Listed here are the teams that competed during the 2022 Competition on October 28 & 29, 2022.
All Smoked Up
All Smoked Up hails from Gilbert, SC and this is their 11th year competing on the South Carolina Barbeque Association circuit, with their first event being the Pig on the Ridge in Ridgeway, S.C. in November 2011. They placed 12th in the amateur class in that first event, but quickly developed into a top BBQ cook off competition team. By 2014 they had received the top prize in the state from SCBA.
The team is led by pitmaster Gary Taylor aka “The Governor.” Their team rubs, sauce, and boxes are left up to the visionary Cole Case. Jimmy Bristow aka “the Boy Scout” is the team prepper and finisher. And rounding out the group is team photographer and worker bee, Bill McMurray.
Backwoods Bar-B-Que
Backwoods Bar-B-Que is from Greenwood, SC and led by pitmaster Gene Culbertson alongside much of his family. I imagine Gene is described by most as a character, to say the least. If you meet him at a BBQ event, you will certainly remember the experience, with his quick wit and gregarious spirit. You also won’t forget his BBQ, as his Q is constantly winning awards throughout the state and in the South Carolina Barbeque Association rankings. Last year he ranked 2nd in the state in both Butts & Ribs, and he’s jockeying for the top spot this year, currently ranked at 3rd overall. In 2019 at our first event, he took the 2nd place for both Butts & Ribs, so expect some top notch Q coming from the Backwoods cooksite!
As you see here, in his winning photos, he always has his hand posed in the international symbol for a gun. Maybe he’s trying to say “I’m a sniper” or “gotcha.” In looking through many many pictures of his winning poses, I found maybe the only one that exists without his signature gun hand. GOTCHA!
Bennett’s BBQ and Smokehouse
Bennett’s BBQ & Smokehouse hails from Hampton, SC with Pitmaster Big John Bennett, assisted by Ryan Bennett and John Tebeau. Back in 2019 during our first event, the Bennett Team got an honorable mention for their incredible BBQ. After taking more than a year off from competition, they started back up this year in August and are looking for their name to be called last during the big awards presentation on Saturday. Good Luck and we can’t wait to taste their Q!
Blazin’ Bullets Barbeque
Blazin’ Bullets hails from Hanahan, SC with Pitmaster Ken Hillard at the helm and Dawn in the role of “Assistant of Quality Control.” From what I’ve heard from other teams on the South Carolina Barbeque Association circuit, Ken is a Secret Agent by day, but he has neither confirmed or denied the rumor. Blazin’ Bullets has SAID that they get their team name from the smokers they began competing on, Weber Bullets. BUT I think its because Ken NEVER misses a shot in his day job and dodges bullets on the regular.
We CAN confirm that Blazin’ Bullets has been in the top 12 in Pork and Ribs from 2017-2021 in the overall state rankings, and placed 4th in the SCBA State Barbeque Championship in 2019. We’re looking forward to tasting their secret agent sauce!
Brown Shuga Soul Food
Chef Yvonne Anderson-Thomas is the founder of Brown Shuga Soul Food and will be competing in this year’s event with her mother, Flo Coleman. Chef Yvonne founded Brown Shuga Soul Food in 2011 in Boise, ID and recently moved to Orangeburg, SC to continue developing her incredible made-from-scratch culinary creations. Chef Yvonne has traveled the world to develop her distinct recipes, and is bringing that flair to this year’s competition! Her celebrated cuisine has been featured in “A Chef’s Affaire” and the “Soul Food Extravagana,” alongside many appearances on KTVB in Boise, ID.
Checkout Chef Yvonne on KTVB and learn the basics of making an awesome soup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWtDXA6IPvU
Casual Smokers
Casual Smokers is coming to us from Spartanburg, SC with pitmaster Jamie Mintz at the helm. From the name, and everything I’ve seen about the team, they try to play it like this team is just for fun, BUT this team is a serious contender currently sitting at #2 in the overall rankings for the South Carolina Barbeque Association circuit in BOTH butts and ribs. We are rounding out the year in events, and so expect this team to CASUALLY try and bring their A game for this event as they jockey for that top spot in the SCBA awards!
FALLOUT BBQ
Fallout BBQ is led by Pitmaster Phillip Mason, a nuclear safety technician during the week, and then he melts it down during his weekends at BBQ competitions. Based out of Hartsville, SC, Phillip cooks with his father, Chip, and has placed at many KCBS & South Carolina Barbeque Association competitions.
Tickets for BBQ, Blues, & Boos INCLUDE tasting his top notch BBQ, alongside his 15 competitors, listening to 7 incredible bands, a cornhole tournament, and much much more. So get yours NOW at https://bbqbluesboos.org/tickets
Check out Phillip’s conversation on the Holt Brothers BBQ podcast (Another team competing this year!), where he talks about his journey from the backyard to competitions and he’s also been featured on Tailgate Guys BBQ Show Podcast , and the BBQ Roundtable hosted by Elite BBQ Smokers.
Holt Brothers BBQ
Holt Brothers BBQ is a competition BBQ team consisting of Justin and Patrick Holt, and Justin’s 7 year old son Hollis, located in the Charlotte area in the Piedmont of North Carolina. They were raised on years of learning the art of slow and low pit cooked pork shoulders over naturally cured pecan and hickory from their late father, who tended pits and made a top secret sauce (still protected to this day), during fundraisers for the volunteer fire department he was a long time member of in Badin, NC. The members took tremendous pride in their art, and the smell of the pecan/hickory smoke blended with the cold fall or warm summer nighttime air still takes both of them back to those wonderful weekends. The Holt Brothers both cherish and revere those skills their late father instilled and passed down to them. They are taking that passion to the competition circuit to honor his memory, and show the big dogs that these Carolina brothers are here to win!
Check out more on their website here: http://www.holtbrothersbbq.com/
JW Cooks
JW Cooks is led by Jason Wallace based out of Spartanburg, SC. When he’s not competing, he’s still smoking everyday as chief cook and pitmaster at Tate Meatworks, an upscale meat shop specializing in quality meat, seafood and prepared meals. When he’s not smoking (meat), he’s making incredible creations out of wood. Check out the awesome cutting boards on the JW Cooks facebook page!
Jason is relatively new to the competition BBQ circuit, having competed first at the 2019 Hog Fest in Spartanburg, SC. And this year is his first where points are a goal, so look out for JW Cooks to be shooting for that top spot at the fest with his best BBQ yet!
Monkey Bottom Boys
Monkey Bottom Boys hails from Kingstree, SC, led by George Ray. You can get their awesome Q on the SCBA circuit regularly, but if ever you’re in Turbeville, SC you gotta stop at their Restaurant Chat N Chew. Check out this plate, you can just taste it can’t you! George has been KILLING it in this year’s South Carolina Barbeque Association competitions and he is currently ranked 1 in butts and 3 in ribs! At our 2019 event, he got 1st in Ribs, so look out for some amazing creations coming from their camp this year!
S’Lowcountry Q
Pitmasters Quentin and Barbara Tedder are a team operation hailing from Beaufort, SC. They are staples during many competitions across South Carolina, having competed for over 20 years focused almost exclusively on the SC Barbeque Association circuit. They have won or placed in so many competitions it’s hard to count, and they were the grand prize winner when we hosted our cookoff in Barnwell in 2019 as the Palmetto Pig Pickin’.
In the overall state competition for the South Carolina Barbeque Association , S’lowcountry Q has ranked in the top ten almost every year during the last decade, and got 3rd place overall in last year!
Sadie Beth Barbeque Company
Sadie Beth is a new team on the South Carolina Barbeque Association circuit based in Edisto Beach, SC led by Gage Blue and his wife Sadie Beth. We were fortunate to be out at the recent Cookin’ on the Creek event on Edisto Beach where Sadie Beth Barbeque made its debut. They did really well for their first time out, placing 4th in Butts and 1st in Ribs! We doubt that was beginners luck, so keep a look out for Sadie Beth this year in Barnwell!
Slinging Meat
Slinging Meat is a competition BBQ team from Florence, SC. Their team consists of three friends – David Smith, Josh Howle and Brice Ricker, who are also lawyers and business partners in the law firm – Smith Ammons Howle and Ricker, LLC, with offices in Florence and Summerville.
They are a relatively new team, having just gotten their start in April 2022, when they jumped into the Youth Mentors of the Pee Dee BBQ Festival in Florence, SC, just for fun. After that first South Carolina Barbeque Association competition, they were hooked and started buying trailers, smokers and other equipment. At their 4th competition, they found a way to win the ribs category. That secured their obsession, and they dug in even further. They love competing and have had a great time making new friends and hanging out with everyone on the weekends. Make sure to come by their camp at this year’s event and try some of the meat they are slinging!
Tail-Gater Hater
Tail-Gater Hater is a team based in Lake City, SC with pitmasters Phillip Miles and Dennis Caraway. They are one of several teams in this year’s event jockeying for the top spots in the SCBA awards, currently sitting a respectable #6 in the overall rankings in both butts and ribs. Don’t let that ranking fool you, they have been state champions in both Butts & Ribs in 2019 AND 2021.
Pictured here is also a photo of Glen Lee who was a core part of the team, but unfortunately passed away two years ago. In Barnwell, we were fortunate to experience the full team back in 2019 and had their special BBQ that ultimately won them the state championship! I would watch out for their top notch Q at this year’s event, as they are itching for that 3peat!
Up in Yo Grill
Up in YO Grill is led by pitmaster Tammy Siegner, often the only female Chief Cook during the BBQ competitions she participates in. Tammy grew up Allendale, SC and loves to compete in Barnwell so she can visit family and friends in the region. She currently calls Beaufort home, and gets help from her Son & daughters to develop her incredible creations. Back in 2019, she won the top prize for Friday night’s Anything Butt competition with a tasty dessert.
What A Pit BBQ
What A Pit BBQ hails from Columbia, SC, Led by Pitmaster Jerome Furnace. YES that is a PERFECT name of a BBQ master! Jerome is a huge supporter of his community, and pictured here was his setup during an event supporting the Columbia Fire Department Station 30. What A Pit has the tagline “Welcome into the Furnace” and you can often see them at all kinds of other events around their hometown. We are looking forward to welcoming them into Barnwell and tasting some incredible creations from their team!
