Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast

Janice Smella and family celebrated their Grand Championship at the 37th annual Jack Daniels World BBQ Championship by spending the following weekend in Ottumwa, Iowa, checking off another box on their KCBS reps in training schedule. It was a unique feeling, indeed, as the high of winning The Jack had hardly begun to fade. On Episode 378 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast we have a fun conversation with Janice about what winning one of the BBQ's "majors" - and being the first Canadian team to do so - means. The story of Smellaque is one of perseverance and love of cooking for Janice and husband Russell, who don't cook as often as many world-class teams but have enjoyed tremendous success - especially over the last two seasons. And now, just as she's won The Jack, Janice plans to cut back her competition and help bring more comps to her native Canada.

Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal Scranton and Steve Koehler review their latest weekend cooking adventures and preview what's coming up. For Steve, that means seafood on the grill and for Lyndal it's a busy competition stretch.

Check out the show on the link below or on your favorite #podcast platform.

A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

What a ride it's been for Brian Kennish and the family team B's Que Crew based in Richmond, Virginia. On Episode 377 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Brian recaps back-to-back trips that found B's Que celebrate the American Royal World Series of BBQ Invitational Grand Championship and then Reserve Grand Championship honors at The Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational. Along with recounting the thrills from two of the world's biggest competitions, Chris talks about the KCBS Team of the Year race and how B's Que has become one of the world's elite teams over the last year.

Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal Scranton and Steve Koehler review their latest weekend cooking adventures and preview what's coming up on the grill - and in the sports world where the MLB playoffs are heating up.

Check out the show on the link below or on your favorite #podcast platform.

A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

There might not be more of a Rocky Balboa story in the history of competition BBQ than Charles Winslow-Bey. From adversity with vehicles six months ago that left his season in doubt to winning the world's largest BBQ contest last weekend, the 46th annual American Royal World Series of BBQ Open, Charles and his wife April are an inspiration to all who dare to dream big. On Episode 376 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, the story of Smokey Bey's BBQ is one of the best we've told in seven seasons of doing the podcast. We hope you will check it out.

We also take our monthly trip to The Grill Guys of Missouri for the latest from the Republic, Mo., store where you can find just about anything under the sun to make your open-fire cooking game better. Co-owners Charlie Wallace and Skyler Spartan preview what's ahead this month, including a holiday meats class sure to help you impress on the big holidays.

Meanwhile, co-host Lyndal Scranton reviews his trip to the American Royal in a judging capacity and Steve Koehler continues to capitalize on the beautiful fall weather to cook on his deck. Find out what's coming next.

Check out the show on the link below or on your favorite #podcast platform.

A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Episode 375 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast is focused of the 46th annual American Royal World Series of BBQ, where we're headed later this week to judge after five years of on the competition side. We visit with not only a first-time American Royal team, but a foursome that has barely cooked competition at all. That's Sasquatch Smoke N Que out of Kansas City, a group of military veterans who met while playing hockey for disabled vets and have taken that friendship to BBQ. Johnny Neal and Jeff Schmidt of Sasquatch Smoke N Que discuss how the camaraderie and friendships are a bigger piece of the puzzle than the scoresheets at this point and what cooking at The Royal means to them.

We also have an encore segment with Kayci Vincent, manager of the American Royal BBQ about the move to a new venue on the American Royal Association campus and what teams and a limited (for this year) spectator base can expect.

Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve talk about their cooking adventures to open the show - including Steve's seafood selections - and wrap things up with a quick tour of the sports world, focusing on the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs.

Check out the show on the link below or on your favorite #podcast platform.

A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Kelly Wertz is one of the legends of competition BBQ, winning more than 40 KCBS Grand Championships during a 20-year career - including the American Royal World Series of BBQ and the Jack Daniel World BBQ Invitational. On Episode 374 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we catch up with Kelly about why he chose to call it a career. He's staying plenty busy, with steady catering gigs and a growing 4 Legs Up product line of spice rubs and injections. Kelly has some good info to share and we appreciate his time.

As the 46th American Royal approaches, we also visit with Kevin Heese of Weekend Bum BBQ. Kevin is an international ambassador for the visiting teams and he tells us what that involves along with his expectations for the new site at the American Royal complex. We always like to chat with a first-time Royal team and Shawn Campbell of High on the Hog BBQ fills that bill this year, discussing his preparation for the world largest competition. High on the Hog hasn't been competing for long, but the team has quickly become used to finishing at or near the top and might be a team to watch at the 370-team Royal.

Check out the show on the link below or on your favorite #podcast platform.

A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Episode 373 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast is a preview of the 46th American Royal World Series of BBQ. It's a new venue after a decade at Kansas Speedway and Kayci Vincent, BBQ Manager of the American Royal, tells us that while it's a scaled-down version as construction continues on the new site, teams will probably think it's more like a regular BBQ event. Spectator access will be limited to Friday-night parties with none of the usual events on Saturday such as bands and public wandering the grounds to take in the sights and sounds.

Joel Fleetwood of Meat Rushmore BBQ also joins us to talk American Royal with his thoughts on the new location and what he's looking for. Meat Rushmore's time in the BBQ Experience restaurant at Kansas City International Airport is coming to a close in early 2027. Joel reviews the experience, looks ahead to future catering operations and discusses to-go food orders now can be taken on outgoing flights, either ready-to-eat on the plane or vacuum-sealed for later.

Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve their cooking weeks, including the Tailgate Guys BBQ team's competition return last weekend at Meat Inferno in Edgerton, Kansas.

A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

We enjoy talking to the biggest names in BBQ - and also shine some light on the up-and-comers. This week we go "Under the Radar" on Episode 372 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast to visit with a fast learner from Ohio, Chris Reed of Team Cookie BBQ. Along with having a unique team name, Chris knows his stuff on the smoker. In just 16 career KCBS Masters Series attempts, he's had seven overall top 10s, including his first Grand Championship last month at the Saxonburg BBQ Smokeout in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania. Chris fills us in on how it's come together so quickly.

Richard Fergola also joins us for his quarterly visit about the latest happenings with Fergolicious BBQ and Richard Fergola BBQ line of products. "Fergie" has enjoyed a busy summer of spreading the good word of Q across the land with four new products now available. Now he's getting ready for the American Royal World Series of BBQ at the new American Royal complex and we get his thoughts on that.

Ever had a raccoon scrounging around your smoker or grill? Co-host Steve Koehler has and he warns everyone to clean and cover your cooking equipment. Meanwhile, co-host Lyndal Scranton previews the competition side of the team's preparation for this weekend's Smoke Inferno in Edgerton, Kansas.

A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

On Episode 371 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, hear the story of Charles Winslow-Bey and Smokey Bey's Barbecue. It's been a rocket ride for a team that was introduced to competition cooking just 3 1/2 years ago, going from a free class offered by Josh and Ashton of OG Bandits to multiple 700s and top-10 KCBS finishes in a short time. The biggest of all came a couple of weeks ago when Smokey Bey's earned Grand Championship honors at the Made for KC BBQ Championship, earning $10,000 and naming rights in the BBQ Experience restaurant inside Terminal B of Kansas City International Airport. Charles talks about how it's happened and what's ahead for he and wife April.

We also check in with Charlie Wallace and Skylar Spartan, the Grill Guys of Missouri, as they review a big 5th anniversary celebration. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve talk about their cooking weeks and what's next on the smoker while also touching on the latest from the sports world. A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Dirk Mullins and Jody Harris had been involved in competition cooking in various organizations for more than 20 years, walking the stage at The American Royal World Series of BBQ and Memphis in May among other big events. But looking to fill a void in December of 2023, they announced plans to launch the Rib Cookoff Association via social media. Just a couple of hours later, Dirk had received so many calls he had to turn his phone off. On Episode 370 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Dirk and Jody take the story from there to now, as the RCOA continues to make its mark among cooks of all skill levels.

We also check in with Aaron Huentelman from show partner Mister Brisket about some exciting news from the 52-year meat source in Ohio. Aaron previews a busy fall, with Mister Brisket ready to deliver competition boxes to competitors at both the American Royal and Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational.

Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve talk about their cooking weeks and what's next on the smoker while also touching on the latest from the sports world. A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Tina Cannon is one of the most-respected names in open-fire cooking, with numerous competition awards to her credit along with an array of television shows on various outlets. The classically trained chef joins us on Episode 369 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast to discuss her career, a website TinaCannonCooks.com full of helpful cooking info and a preview of her appearance at The Grill Guys of Missouri on Aug. 29. Tina's first appearance on how our show is a fun conversation that we hope you enjoy.

Our second guest this week has been on the show multiple times and always brings the heat - just as his Janky Leg BBQ team cranks it up when the summer temps rise. Jordan Kirkpatrick takes us inside the 2026 season, which finds Janky Leg back atop the KCBS Team of the Year standings after two Grand Championships in two weeks. Ever wonder about the mental part of competition BBQ? It's real and Jordan breaks it down.

Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve talk about their cooking weeks and what's next on the smoker while also touching on the latest from the sports world. A big thanks to our show sponsors and marketing partners. Please support them:

Blues Hog #blueshognation Royal Oak Charcoal #charcoalofchampions The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417 Clark Crew BBQ #clarkcrewbbq Meat Rushmore BBQ #meatrushmorebbq Lovely Jubbly BBQ #lovelyjubblybbq Mister Brisket #thighlife

Have a great rest of your BBQ week and, as always … #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm