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 Last Year's Rib Cooking Teams Below.
2025 Rib Cookers
Naperville, IL
Armadillo
Sydney, Australia
Aussom Aussie BBQ
Burr Ridge, IL
Austin Texas Lightning BBQ
Pleasant Hill, CA
Back Forty Texas Barbecue
Reno, NV
Battle Born Smokers
Las Vegas, NV
Big Daddys Barbecue
Kansas City, MO
Big Show BBQ
Sparks, NV
BJ's Barbecue
Port St. Lucie, FL
Blazin’ Broncos BBQ
Reno, NV
Brothers Barbecue
Mt. Laurel, NJ
Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ
Carson City, NV
Carson City BBQ
Ridge, IL
Chicago BBQ
Lexington, KY
Git-R-Smoked
Reno, NV
Joshua Lee's Pit BBQ
Minneapolis, MN
Just North of Memphis
Reno, NV
Men Wielding Fire
Missoula, MT
Montana Bar-B-Que House
McKee, KY
Moonshine BBQ
Fayetteville, AR
Porky Chicks BBQ
Rocherster, IN
Rasta Joe’s BBQ
Elizabethtown, KY
Texas Outlaw Barbecue
Sparks, NV
Train Wreck BBQ & Grill
Borger, TX
Texas Thunder BBQ
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