By Steve Carfrae
STATE CENTER, IA (BBQ CRITIC) - It's the middle of June and that could only mean one thing. It's Rose Festival BBQ time! So I headed to State Center Iowa, to judge some BBQ.
It was a hot one! There wasn't enough fans to keep that tent cool. What is cool, though, is that the Rose Festival BBQ is the longest running barbecue contest in Iowa. This will be the 24th annual event.
Megan Willie does one heck of a job running this contest every year. But this year, she struggled to get the twenty five teams to be a jack qualifier. Then at the last minute, she delivered.
I started out on Friday night judging the kids BBQ contest. Let me tell you these kids can cook! The category was ground pork. I was amazed at what those kids could make. Two kids turned in burgers. Another turned in meatballs with BBQ sauce. The last competitor turned in bacon wrapped skewers. All the entries were so delicious!
On to Saturday. We had a milestone in the judges tent. Lyn Burks celebrated judging her 100th contest, and she was chosen to recite the judges oath.
It was a hot one! There wasn't enough fans to keep that tent cool. What is cool, though, is that the Rose Festival BBQ is the longest running barbecue contest in Iowa. This will be the 24th annual event.
Megan Willie does one heck of a job running this contest every year. But this year, she struggled to get the twenty five teams to be a jack qualifier. Then at the last minute, she delivered.
I started out on Friday night judging the kids BBQ contest. Let me tell you these kids can cook! The category was ground pork. I was amazed at what those kids could make. Two kids turned in burgers. Another turned in meatballs with BBQ sauce. The last competitor turned in bacon wrapped skewers. All the entries were so delicious!
On to Saturday. We had a milestone in the judges tent. Lyn Burks celebrated judging her 100th contest, and she was chosen to recite the judges oath.
After the judges meeting concluded, we went on to judge the four meats - Chicken, Pork Ribs, Pork and Brisket. Not long after came the AWARDS. Here are the top winners of this event..
Grand Champion - Hot Daddy's BBQ
Reserve Grand - Son of a Boar
Reserve Grand - Son of a Boar
CHICKEN 1st Hot Daddy's BBQ 2nd Son of Boar BBQ 3rd Home Farm BBQ RIBS 1st Wags Backwoods BBQ 2nd Crosscut BBQ 3rd Dry 2 Da Bone | PORK 1st Home Farm BBQ 2nd Hot Daddy's BBQ 3rd Boots BBQ BRISKET 1st When PIgs Die 2nd Son of a Boar BBQ 3rd Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ |
GRAND CHAMPION - Hot Daddy's BBQ
RESERVE GRAND - Son of a Boar BBQ
1ST CHICKEN - Hot Daddy's BBQ
1ST RIBS - Wags Backwoods BBQ
1ST PORK - Home Farm BBQ
1ST BRISKET - When Pigs Die
That's a wrap on the 2025 Rose Festival BBQ. My last stop before heading home was for ice cream at STARBUCKS DRIVE-IN in Nevada. It was fantastic!

STEVE CARFRAE
KCBS BBQ Judge
BBQ CRITIC Judge
Pitmaster, LTS BBQ
KCBS BBQ Judge
BBQ CRITIC Judge
Pitmaster, LTS BBQ
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