The Kansas City Barbeque Society Team of the Year race is a combination of outstanding cooking, determination and endurance to pull down the highways and byways of American week after week and an overall thirst to win. In 2022, the championship goes to Ercole Chila and Uncle Pig’s Barbecue Pit from Paulsboro, N.J.

Uncle Pig’s earned nine grand championships, including three in a row in early October, and had 27 top-10 finishes in 33 competitions in more than a dozen states. On Episode 188 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Ercole about what the championship means and some of the keys along the way to make it happen, as he edged out Joe Pearce and Kansas City’s SLAPS BBQ by a 57-point margin.

We also get the lowdown on the turkey shortage that threatens Thanksgiving meals nationwide - plus other facts on the meat situation as we approach the holiday season - from Kevin Green of The Butcher Shoppe. The good news? The Butcher Shoppe has a decent supply of fresh turkeys and is able to ship, but you have to get your order in by the end of this week. Want a frozen turkey? You’re going to pay dearly, if you can find one at all.

A big thanks to our great sponsor/marketing partners who make Season 4 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather and Domino’s.

Have a great BBQ Week and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm