Book Now Rib Cookers
The world’s top rib cookers compete for top honors each year at the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off.
The competition is widely regarded as the most prestigious rib cook-off in the country.
The rib cookers aren’t just competing for bragging rights –
$19,000 in Cash Is Up For Grabs For Those Who Impress The Judges The Most!
See our 2024 Rib Cooking Teams Below.
Rib Cookers
Armadillos - Naperville, IL
Big Daddys Barbecue Las Vegas, NV
Brothers Barbecue Reno, NV
Git-R-Smoked, Lexington, KY
Blazin’ Broncos BBQ, Port St. Lucie, FL
Porky Chicks BBQ, Fayetteville, AR
Aussom Aussie, Pittsburgh, PA
Austin Texas Lighting BBQ, Burr Ridge, IL
Back Forty Texas Barbecue, Pleasant Hill, CA
BJ Barbecue, Sparks, NV
Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ, Mt. Laurel, NJ
Carson City BBQ, Carson City BBQ
Joey’s Texas Thunder, Borger, TX
Just North of Memphis, Minneapolis, MN
Montana Q Bar-B-Que, Frenchtown, MT
Rasta Joe’s BBQ Rocherster, IN
Texas Outlaw Barbecue, Elizabethtown, KY
Men Wielding Fire, Reno, NV
Checkered Pig, Danville, VA
Battle Born Smokers, Reno, NV
Moonshine BBQ, Kentucky
Train Wreck BBQ & Grill
Phoenix BBQ - Sparks, NV
Chicago BBQ - Chicago, IL
Awards and Prizes
The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off is one of the most prestigious barbecue competitions in the entire world. For the cookers who compete, a win in ‘Best in the West’ comes with some serious bragging rights. Ribs are judged by a panel of prestigious barbecue experts who examine the ribs for their appearance, taste and texture. Sauces are judged for their color, viscosity and taste.
1st Place
$10,000
2nd Place
$5,000
3rd Place
$2,000
4th Place
$1,000
5th Place
$500
Best Sauce
$500
2024 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Blazin Bronco BBQ
2nd Place: Battle Born Smokers
3rd Place: Back Forty Texas BBQ
4th Place: Texas Outlaw BBQ
5th Place: Rasta Joe's BBQ
Best Sauce: Just North of Memphis
People's Choice: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
2023 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Porky Chicks BBQ
2nd Place: Rasta Joe's BBQ
3rd Place: BJ's Barbecue
4th Place: Git-R-Smoked
5th Place: Just North of Memphis
Best Sauce: Big Daddy's Sin City Barbecue
People's Choice: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
2022 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: BJ’s Barbecue
2nd Place: Porky Chicks BBQ
3rd Place: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
4th Place: Carson City BBQ
5th Place: Checkered Pig BBQ
Best Sauce: Just North of Memphis
2021 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Git-R-Smoked
2nd Place: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
3rd Place: Montana Q Bar-B-Que House
4th Place: Blazin’ Bronco BBQ
5th Place: Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ
Best Sauce: Texas Outlaw Barbecue
People’s Choice: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
2019 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Montana Q Bar-B-Que
2nd Place: Checkered Pig
3rd Place: Hole In The Wall BBQ
4th Place: Austin’s Texas Lightning
5th Place: Famous Dave’s Barbeque
Best Sauce: Git-R-Smoked
People’s Choice: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
2018 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Montana Q Bar-B-Que
2nd Place: Checkered Pig
3rd Place: Just North of Memphis
4th Place: Blazin’ Bronco
5th Place: Aussom Aussie
Best Sauce: Uncle Bub’s
People’s Choice: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
2017 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Chicago BBQ Company
2nd Place: Uncle Bub’s
3rd Place: Aussom Aussie
4th Place: Carson City BBQ
5th Place: Austin’s Texas Lightning BBQ
Best Sauce: Uncle Bub’s
People’s Choice: Back Forty Texas Barbecue
2016 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Rasta Joe’s BBQ
2nd Place: Bone Daddy’s BBQ
3rd Place: Texas Thunder BBQ
4th Place: Montana BBQ
5th Place: Texas Outlaw BBQ
Best Sauce: Checkered Pig BBQ
People’s Choice: Montana BBQ
2015 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Bone Daddy’s BBQ
2nd Place: Famous Dave’s BBQ
3rd Place: Uncle Bub’s
4th Place: Back Forty Texas BBQ
5th Place: Texas Outlaw BBQ
Best Sauce: Aussom Aussie
People’s Choice: Bone Daddy’s BBQ
2014 Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Winners
1st Place: Desperado BBQ & Rib Company
2nd Place: Bone Daddy’s BBQ
3rd Place: Famous Dave’s BBQ
4th Place: Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ
5th Place: Checkered Pig BBQ
Best Sauce: Porky-N-Beans
People’s Choice: Back Forty Texas BBQ