B BBQ Showdown Winners
 
Grand Champion1st Place:NATURAL BORN GRILLERS$20,000
 
Flan Favorite1st Place:BUTLER CHICKS$3,000
 
Beef Brisket10th Place:Hardwood Cookers$200
9th Place:Under The Influence$250
8th Place:Holy Cow Cookers$300
7th Place:Grey Smoke Cookers$400
6th Place:Slap Your Mama BBQ$500
5th Place:Cooking Boot$750
4th Place:Lone Star Cookers$1,500
3rd Place:Sayersville Social Club$2,500
2nd Place:Midnight Smokers$3,500
1st Place:Ritter's BBQ$5,000
 
Pork Rib10th Place:Cooking Boot$200
9th Place:Verizon Southwest Sizzlers$250
8th Place:Under The Influence$300
7th Place:Sweetness$400
6th Place:Butler Chicks$500
5th Place:Holy Cow Cookers$750
4th Place:3JM Cookers$1,500
3rd Place:Diamond G Cookers$2,500
2nd Place:Ritter's BBQ$3,500
1st Place:Natural Born Grillers$5,000
 
Pork Shoulder10th Place:We Be Kookin'$200
9th Place:Lone Star Cookers$250
8th Place:Ritter's BBQ$300
7th Place:Dead Sober Cookers$400
6th Place:Diamond G Cookers$500
5th Place:Under The Influence$750
4th Place:Pit Stop Krewe$1,500
3rd Place:Loconuts$2,500
2nd Place:Smokin' Gun$3,500
1st Place:Natural Born Grillers$5,000
 
Best Booth5th Place:Sweetness
4th Place:Butler Chicks
3rd Place:We Bleed Maroon
2nd Place:The Original Knob Creek Cookers
1st Place:Backyard Smokers 1
 
Exotic3rd Place:Pick'n & Grill'n Cookers
2nd Place:Diamond G Cookers
1st Place:Dead Sober Cookers
 
Hot Wings3rd Place:Natural Born Grillers
2nd Place:The Original Knob Creek Cookers
1st Place:Ritter's BBQ
 
Poultry3rd Place:Verizon Southwest Sizzlers
2nd Place:Natural Born Grillers
1st Place:Ritter's BBQ
 
Radio Cookoff1st Place:K.O.R.A. Smoke N Swab
 
Sauce3rd Place:Holy Cow Cookers
2nd Place:Sneaky Snake
1st Place:Dead Sober Cookers