Karen Wright Wright on QAKA mom to the Steak Princess

Russell and I started competing in BBQ in the early 2000’s. He did his first steak competition in June of 2017 with me just there for support. I started cooking ancillaries not long after and then moved to steak.

Sterling Smith, 2022 World Barbecue Champion, US Navy Veteran, barbecue

teacher, cookbook author, and owner/Pitmaster of Loot N’ Booty BBQ, has been

competing on the professional barbeque circuit since 2009. In that time, Sterling

and his family have traveled nationally and internationally to compete in major

competitions including the Jack Daniel’s World BBQ Invitational, where they won

the title of World Pork Champion, the American Royal World Series of BBQ, where

they won Reserve Grand Champion in 2014 and 2022 out of more than 500

professional BBQ teams and won the title of Chicken World Champion and The

Kingsford Australian World BBQ Invitational where they won the title of Brisket

World Champion. Sterling has won over 55 Grand and Reserve Grand

Championship Awards, more than 800 top ten awards and is the two-time

Australian Invitational Lamb Champion. Loot N’ Booty BBQ is a 5-time Arizona

BBQ Team of the Year and was featured on an episode of Destination America

Channel’s Smoked, where Sterling and his wife Molly won the title of “Smoked

BBQ Boss.” Loot N’ Booty BBQ Rubs and Sauces are sold nationally and

internationally at hundreds of retailers world-wide, and Sterling teaches

competition and backyard style BBQ classes at locations across the world. For

more information visit: www.lootnbootybbq.com

Accolades:

 5 X World Champion

 2023 CA BBQ Hall of Fame Inductee

 55 Grand and Reserve Grand Championships

 800 plus Top 10 awards

 17 perfect 180 scores

 11 – 700 plus scores

 2 X Australian Invitational Lamb Champion

 2014 American Royal Open Reserve Grand Champion

 2022 American Royal Open Reserve Grand Champion

 5 X Arizona BBQ Team of the Year

 2022 World Barbecue Champion

 2021 World Barbecue Reserve Grand Champion

 2023 World Barbecue Reserve Grand Champion

 Received title of “Smoked BBQ Boss” from Destination America’s

Channel Smoked

Beer's Blackdog BBQ is a family owned business in the heart of northern Minnesota's lake country. Born from the good old days of weekly gatherings of good people and good BBQ. Blackdog has grown to be a favorite sauce all over the globe. It is a sauce that appeals to a wide variety of tastes, a sweet tangy sauce with a hint of smokiness and just enough heat to keep you coming back for more. For your next gathering around the smoker or the grill, Que with the Big Dog, Beer's Blackdog BBQ!

Self-sufficiency and discipline are hallmarks of Johnson’s persona, ingrained early in his life by his hard-working and devoted parents.  Growing up a “latchkey kid” while his parents worked, Johnson learned to cook and take care of himself, while navigating the streets of Manhattan on his own.  His parents’ hard work paid off, and they moved their family to Wyandach, a suburb on Long Island, known equally for its less-than-stellar public schools and the exceptional artists and athletes it turned out.  At times tempted to rebel, Johnson was set straight both by his parents, and his elders in the neighborhood, who took it upon themselves to keep an eye on the neighborhood kids.
​After graduating high school, Johnson embarked on a college career at the University of Connecticut. He soon began to see his college classmates graduating and returning home to their parents.  For Johnson, this was an unacceptable and unfathomable future, and during his second year of college, he altered course.  It was a pivotal decision for the young man, and one that would shape the rest of his adult life. Relocating to New Jersey, Johnson began working in the custom furniture business, a trade he’d learned in his teen years from an uncle.  Over the next few years, Johnson honed his craft and at 27, began his own custom furniture business, living in New Jersey and working in Manhattan.  It was during this time that he began to cultivate a passion for cooking.  He began to consider a future in the catering industry.

BBQ Pit Bros was established in 2021 by head Pit Master Jordan Williams with Co-Pitmaster Richard Smith. Jordan is an Air Force Veteran with passion for competition BBQ. We are a backyard competition team that travels around the Midwest to compete in Iowa Barbecue Society, Minnesota Barbecue Society, and Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned events. We have placed and competed in multiple competitions throughout the 3, going on 4 years we have been competing. Last year we won Iowa Barbecue Society Backyard Team of the Year. We took 1st place Chicken and 1st place Ribs. We also placed 18th overall in the KCBS Backyard Team of the Year and 14th place Turkey smoke team of the year.

SCA Worlds Recap with Brennon Nielson

Lee Coronado, raised in Perryton, Texas, has always had a passion for experimenting with flavors. As a child, he would mix different sauces and condiments from the fridge together to create unique taste combinations, showcasing his natural curiosity in the kitchen. Lee's journey into the world of barbecue began when his good friend Matt Yara built an Ugly Drum Smoker. After trying the BBQ Matt cooked on it, Lee was hooked. Inspired by the flavors, he decided to build his own smoker and dive deeper into the art of grilling. That decision sparked his love for barbecue, eventually leading him to compete in SCA, CBA,KCBS, IBCA events. In his very first BBQ competition, he walked away with the Grand Champion title, and from that moment, he was fully committed to the craft! Today, Lee is the creator of Meat Hammer Rubs, offering a line of award-winning seasonings, including Meat Hammer All Purpose (1st place winner in the NBBQA poultry category in 2024), designed to elevate the flavor of any dish. His rubs are made with high-quality ingredients, never cutting corners when it comes to flavor, ensuring each product delivers the perfect balance of spice and taste. His products have become a favorite among grilling enthusiasts, backyard cooks, restaurateurs, and chefs alike. Lee continues to share his passion for barbecue, from his home base in Amarillo to pitmasters, cooks and food lovers across the country.

Blake lived in Brazil, where he fell in love with churrasco - not just the incredible food but the way it brought people together, connecting them through fire and flavor. When he returned to the U.S., he wanted to bring that tradition home. But nothing quite captured the essence of Brazilian barbecue - so he built it. Bacana makes it easy to bring the flavor and energy of Brazilian churrasco to any backyard. The multiple rotating skewers let you cook everything from picanha to chicken, sausage, and veggies - effortlessly delivering results. Whether it's a weeknight dinner or a big cookout with friends, Bacana isn't just great food - it's a show they'll remember.

Today we are talking about the new Traeger Woodridge pellet smoker.

Phil has competed in over 300 sanctioned competitions (350 to be exact) including IBCA, KCBS, BCA, and LSBS to date. Phil currently has 90 Grand Champion & Reserve Grand Champion wins combined, with over 300k Career Earnings. ​Phil grew up In Sour Lake, Texas, his love for food started at a young age, and sports fueled his competitive drive to be the best. He now resides in Bandera Texas with his wife Carmen and their four children. Phil’s first competition was in January of 2015…Hardin County Go Texan in Silsbee, TX. The cookoff had 19 teams and they only called top 3 places in each meat. Phil remembers “I sat on my butt through chicken, then ribs, then brisket until they got to 1st place…Boom! I was hooked.” Now borderline obsessed with the sport of competition barbecue he was constantly mixing up new concoctions to get an edge. That’s when Fowl Play was born. Phil went through many versions starting in 2016 until perfection was reached and he launched LC BBQ Fowl Play in 2018. This same method is still in place, He perfects each recipe and tests them in real competitions until the results let him know it’s a winner. Play Bull debuted later in 2018, with Bosshog and Angry Bull to follow in 2019.

Rooster and Greybeard are back to help us plan the perfect Valentine's Day!

We are excited to announce that we will be conducting a blind tasting of various BBQ rubs to determine the winner of the 2025 BBQ Rub competition. This event will feature a diverse selection of rubs, some of which will be tasted live during the events. Join us for this thrilling experience as we uncover exceptional flavors, ultimately crowning the champion of BBQ rubs. Don't miss out on the chance to witness this epic showdown and find out which rub will crowned Champ!

Self-sufficiency and discipline are hallmarks of Johnson’s persona, ingrained early in his life by his hard-working and devoted parents. Growing up a “latchkey kid” while his parents worked, Johnson learned to cook and take care of himself, while navigating the streets of Manhattan on his own. His parents’ hard work paid off, and they moved their family to Wyandach, a suburb on Long Island, known equally for its less-than-stellar public schools and the exceptional artists and athletes it turned out. At times tempted to rebel, Johnson was set straight both by his parents, and his elders in the neighborhood, who took it upon themselves to keep an eye on the neighborhood kids.

​

I am a husband, father and bbq athlete! I started doing competition cooking in 2020 and have been hooked ever since. I mainly participate in SCA events, but also compete in backyard and KCBS competitions when the opportunity arises. I just came off my best season overall where I was able to secure the Grand Champion title for both ancillaries and ribs in the BBQ Pitstop steak championship series for Utah and finished 4th place in steak.

I’m a lifelong foodie who’s passionate about bringing people together through bold, approachable recipes. Growing up, I spent countless hours helping make dinner, cooking fish, and baking holiday cookies with my mom. I also learned the art of smoking meat, grilling, and grinding sausage with my dad during our backyard barbecues. These moments instilled a love for food and taught me the importance of connection around the table. My journey into barbecue started as a way to honor those family traditions while creating new ones of my own. As a self-taught pitmaster, I’ve drawn inspiration from mentors like Malcom Reed and crafted signature dishes like Bacon Jalapeño Smoked Deviled Eggs, Reverse Seared Tri-Tip, and Pulled Pork. A viral chicken recipe launched me into content creation, where I’ve built a thriving community and worked with incredible brands like Pepsi Cola, Prairie Fresh, Kingsford, ThermoWorks, and many other big names in BBQ. I’m currently an ambassador for Royal Oak, Heath Riles, How to BBQ Right, and several industry leaders.

The teams 2 English Bulldogs, Brisket and Blaze, claim all the glory for the hard work Colorado Bulldawg BBQ puts in to keep winning on the competition BBQ Trail. Their humans, Levi & Jessica, might have something else to say about that! Colorado Bulldawg BBQ got their start in 2015 with just a few competitions each year. Last year the team decided to chase the Kansas City Barbecue Society Team of the Year points race, and their efforts didn't disappoint. They landed 6th Overall in the country in the Master Series, 18th in the chicken category, 12th in ribs, 5th in pork and 2rd in brisket. With that tremendous year, they also ended up with a 2nd place Brisket and 8th overall at the American Royal Open You never know where the Bulldawgs might pop up for competitions, as they've literally crossed the entire country to compete in the last year from stops in the southeast to trips to the west coast and lots of exciting locations in between. To be as successful as they've been is a testament to their cooking skills! Flavor profiles that appeal to judges varies greatly across the country, and Colorado Bulldawg BBQ seems to be the BBQ whisperers when it comes to what pleases the judges.

Jared Pullman started How Low Can You Slow back in 2016, with the goal to help everyday grill enthusiasts, make better barbecue in their own backyards. Since then, Jared has worked as a content creator and recipe developer, based primarily on Instagram. Jared is a native of New Zealand, which is where his barbecue journey began

Join us to visit with Girls Can Grill's Christie Vanover to celebrate the release of her first cookbook, Holiday Grilling!!

Voodoo Roasters Coffee Company: Freshly Brewed Magic Since 2020 Founded in 2020, Voodoo Roasters Coffee Company is your portal to a world of exceptional coffee experiences. We specialize in roasting small batches of the finest beans, offering over 40 unique varieties to tantalize your taste buds. We were born from my passion for coffee & competition BBQ. We have been involved in the BBQ world promoting and sponsoring events like the Steak Cookoff association, Memphis in May, BBQ Pitstop competition series, some state BBQ championships, charity events and Kids Q competitions. The passion for Live fire cooking has carried over to our processes and the care we take with our coffee. The flame roasters we use add flavor nuances you can taste, Fresh From Our Flames to Your Cup: We believe in the magic of freshness. That's why we roast our coffee to order, ensuring you receive beans at their peak flavor potential. Each cup becomes a ritual, a chance to connect with the meticulous craft behind every roast. Two of our best sellers are our own 6 bean blend of premium single origin coffees. It's a dark roast formulated to be bold, flavorful and smooth without the bitter aftertaste of a dark roast. Our second most popular is called Mexican Chocolate lightly flavored with High quality flavoring oils which are still applied while the beans are warm from being freshly roasted, melding together for smooth coffee with hints of chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. A Universe of Flavor: Whether you crave the bold complexity of a single-origin bean from a family farm with generations of experience, the smooth harmony of our signature blends, or the playful intrigue of our flavored & seasonal coffees, Voodoo Roasters has something for every coffee enthusiast. Explore our diverse selection to discover your perfect cup. Beyond the Bean: At Voodoo Roasters, we're passionate about coffee, but we're also committed to ethical sourcing. We work with dedicated partners & small generational family farms around the world, ensuring fair trade practices and sustainable growing methods. Join the Voodoo Ritual: Visit us online at Voodooroasters.com to embark on your own coffee adventure. Explore our diverse offerings, learn about the origins of our beans, and discover the magic that awaits in every cup. Let Voodoo Roasters be your daily dose of delicious inspiration. Taste the difference that only premium, top quality beans can deliver.

Welcome to Hog Addiction BBQ MIM Whole Hog World Champions SCA Rib World champions Whole Hog Smokeslam Champions 10 Consecutive MBN Grand Championships in a row(National Record) And many more Grand Championships!

Rylee Wright, also known as Steak Princess BBQ, is a passionate Georgia girl who loves to cook. She received her first grill at the age of 8 and now owns nearly 20 grills and smokers, with plans to expand her collection even further. Rylee competes in the Steak Cookoff Association and the backyard division of KCBS, where she has consistently placed in the top 10 in many competitions. One of her notable achievements includes winning the first-ever ladies' Steak Cookoff event held at Loblolly Farms in Semmes, AL. Additionally, she made history as the first female competitor to win two steak cookoff events on the same day, and she is also the youngest competitor to achieve a perfect score of 254.5 in an SCA Steak competition. Rylee won her first KCBS Grand Championship in March 2024. To elevate her cooking and inspire others, Rylee has created her own line of rubs. Her initial two rubs, Rylee’s Sweet Rapture and Beauty and the Beef, were released in October 2020, followed by Firefly Dust and Fiesta in October 2021. Rylee's dream is to inspire more kids to cook, both with their parents and independently.

Crazy Gringo BBQ began well before 2019, without me even realizing it. Various experiences in my life led me to discover what brings me peace: cooking for people! I particularly enjoy cooking outdoors on grills, although I'm not limited to that. My culinary journey started when I was a young boy. I joined Cub Scouts around the age of five, and I began cooking shortly after that, particularly during camping trips.   I remember planning the menu for our weekend camping excursions and cooking meals with my patrol. We often used a camping stove, a hiking stove, a Dutch oven, or a BBQ. I treasure the memories of these events and the camping trips I took with my dad. One dish that stands out is a Cornish game hen and wild rice recipe we prepared in a Dutch oven, always paired with a berry, peach, or apple cobbler for dessert.   As I grew older and moved on from Boy Scouts, my father continued to love cooking and BBQing as a way to bring our extended family together.

Ashley, 31 from England. I got into bbq by mistake, having bought an offset smoker accidentally. I intended to buy a cheap charcoal grill but had no experience or knowledge in what I was buying. That was in the summer of 2020, fast forward 2 years from then and I started my own home takeaway bbq business, and then fast forward another 2 years and we’ve just done 16 pop up catering events and a wedding this year. We’ve been on the meat and greet bbq podcast, and met Evan LeRoy & Bradley Robinson (chuds bbq) and I’m hoping to visit Texas next year with several bbq joints confirming that they’d be happy to have me work there whilst I visit, including LeRoy & Lewis, Hurtado BBQ and Bar-A-bbq. I am getting people visit from hours away to try our bbq and someone from New Jersey was in the area visiting and they made the effort to visit our pop up and said how they were blown away by it. I work full time still at the moment and have a Fiance and an 8 month old son, so it’s been a juggling act so far this year. I have no previous catering experience or restaurant experience either. Just one man accidentally falling head first into this crazy world of bbq. I focus on central Texas style cooking on an offset imported from Houston, using strictly Oak.

Hi I’m The BBQ Queen! My name is Roxanne Miller. I am a Wife and a Mother of 3. I grew up in Firebaugh, CA and currently reside in Hanford, CA. I have always been passionate about cooking from a very young age. I loved to cook all types of food so BBQ just seemed like something that would be fun to learn. I started my instagram page in 2016 and chose the name because I thought it was cute. I quickly started growing a following and was cooking for my Instagram page almost daily. In 2017 I started selling BBQ lunch plates to friends and people who followed me. I cooked at my home and delivered them all over Fresno, CA. During this time I also joined a few competitions just to get my feel of the competition world. I purchased my Lang Smoker and fell even more in love with smoking meats.

Join us with three amazing up-and-coming BBQ competition teams! Wild West BBQ, 5XL BBQ, and 1_Bite_BBQ to talk about how they started, what they are doing to improve, and work their way up to beat the pros!

Born in Houston, Texas raised in Utah. Currently live in St. George Utah, I own a private training facility, Prolific Performance and have been a certified personal trainer for 10 years. Owning Prolific for 4 years now. I learned my passion for culinary art from my late Mother Teresa at age 6 she taught me to cook and now I also own a small meal prep/catering company called Juicy’s Kitchen! I was invited to join the Traeger team 3 years ago where I met YOU, and so many amazing chefs who inspire me to push the culinary limits and express creativity Through flavors of fusion and I can’t wait to be on the show!

We talk to Christie Vanover and Greg Rempe join us to discuss the newest wireless probe technology.

Brandon and Katelyn, accomplished cooks with experience in the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA), have made the decision to delve into the realm of barbecue rubs. We will be conducting a live tasting of The "Crain" Attraction. Your presence and any questions you may have are warmly welcomed!

Matthew Hussey from Trinity, NC. I’m a full-time electrical equipment sales engineer, but when the workday ends, I dive headfirst into my real passion—cooking! I’m the guy behind "The Hungry Hussey" on YouTube, where I’ve been sharing my love for backyard grilling, smoking, and cooking since 2012. It all started in 2012 when I got my first Big Green Egg. That was the moment I became a certified “Egghead,” and I’ve been hooked ever since. I used to post my cooks on Instagram, but things kicked into high gear after a marketing firm reached out and suggested I check out Todd Toven on YouTube. I figured, “Hey, I can do that too,” and that’s how The Hungry Hussey was born on YouTube. Now, I’m all about showing regular folks how to make “Some Good Groceries” on everything from a 36" Pro Series Blackstone to a Lone Star Grillz offset smoker. If it can cook, griddle, or smoke food, I’m all in! My sidekick Maggie, our dog, is usually around making sure everything’s up to her standards too. When I’m not cooking, you can find me hanging out with my amazing wife Makenzie, our two kids Maryn and Mason, and our two dogs, Maggie and Molly. Life’s busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Looking forward to chatting and sharing some laughs, tips, and maybe even a few kitchen fails—because hey, they happen to the best of us!

We will discuss the recent changes to The Pitmasters Podcast, including new team members and their contributions to the show and BBQ community.

DescriptioJacqueline Wise, a Cordon Bleu trained professional chef, event designer, forager, and avid gardener, is passionate about hosting epic parties and creating delicious meals, especially those involving fire! With experience at The Ritz London, two Michelin Star restaurants, and Buckingham Palace, Jacqueline now runs several food businesses, including @Positivelydeliciousfood for Nomadic Fire-Cookery and Foraging School, @Kelmsleycatering for weddings, and 'Jacqueline Wise Chefs' for luxury fine-dining at home. She is known for her expertise in cooking game, seafood, hyper-seasonal and organic produce, and her focus on soil health and nutrition. Jacqueline has appeared on TV and BBC Radio, winning the Channel 4 show 'Win it cook it.' She is a member of Pasture for Life and The Sussex Wildlife Trust, and is passionate about educating people on sourcing and cooking meals, reducing food waste, and promoting mental and physical health, as well as the health of the planet, through good food. When not cooking, Jacqueline enjoys surfing, sailing, foraging, and gardening with her family near Chichester in West Sussex, England. She is known for her great sense of humor and loves to share food puns, jokes, and her contagious passion and energy as she aims to make a difference, one stomach at a time. We are excited to have Jacqueline join us; with over a decade of experience in BBQing for large gatherings, she will also share her insights on working in hospitality and balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship. Chef Jacqueline has a wealth of tips, tricks, and stories to ignite your passion for cooking!n goes here

Scott is a competition steak cook and occasional KCBS chicken cook from Shiocton, WI. He started participating in SCA competitions in 2019 and has since collected 22 1st-place wins and a World Championship. When he’s not out on the competition trail he enjoys cooking backyard BBQ at home with his wife Jessica and their 4 dogs & 3 cats.

Kara, Is that BBQ Mom from Toronto, Canada. You can find her dancing around the kitchen and firing up her grills on the daily. She is a BBQ recipe developer and content creator for some of BBQs biggest names. Sharing her life as a mother of three with energy and a zest for life (pun intended) and BBQ.

Leigh Brandon has lived in Houston for 45 years. She works in Commercial Banking but when she's not banking, you can find her cooking, gardening, or fishing on the weekends. Living in Texas and being close to the Louisiana state line, her dishes are a mix of Southern and Tex-Mex to Cajun inspired. If you were to sit down at her dinner table on a Sunday afternoon, you would be met with Texas smoked brisket, fried Southern catfish, venison smoked sausage, or frog legs, Cajun crawfish dirty rice, fried green tomatoes & okra, or maybe a bowl of Tex-Mex charro beans with cilantro & onions. She loves working on her tamales orders during the Fall and Winter, and when she has help, she has catered a few BBQ events. Leigh is a “Plater” and enjoys showing her work, but the real excitement comes when she has filled someone’s belly, and they give a smile.

Troy is a father of 2 young kids, Back to back steak and ancillary champion of NZ 2022 and 2023, two time NZ BBQ Alliance Grand Champion, competes in Australia and the USA, runs a legendary bbq joint, 2 burger joints, a couple of food trucks, a catering business and a micro brewery.

Smokin' Hoggz BBQ is a competition BBQ team from Abington, MA, formed in 2008. What started out as a hobby has turned into a small family business. We have created a line of rubs, sauces, and cookbooks for you to enjoy and share with your friends and family.

Jeremy Yoder is a barbecue enthusiast from Kentucky who loves to spend time smoking meat and enjoying the rewards of a long cook.

Shaan, He is passionate about creating dishes that combine the warmth and flavor of home with the vibrant influences of Caribbean, Latin, and BBQ traditions. Being raised in Sangre Grande, Trinidad, and Toronto, Canada, food was not only a means of sustenance but also a joyous celebration. I developed a deep appreciation for the rich and diverse flavors of my heritage. For instance, Sunday lunches typically consisted of BBQ chicken, fried rice, potato salad, and sliced cucumber with a dash of salt and pepper. My recipes are a fusion of family traditions and personal creativity. From stewed chicken to savory empanadas and slow-cooked barbecue, I invite you to join me on a mouth-watering journey through my YouTube channel. Whether you want to recreate nostalgic dishes from your childhood or explore new flavors, my videos offer step-by-step guidance, helpful tips, and a whole lot of flavor-packed inspiration. Cooking is not only about nourishing the body, but also about nourishing the soul. Let's cook up something special together and enjoy a delightful fusion of Caribbean zest, Latin flair, and BBQ goodness.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Logan Chestnut, the talented pitmaster of Small Batch BBQ and the charismatic host of the Right On Que Podcast. Our conversation delved into the intricate world of competitive BBQ, exploring the triumphs and challenges of his competition days and the journey that led him to where he is today.

Mike Star a 21-year US Air Force Veteran, whose global travels ignited a passion for diverse cultures and flavors. Now, those worldly experiences are infused into every bottle of sauce and seasoning, promising to elevate your backyard gatherings to new heights. Prepare for a culinary adventure where every dish bursts with high-quality ingredients and bold, perfectly balanced flavors. Say goodbye to bland dinners and lackluster barbecue parties – Blazing Star BBQ guarantees an unforgettable dining experience.

SCA roundtable with Jonny Cobia, Brennon Nielson, and Steve Conaway. This is Rusty's Last show. Thank you for all the support and memories. It all has meant more than you will ever know!

Jared Pullman started How Low Can You Slow back in 2016, with the goal to help everyday grill enthusiasts, make better barbecue in their own backyards. Since then, Jared has worked as a content creator and recipe developer, based primarily on Instagram. Jared is a native of New Zealand, which is where his barbecue journey began