We catch up with one of America’s elite competition pitmasters and proprietor of Kansas City’s top BBQ restaurant on Episode 312 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Joe Pearce of Slaps BBQ is fresh off a Grand Championship at the 159-team Great Lenexa BBQ Battle, his 47th career KCBS Grand Championship. A three-time runner-up in KCBS Team of the Year standings, Joe tells us why that contest is special to him and talks about his decision to scale back his competition schedule. He’s also a former co...
Jul 02, 2025•47 min•Season 7Ep. 24
When you think of Oklahoma sports, you think of college with the Sooners or Cowboys and even Golden Hurricane. But these days, the Oklahoma City Thunder have turned the state into a pro basketball-frenzied state and to measure the enthusiasm we check in with Hall of Fame pit master Travis Clark of Clark Crew BBQ. Along with basketball, we visit with Travis about his restaurants, memories of his historic 2017 KCBS Team of the Year season and what he misses about the competition circuit. Charlie W...
Jun 25, 2025•43 min•Season 7Ep. 23
Episode 310 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast features a trio of guys from the St. Louis area who are having fun while learning the ropes of competition BBQ. Chris Flanders, Jason Adams and Rodney Adams are Three Stooges BBQ and they’re determined to make an impact against the big teams after learning the ropes in the backyard division. Go go “Under the Radar” to learn more about My Three Stooges. Skyler Spartan from The Grill Guys of Missouri has the latest from the BBQ store in Republic, Mo., a...
Jun 19, 2025•52 min•Season 7Ep. 22
On Episode 309 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk tailgating with one of the best in college sports. Josh Schluterman and Ben Crozier are Baum BQ Squad out of Fayetteville, Ark. The duo are top-notch Steak Cookoff Association and Rib Cookout Association contestants, but the avid, long-time Arkansas Razorbacks fans throw some of the best tailgates around. Josh joins us to talk about their two favorite passions and the upcoming trip to the College World Series in Omaha where the Razorbacks ...
Jun 11, 2025•51 min•Season 7Ep. 21
Alby Ranson and Scuffletown Smokers don’t cook every weekend, like many championship-level BBQ teams. But the southern Indiana team makes the most of its opportunities, notching another World Championship recently at the KCBS World Invitational. On Episode 308 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Alby reviews the winning cook and talks about how the title compares to winning The Jack Daniels World Invitational last fall. We also talk it over with Thomas Gearhart of Mudville BBQ, the 2019 American R...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 7Ep. 20
One of the new world champions from last week’s KCBS World Invitational joins us on Episode 307 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Brian Peyton from Meat Me In St. Louis earned the Grand Championship in the Open portion of the weekend and also had a solid coon in the Invitational. Brian breaks down his weekend and reviews his competition career with some insight into his cook process. We also have a special appearance from Aaron Huentleman with breaking news of a partnership between Mister Briske...
May 29, 2025•48 min•Season 7Ep. 19
One of our favorite segments on the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast over the last couple of years has been “Under the Radar” where we visit with up-and-coming pit masters. Many of them have gone on to achieve success and we visit with one on Episode 306 this week. Bo Wheless of Bocephus BBQ out of Mayetta, Kansas, was on the show two years ago. He’s since won three KCBS Grand Championships, including last week’s Smokin’ Hot Cars & BBQ in Iola, Kan., where he soared past 700 to pick up the win. We ...
May 22, 2025•50 min•Season 7Ep. 18
One of the world’s foremast authorities joins us on Episode 305 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Steven Raichlen is a multi-award winning writer and television host and we visit with Steven about his latest book, Project Griddle. It’s filled all you need to know about cooking on a flat-top, from expertly cooking meat, veggies and even desserts. We also ask Steven what’s left on his BBQ bucket list that he wants to accomplish. It’s Memphis in May week and we bring back an encore of our conversat...
May 13, 2025•56 min•Season 7Ep. 17
On Episode 304 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, one of the world’s open-fire cooking experts joins us. It’s Heath Riles, who’s headed to Memphis in May next week looking to bring home his first overall MIM Grand Championship after winning the Ribs championship two of the last 3 years. Heath will tell us how he’s been prepping for the world’s most-prestigious competition and his busy world, in which he has little down time with his cooking, shooting Youtube channel videos, promoting his product ...
May 07, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 7Ep. 16
We've been without power going on 36 hours following severe thunderstorms in our neck of the woods and were unable to complete recording for this week's show. But we do have an abbreviated Episode 303 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast with Charlie Wallace of The Grill Guys of Missouri, previewing a backyard Ribs and Brisket class coming to the store taught by none other than "Fergie" Richard Fergola. Look for a new, full-edition show next week. Thanks for listening and thanks to our sponsors and ...
Apr 30, 2025•6 min•Season 7Ep. 15
Operating a successful BBQ restaurant in 2025 can be a difficult endeavor with rising food costs and fielding a dependable work force, not to mention producing consistently, quality food. To overcome the many challenges, Jeff Fitter has transformed one of the long-time BBQ institutions of the St. Louis area into a new model with a combination of offerings. So far, it’s been a hit with customers and on Episode 302 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Jeff about Papa’s Diner/Super Smoke...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 7Ep. 14
On Episode 301 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we learn the background of Steve Smith, a Florida pitmaster who’s had two portions of a competition career. Smith’s current team, Mad Dog BBQ, is ranked second in the 2025 KCBS Team of the Year standings behind the runaway freight train that is Brad Leighninger and Gettin’ Basted. Steve tells us about the season to this point and about his backstory, going back to the Days he was Blazin’ 7s BBQ and a teammate of Lynnae Oxley on the All-Star season...
Apr 16, 2025•56 min•Season 7Ep. 13
Helping us celebrate Episode 300 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast is one of busiest and move-innovative people in the open-fire cooking world. Tim Scheer, owner of Blues Hog and Marble Ridge Farms joins us to discuss Blues Hogs’ sponsorship of a NASCAR team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., plus five new sauces unveiled this week to bring the lineup to a dozen. How does he come up with sauce ideas and take them to brain to palate? He discusses the process. Tim also tells us about a new partnership wi...
Apr 09, 2025•47 min•Season 7Ep. 12
As we kick off the month of April, we discuss two of our favorite past times with the guys from the Baseball & BBQ Podcast. Jeff Cohen and Leonard Aberman have channeled a love for two of their favorite passions into a show that’s mirrored our time in the podcast world and on Episode 299 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we have a fun conversation with the two New Yorkers. Meanwhile, Lyndal recaps the debut of the Tailgate Guys competition team’s cooking season and Steve reviews his latest o...
Apr 02, 2025•53 min•Season 7Ep. 11
Episode 298 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast features a conversation with Rod Gray, CEO of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. During his nearly three years in leading the world’s largest competition BBQ organization, there have been ups and downs and we cover some of those with Rod after he gives us a preview of the 7th annual KCBS World Championships coming up in May in Lebanon, Tenn. We also welcome back Kevin Green from show sponsor The Butcher Shoppe with a rundown on the meat industry and wh...
Mar 26, 2025•59 min•Season 7Ep. 10
One of the most-popular and enjoyable recurring segments of the show the last couple of years have been the “Under the Radar” looks at up-and-coming competition teams. This week on Episode 297 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we go Under the Radar with Dan Wright of Take it Easy BBQ from the St. Louis area. Take it Easy BBQ is making big strides after winning St. Louis BBQ Society Rookie Team of the Year in 2023 and is ready for a big run at a busy KCBS schedule this season. We also welcome a n...
Mar 19, 2025•57 min•Season 7Ep. 9
We talk spice rubs on Episode 296 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast with one of the best in the business. Josh DeWitt began experimenting with spice combinations in his kitchen several years ago to begin a path that led to winning one of the industry’s biggest awards when his JDQ Spicy was named Best Rub on the Planet in 2023 by the American Royal World Series of BBQ. Josh recently added a new JDQ Sweet Garlic rub to his lineup of JDQ Sweet and JDQ Spicy and he talks about the evolution of his st...
Mar 12, 2025•49 min•Season 7Ep. 8
On Episode 295 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk it over with BBQ’s new world champions. That’s Josh Hale from Sure Shot BBQ out of Leander, Texas, who teamed up with wife Stacy and Reagan “No Shoes” Broesche - cooking on behalf of Always Able But Confused Cookers - to win Grand Championship honors at the 248-team Houston Livestock Rodeo and BBQ last weekend. Cooking at the massive event for just the second time, Sure Shot was Pure Shot in taking home overall honors in one of competition...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 7Ep. 7
On Episode 294 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we learn the story of Stephen Nieto - or “Stevo” as he’s known on the competition trail. Stephen and his Stevo’s BBQ Team out of Henderson, Nevada is coming off his third career Grand Championship as the Best in the Southwest in Yuma, Ariz., beating out a star-studded lineup. Stevo is a military veteran who not only has become a champion in the BBQ world, he’s used competition BBQ as a springboard to successfully combat his post-military PTSD. We ...
Feb 26, 2025•58 min•Season 7Ep. 6
We’ve had the honor of talking to numerous BBQ champions on a regular basis over the years. Sometimes, we also have brought you champions before they emerged. On Episode 293 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we offer up a double-dose of “Under the Radar” with the stories of a pair of up-and-coming competition pitmasters - Tommy Blackmon of Blue Smoke Q out of Georgia and Josh Lenhart of Ohio’s Buckeye Flavor BBQ. We also check in with Charlie Wallace for the latest news from The Grill Guys of Mi...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 5
On Episode 292 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, the guys review the big football game (which turned into a Super Dud) and how the food was the definite star of the day. We also talk it over with Nicholas Owensby from Sailor Nick’s BBQ about happenings in the Great Lakes BBQ Association, with a big Competition BBQ 101 class coming up soon. We check in with Skyler Spartan for the latest news from The Grill Guys of Missouri in Republic, where a couple of big classes have been scheduled that you wi...
Feb 12, 2025•47 min•Season 7Ep. 4
The biggest football game of the season is this week and with it comes the biggest food day of the year for many. On Episode 291 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we try to help make Super Bowl Sunday a Super Food Sunday by bringing in the powerhouse duo from Smoke ’n Magic BBQ, Breana Via and Brad Colter, with some suggestions on how to plan for - and then execute - a game-day menu. Make sure to check out their YouTube channel. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve take a look at the match-up be...
Feb 05, 2025•48 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Nebraska in January to cook BBQ? It doesn’t sound like a dream scenario - especially after blowing out a trailer tire early during a projected 11-hour drive. But everything came up paradise for Buddy Hammett of Shiggin’ Ain’t Easy BBQ from Westland, Mich., who captured Grand Championship honors at the SVJ Winter Rub in Omaha. On Episode 290 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with Buddy about his sixth career Grand Championship, what he overcame to achieve it and his BBQ journey since it ...
Jan 29, 2025•53 min•Season 7Ep. 2
We kick off Season 7 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast with a friend of the show going back to our early days on local radio in 2016. Not only is he a hometown hero, but Brad Leighninger is arguably the best to light a pit - and he’s never been better than currently. Brad and Gettin’ Basted already has three Grand Championships since the KCBS points season began in November and is off and running toward a fourth Team of the Year honor. The new KCBS Hall of Famer from the organization’s inaugural ...
Jan 22, 2025•58 min•Season 7Ep. 1
First of all, the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast wishes all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We are grateful to all our listeners, sponsors and marketing partners who dialed up the show in 2024 and we finish off Season 6 with a Hall of Fame featured guest. Mike Wozniak and Quau BBQ out of Brimfield, Ill., is one of the many great inductees in the inaugural KCBS Hall of Fame class coming up in January. On Episode 288 of the show, we talk it over with Mike about his competition career, which ran f...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 45
We’re back from a break - some of it by choice for Thanksgiving, some not due to some personal issues that needed attention - for Episode 287 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. One of our favorites, “The BBQ Ninja” Craig Verhage, joins us for an always-fun conversation. Craig, who’s been involved heavily in BBQ competition and marketing for more than two decades, discusses how he’s able to be every-day-Craig along with his alter-ego of The BBQ Ninja. As marketing director for Royal Oak Charcoal s...
Dec 11, 2024•46 min•Season 6Ep. 44
They have more than just a cool team name. We’re talking about the guys from Burnt Skull BBQ. Joe Ricklefs, Adam Burch and Brandon Rose are friends from the Kansas City area who began their competition BBQ journey in 2023 and have had their walking shoes on ever since. Recently at the 44th American Royal World Series of Barbecue, in just its 15th KCBS competition, Burnt Skull finished an impressive sixth place overall in the 444-team Open. On Episode 286 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk...
Nov 21, 2024•52 min•Season 6Ep. 43
On Episode 285 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk it over with the newest major champion of the BBQ world. Kyle Kuhn of Hot Daddy’s BBQ out of Grasston, Minn., reviews the competition BBQ journey of he and wife Amy from humble beginnings on a home-built offset smoker to winning the American Royal World Series of BBQ Invitational. It was the sixth Grand Championship of 2024 and 12th over the last three seasons and Kyle talks about the key to how Hot Daddy’s went from simply good to consist...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 6Ep. 42
Swing and a long drive, deep left field … back, back, back … GONE! To borrow a baseball analogy, John Shirey II of Chunky BBQ hit the ultimate open-fire walk-off over the weekend at Kansas Speedway. Shirey and wife Stephanie won the 44th annual American Royal World Series of BBQ Open Grand Championship - a field of 444 teams from around the globe. Not only was it a major championship, it vaulted the Hershey, Pennsylvania team to KCBS Team of the Year honors by one point over 2023 champ Janky Leg...
Nov 07, 2024•49 min•Season 6Ep. 41
We’re off to the American Royal World Series of BBQ, but before departure we visited with some folks who are going to be a big part of the weekend. First up is Danielle Bennett, better known in the BBQ world as Diva Q. A championship competition pitmaster before launching a career as a television personality, cookbook author and brand ambassador, Diva Q will be honored on Saturday at The Royal as part of the 2024 BBQ Hall of Fame Class. She talks about her career and if she’s offended by the ter...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 6Ep. 40
