What the Smoke on the Mountain Virginia State BBQ Championship lacked in quantity for its 8th annual event, it more than made up for it in quantity.
More than half of the nation’s top 10 barbecue teams were in Galax for this past weekend’s championship, including three-time World Champion Myron Mixon of Destination America’s TV show “BBQ Pitmasters.”
In the end though, it was another team from Georgia that finished as Grand Champion on Saturday, the Bubba Grills team of Haddock, Ga., another former national champion.
“We had people miss this year because of broken legs, some on vacation, just different things. There were less teams this year because it just didn’t work out this year for a lot of them,” said Ron Passmore of the Galax Smokehouse. “But we made up for quantity in quality. We have several of the top 10 teams in the national here and Myron Mixon. Bubba Grills is also a national champion, so it’s going to be a tough competition.”
While some past contestants didn’t make it to Smoke on the Mountain, several familiar old faces were back such as the Barnyard Roasters from Columbus, Mississippi. A past Grand Champion of Smoke on the Mountain, Barnyard Roaster’s Bill Fromm said the price of fuel kept the team from making the 1,230-mile round trip the past two years.
“We’re happy to be back. It’s been a long two years of not coming,” Fromm said. “It’s just a long drive for us, but it’s a fun contest. It’s one of the best ones we go to.”
Because of the large number of accolades he has achieved during his barbecue career, Mixon has earned the nickname of the “winningest man in barbecue.” He found plenty of fans in Galax as he made his return trip to Smoke on the Mountain.
“I came the first year it started. Ron Passmore called me about it this year and we had been trying to get back to Galax,” Mixon said. “When he called me a couple of weeks ago I was in the middle of a lot of stuff. We are getting ready to film six new episodes of Pitmasters. But Ron is a friend of mine and he asked me so I decided to come.”
Smoke on the Mountain Winners
Patio Porker
3rd Place - Kwik Chef BBQ, Warrenton, VA.
2nd Place - James River BBQ, Lynchburg, VA.
1st Place - Smoked Chip, Charlottesville, VA.
Sauce
2nd Place - Sweet N Sassy BBQ Co., Spotsylvania, VA.
1st Place - Bubba Grills, Haddock, GA.
Anything Butt
2nd Place - Beef Shack BBQ, Galax, VA.
1st Place - Bubba Grills, Haddock, GA.
Whole Hog
5th Place - Kings Cooking Team, Shelby, NC.
4th Place - Barnyard Roasters, Columbus, MS.
3rd Place - Boars Night Out, South Haven, MS.
2nd Place - Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ, Belmont, NC.
1st Place - Bubba Grills, Haddock, GA.
Pork Shoulder
5th Place - Bubba Grills, Haddock, GA.
4th Place - Muck’s BBQ, Tega Cay, SC.
3rd Place - Boars Night Out, South Haven, MS.
2nd Place - Jacks Old South, Vienna, GA.
1st Place - Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ, Belmont, NC.
Pork Rib
5th Place - Mountain Grillas, Galax, VA.
4th Place - Nervous Wreck Cooking Crew, Galax, VA.
3rd Place - Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ, Belmont, NC.
2nd Place - Boars Night Out, South Haven, MS.
1st Place - Bubba Grills, Haddock, GA.
GRAND CHAMPION and 2012 Reining Virginia State BBQ Champion
Bubba Grills Haddock, GA.
Pass Down goes to Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ, Belmont, NC.
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