About the contest
Seven rounds over two days to find the Whole Hog Champion and Backyard Champion
Saturday 24th May
Round 1 - Pork Steak & Sauce - Entry Turn In 12:00 - 12:30
Teams will be given two pork ribeye steaks and their job is to cook them to perfection along with a complimentary sauce. There is no place to hide with this simple entry!
Round 2 - Sausage - Entry Turn In 13:00 - 13:30
Take some everyday sausages and produce a barbecue dish to make the mouth water. Anything goes in this freestyle contest, extravagant hotdogs to fine dinning toad in the hole and everything in between.
Round 3 - Pork Ribs - Entry Turn In 14:30 - 15:00
Do you produce the best barbecue rack of ribs you can, or use the meat in another way. As long as the bones are on the entry (not necessarily still inside the meat) it's the teams choice.
Round 4 - Mystery Box - Entry Turn In 15:30 - 16:00
The teams won't know what's in the box until the morning, but by three thirty they will need to produce an entry using the mystery ingredients.
Sunday 25th May
Round 5 - Pork Tenderloin - Entry Turn In 12:00 - 12:30
Time to get creative with this simple cut of meat. Teams can choose to cook in anyway they please and present to the judges however they like.
Round 6 - Pork Belly - Entry Turn In 13:30 - 14:00
This very traditional British slow roasting joint is full of flavour and ideal for the barbecue. But roasting isn't the only option. What can teams think up to stand out from the crowd.
Round 7 - Pork Shoulder - Entry Turn In 15:00 - 15:30
The quintessential low and slow barbecue pork joint, but will the teams be tempted to explore further than pulled pork and barbecue sauce?
MEET THE TEAMS
Never Mind the Brisket
Big Jobs Backyard BBQ Team
Never Mind the Brisket
Jamie and Ash are friends who have been barbecuing together for a few years, experimenting with meat and different dishes. They decided that this was the year to test out their skills in their first competition.
Instagram: @nevermind_the_briskets
Big Mikes Smokehouse
Big Jobs Backyard BBQ Team
Never Mind the Brisket
ike (or Big Mike) is competing with wife Cel and friend Jay. He loved barbecue from his first bite and has spent the last 10 years trying to perfect the art. They can't wait to meet likeminded barbecue enthusiasts and maybe share a couple of beers.
Instagram:@smokehousebigmikes
Facebook: @big.mikes.smokehouse.2024
TikTok: @big.mikes.smokehou
Big Jobs Backyard BBQ Team
Big Jobs Backyard BBQ Team
Big Jobs Backyard BBQ Team
James is heading a team with family and friends Aiden, Regan and McKenzie. After developing an interest in barbecue and dragging his family to Maldon Smoke and Fire Festival, he stumbled on competition BBQ and wants to test his skills.
Instagram: @big_jobs_bbq
Facebook: @big.jobs.backyard.bbq
Bullet Brothers
Bullet Brothers
Big Jobs Backyard BBQ Team
Chris and Jon have been brothers in BBQ arms since 2014 when they were part of a team put together by Weber for the original barbecue festival, Grillstock. Regulars as a duo on the UK competition circuit. Illinois native but UK resident Jon and Sussex local Chris are a true transatlantic team.
Joker Smokers
Bullet Brothers
Joker Smokers
Joker Smokers are a team made up of married couple Shaun and Jo. After 10 years of competition they love the company and friendly banter. After seeing American BBQ competitions on the TV, they wanted to give it a go and have been hooked ever since.
Facebook: @jokersmokers
NW BBQ
Bullet Brothers
Joker Smokers
NW BBQ have been competing since 2023. After many years cooking American style barbecue at home, they wanted to take it to the next level and see if they could earn their stripes as expert pitmasters.
Instagram: @n.w_bbq
Team YNNI Kamado
Smokey B'STARDS BBQ
Smokey B'STARDS BBQ
Husband and wife, Adam and Marianne plus Ynni Kamado director Jon make up Team Ynni. After forming in 2023 with Ynni Kamado support, the team moved in house and secured 3rd place at Smoke and Fire Festival in 2024. Look out for their multicolour (and available online) ceramic Kamado grills.
Instagram: @team_ynni_kamado
Facebook: @ynnikamado
Smokey B'STARDS BBQ
Smokey B'STARDS BBQ
Smokey B'STARDS BBQ
In an unlikely genesis for a BBQ team Steve and Rob met in a salad factory in 2005. Now living 4hrs apart they continue to share a friendship and passion for BBQ adventures. Rob was inspired by one of the original UK BBQ teams' Miss Piggy's, and Steve's love of outdoor cooking evolved from cooking over campfires as a kid.
Instagram: @slobro247
Pdogs Juicy Hogs
Smokey B'STARDS BBQ
Bertha and the Brisketters
Phil, Liz, Poppy, Will and Evelyn make up a family team. A keen outdoor cook for the last 6 or 7 years experimenting with smoke, fire and flavour. Head cook Phil is looking forward to how his creations stack up against the competition.
Instagram: @pdogsjuicymeats
Bertha and the Brisketters
Bertha and the Brisketters
Bertha and the Brisketters
This team is a family affair, and their smoker "Bertha" is also one of the family. Stuart and Meghan look set to do most of the cooking, with Caroline, Ethan and Oliver offering vital moral support.
Northern Grillbilly
Bertha and the Brisketters
Perdido Street Bacon
Rob and Micky are mates with a passion for barbecue and smoking. They have a little background with Micky a cook at a local restaurant, and Rob a keen backyard griller and smoker.
Perdido Street Bacon
Bertha and the Brisketters
Perdido Street Bacon
Paul and Jared have a long standing friendship and love or barbecue. Paul a Kansas native is from the home of barbecue, but both are looking forward to seeing how their food stacks up
Wonkey Donkeys
The Headless Chickens
How Deep is Your Rub
Husband and wife team Nick and Tracey are one of the most experienced and successful teams competing in the UK. After starting out in chili contests in 2013, they graduated to barbecue in 2015. Recent years have seen them triumph in multiple contests including The British Open Freestyle at Maldon Smoke and Fire in 2023.
How Deep is Your Rub
The Headless Chickens
How Deep is Your Rub
Liam used buying a barbecue two years ago as a great excuse to actually learning to cook, team member and friend Ben, has a little more experience. They are looking forward to the atmosphere and meeting the other teams.
The Headless Chickens
The Headless Chickens
The Headless Chickens
A Ukrainian, American and Welshman walk in to a Bar......becue competition. Josh, Scott, Keith and Vlad are all mates who have graduated from campfires and disposable barbecues in the park to big smokers and grills. Entering their first contest, they are looking forward to seeing how much they have really learned.
Fire Dining
Fire Dining
Fire Dining
Fire Dining
Fire Dining
Peter has been cooking barbecue seriously for 5 years with weather no barrier. His wife Debby and son-in-law Craig make up the rest of the team looking to make an impact on the competition.
Instagram: @fire_dining
Facebook: @firedining
Fire Dining