Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! We hope it's a great holiday season and a celebration of family, friends and great food! Episode 243 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast is our finale of Season 5 and it's a good one with a pair of open-fire stars to help us conclude the year on a winning note.

First up is Bill Purvis from Chicken Fried BBQ out of Magnolia, Texas. Bill is one of the best in the competition game and he does it cooking in various sanctioning bodies. Chicken Fried earned a Grand Championship at an IBCA-sanctioned event last weekend in Houston and Bill already is looking ahead to a banner 2024. We visit with him about chicken (thighs or half-chickens, legs or wings?) and his talent in front of the camera on the Food Network show BBQ USA with host Michael Symon or on his rapidly growing Chicken Fried BBQ Youtube channel where his latest video showing how to trim a competition brisket is a fun watch. 

We also check in with Richard Fergola from Fergolicious BBQ and Proud Souls Barbecue & Provisions. It's been a busy December of teaching BBQ classes and things get only busier in the new year and Richard gives a rundown of his classes and why someone should consider upping their competition game with a little education. The one-year anniversary of Proud Souls KC is approaching and Fergie fills us in on some party plans.

Charlie Wallace of The Grill Guys of Missouri also stops by with some great last-minute BBQ shopping ideas. If you're in or near southwest Missouri, keep The Grill Guys in mind if you're shopping for yourself or others. 

Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve preview their holiday cooking plans and look ahead to the new year and Season 6 of the show.  

Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:  Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #teamroyaloak2023 The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked  Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq  Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq The Grill Guys of Missouri Allquedup #arkassippicombo Vietti Marketing Group #marketing  Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza

Have a great BBQ holiday season and thanks for listening! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm