Sometimes the best barbecue weekends have absolutely nothing to do with winning!

In this episode of Big Boyz BBQ Bytes, we're looking back at one wild weekend in Boise, Idaho. From a dead generator and last-minute cooking adjustments to potato pavé burnt ends, karaoke, police drones, and some unforgettable late-night shenanigans, Boise gave us plenty to talk about!

Then it's time for another Rugby Byte, featuring a legendary trip to the Can-Am Rugby Tournament in Saranac Lake, New York, where we had three goals and accomplished absolutely none of them!

We're also sending some love to our BBQ friends competing at the Jack Daniel's Invitational in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and the Maryland State BBQ Bash in Bel Air, Maryland.

Meanwhile, Big Boyz BBQ is heading to Deer Lodge, Montana, to experiment with Memphis-style dry ribs, our traditional competition ribs, and chicken wings.

And finally, we're looking ahead to our last KCBS competition of 2026.

Vegas, baby!

Because sometimes the scoreboard doesn't tell the whole story.

BOTTOMS UP!

#BigBoyzBBQ #BBQBytes #CompetitionBBQ #KCBS #BBQLife #BottomsUp

Big Boyz BBQ is back from the Montana Pitmaster Classic in Bozeman, and this one had a little bit of everything—Montana weather, a Thursday night that unexpectedly turned into a party, the newest member of the pit crew getting put to work, and one fairly important ingredient accidentally left at home. Somehow, it all ended with a Wild Child finish and $400!

Then this week’s Rugby Byte proves John has some previous experience with questionable road-trip decisions. Long before hauling smokers around the West, there was a 30-foot rental RV full of Denver rugby players, creative sleeping arrangements, a blizzard, Playboy “models,” property damage, and a $500 deposit that absolutely had to be saved.

Finally, we look ahead to Boise as the 2026 Big Boyz BBQ season keeps rolling.

Barbecue. Rugby. Bourbon. Road trips. And occasionally wondering: What could possibly go wrong?

Keep on keeping on!

We're back from Worland, Wyoming, where Big Boyz BBQ picked up a 3rd-place chicken and 8th-place brisket — including a chicken call that came after I accidentally grabbed the rib rub.

Sometimes the mistake works.

This week, we talk about the good, the bad, and the duct tape from Worland; why one of the K4Ls is headed to injured reserve; and how a Cuatro D found its way into the Big Boyz family just in time for the Montana Pitmaster Classic in Bozeman.

For the Rugby Byte, we go back to 1997, a 6 a.m. Five Nations match, several beers before noon, and the tattoo that was supposed to feature the Irish flag .

And with Bozeman next, we look ahead at a Rocky Mountain BBQ season that suddenly might not be quite as close to over as we thought.

Keep the smoke rolling, keep the stories coming, and we'll see you down the road.

This week on Big Boyz BBQ Bytes, plans change. We’re heading back to Worland, Wyoming for another competition—this time cooking solo. And in the Rugby Byte, we head back to St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah, circa 2003, for a story involving rugby, Johnny Harris BBQ, a kilt, no hotel room, random ruggers, and one unfortunately positioned police horse.

Sometimes the plan sucks. That’s when the stories happen.

Laramie didn't go the way Big Boyz BBQ hoped. We break down what the score sheets taught us, what we're changing—and what we're not. This week's Rugby Byte goes back to 2001 and a season spent working for an opportunity that didn't come until the very end. Sometimes the plan isn't failing; the results just haven't caught up yet.

Plus, the Jack Daniel's bung drawing sends a bunch of friends and familiar faces to Lynchburg, and we couldn't be happier for them.

#BigBoyzBBQ #BigBoyzBBQBytes #CompetitionBBQ #KCBS #RMBBQA #BBQPodcast #TheJack #TrustThePlan

We’ve officially reached the halfway point.

This week, I recap our trip to Dillon — a competition that started with the truck running board partially falling off and somehow progressed to both drum smokers getting blown over and a failed BBQ Guru fan being replaced by a box fan.

And yet, somehow, it worked.

Big Boyz BBQ finished with two calls — 7th in ribs and 8th in pork — and a 694 overall score, our highest ever.

With five contests now complete, we take a look at where the season stands at the midpoint. We’ve officially qualified for the Rocky Mountain BBQ Association Cup, and with only the best five scores counting, our final three qualifying contests give us a chance to replace some of the mistakes from earlier in the season.

For this week’s Rugby Byte, I go back to my first Maggotfest with the Montana All Blues, a champagne breakfast more than 30 years ago, and how an old rugby memory eventually became an unlikely competition barbecue ritual: sometimes, when everything is going wrong, working faster isn’t the answer. Sometimes you need to stop, reset, and then get back to work.

Finally, we look ahead to Laramie, Wyoming — a new contest, a new destination, and competition number six.

Five down. Five to go.

I don’t have a Laramie story yet. I guess we’re going there to make one.

Keep on keeping on.

Spotify Episode Description

Season 2, Episode 5 takes us to Blackfoot, Idaho, for one of the most challenging weekends of the 2026 competition season. What started with a dead phone, a generator that wouldn't run, and a rough weather forecast quickly turned into a day of adapting, troubleshooting, and making one pivot after another. From charcoal issues and equipment failures to last-second turn-ins, this contest tested every part of the process.

In this week's Rugby Bite, we step away from the cookers and talk about one of the greatest traditions shared by rugby and barbecue—breaking bread together. Whether it's biscuits and gravy at a BBQ competition or campfire meals after a rugby match, the friendships built around food often become the memories that last the longest.

We'll also look ahead to the Fourth of July 250 in Dillon, Montana, discuss lessons learned from Blackfoot, and share what needs to be tightened up before the next contest.

Sometimes the biggest victories aren't hearing your name called—they're learning something that makes you better the next time you fire up the pit.

This week on Big Boyz BBQ Bytes, there's no contest recap—but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to talk about.

During a rare bye week, I reflect on the first three competitions of the 2026 season, the lessons I'm learning from successful teams, and why simplifying my approach may be the biggest key to improving.

I also share a milestone I didn't expect: my 31st KCBS competition falls on the same date as my very first contest at the Capital BBQ Battle in Washington, D.C., thirteen years ago. It's a chance to look back on where this barbecue journey began and appreciate the people, places, and memories that have come along the way.

Finally, I preview the upcoming Blackfoot, Idaho competition and talk about the goals I'll be taking into the weekend.

Sometimes the best time to grow isn't during a contest—it's in the quiet moments between them.