Teams are now Full!
Check out the teams for 2026!
Welcome to the Smokin Country Jam BBQ Competition, where the best pitmasters from across the country come to showcase their skills! Do you have what it takes to compete for the title and the cash prize? Join us for an unforgettable experience filled with mouthwatering BBQ, great music, and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or just starting out, we’d love to see what you can bring to the grill!
IT'S BBQ
Where live Tunes Meet Mouthwatering BBQ!
2026 Grand Champions!
Congratulations, 2026 Winner!!
🔥 BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS 🔥
Some stories just come full circle… and this year at Smokin’ Country Jam, history was made once again.
Our 2026 BBQ Competition champions are no strangers to the SCJ stage. In fact, they hold a title nobody can ever take away — they were the VERY FIRST Smokin’ Country Jam BBQ Competition winners. And now, they’ve returned to take home the gold once again.
That kind of legacy doesn’t happen by accident.
Built on generations of tradition, passion, and hard-earned skill, their story starts long before competition trophies and championship brisket. It began in the 1940s with Uncle Joe Zsadanyi, a World War II Army sharpshooter who returned home to Hialeah, Florida, and created the original red sauce recipe that would become a family treasure. A recipe passed down only through family, carrying decades of memories, backyard cookouts, and unforgettable ribs.
Years later, that same spirit of authentic barbecue excellence fueled a new journey. In 2008, after ditching gas grills and diving headfirst into charcoal cooking, the fire was lit — literally. What started with learning fire control and slow smoking quickly turned into a passion for competition BBQ. By 2013, that passion paid off with first-place wins in pork shoulder and overall backyard cook team honors. From there, the competition trail only got hotter, earning top brisket finishes across Florida and eventually a Grand Champion title at Deerfield Beach Pigout.
And now… another chapter gets added to the story.
Returning to Smokin’ Country Jam and reclaiming the championship after being our very first winners is something special. It speaks to consistency, dedication, family tradition, and true barbecue craftsmanship.
From backyard smoke to championship glory — they’ve been part of SCJ history since day one, and now they’ve etched their name into it once again.
Congratulations to our 2026 Smokin’ Country Jam BBQ Competition Champions! 🏆
SMOKIN COUNTRY JAM WILL BE COOKIN UP SOME HOT COUNTRY TUNES IN 2025!!
TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE!
Get the latest in
our exclusive festival Merch! It's the best way to
show up to any
party.
