SmokeMasters BBQ is an award-winning competition BBQ team from Memphis, TN.
Affectionately known as "Uncle Woo" to his six nieces and nephews, our Pitmaster, Will Hair embarked on a bold journey in 2016, setting his sights on becoming one of the Top 10 Teams in the Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN). By 2018, he had exceeded that goal, finishing as the MBN Team of the Year.
The 2020 competition barbecue season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Will channeled his energy into new projects. In February 2020, he launched a YouTube channel, BBQ With Uncle Woo, featuring over 30 videos to date. The channel covers everything from Super Bowl snacks to mastering Thanksgiving turkeys and backyard BBQ staples.
During this time, Will also expanded his line of BBQ rubs, adding Uncle Woo’s Memphis Magic (a versatile salt, pepper, and garlic mix) and Uncle Woo’s Memphis Moo (a premium beef rub) to his award-winning SmokeMasters Premium BBQ Rub. These products are now sold online and in several specialty BBQ stores across the region.
The 2024 competition season brought perhaps team’s most prolific win to date at the inaugural SmokeSlam BBQ Competition in Memphis, TN, held at Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River. This MBN-sanctioned contest required teams to present blind box samples and on-site judging across multiple categories. Will assembled an exceptional team of cooks to compete in Whole Hog, Pulled Pork, Ribs, and ancillary categories like seafood and beef. The ancillary results showed that the SmokeMasters were ready for competition, taking home 1st Place Beef and 4th Place Dessert.
In the main competition, after 3 blind box submissions and 9 on-site presentations, SmokeMasters BBQ advanced to the finals in all three main categories—a rare and remarkable feat. Finals judging brought 3 more on-site presentations. For the day, there were 12 total on-site presentations spanning over 7 hours. The results were worth every effort: SmokeMasters took 2nd Place in Whole Hog, 2nd Place in Pulled Pork, and 1st Place in Ribs. Finally, standing on stage with two other formidable teams, Will heard the announcement that crowned SmokeMasters BBQ as Grand Champions of the SmokeSlam BBQ Festival. All on our Pitmaster’s 50th Birthday. What a celebration honoring our Uncle Woo!
Even when the entire SmokeMasters BBQ team can’t be at a contest, our Pitmaster Woo and his wife Katie are there to keep the smokers going in pursuit of Grand Championships!
Awards and Recognitions
2024
SmokeSlam, The World's Ultimate Showdown
Grand Champion 2nd Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Pulled Pork | 1st Place Ribs
1st Place Beef | 4th Place Dessert
Invited to and Competed at the Royal Oak Charcoal Invitational
South MS Boucherie 2nd Whole Hog | 7th Pulled Pork | 6th Place Ribs
Smoking for Downs Syndrome 5th Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Pulled Pork
Atoka BBQ Fest 5th Place Whole Hog
Peavine Festival 7th Place Whole Hog | 10th Place Pulled Pork | 7th Place Ribs
Southaven Springfest 7th Place Whole Hog
Thunder on the Water 8th Place Whole Hog | 10th Place Pulled Pork | 7th Place Ribs
Train Tracks Pork Attack 5th Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Pulled Pork | 6th Place Ribs
Delta State Pig Pickin’ 6th Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Pulled Pork | 8th Place Ribs
Cookin’ for a Cure 6th Place Whole Hog| 6th Place Pulled Pork | 4th Place Ribs
Praise the Lard 6th Place Whole Hog | 3rd Place Pulled Pork | 4th Place Ribs Smokin’ the Coast
Grand Champion
1st Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Pulled Pork | 1st Place Ribs *Perfect Score
Cleveland Octoberfest 2nd Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Ribs
Arlington BBQ Burnout 10th Place Whole Hog | 7th Place Pulled Pork
Fire on the Water 2nd Place Whole Hog | 1st Place Pulled Pork | 1st Place Ribs
Big Pig Jig 4th Place Pulled Pork
2024 MBN Standings
2nd Place Whole Hog Team | 3rd Place Pulled Pork Team | 2nd Place Ribs Team
2023
Memphis in May World Championship
2nd Place Turkey Smoke | 4th Place Seafood
Invited to and competed at the Royal Oak Charcoal Invitational
Big Pig Jig 2nd Place Ribs Bolivar BBQ Blowout2nd Place Ribs | 3rd Place Pulled Pork
Bartlett BBQ Contest
Grand Champion
1st Place Pulled Pork * Perfect Score
Praise the Lard 1st Place Pulled Pork
South MS Boucherie 2nd Place Pulled Pork | 6th Place Ribs
Atoka BBQ Fest
Grand Champion
1st Place Whole Hog | 8th Place Pulled Pork
*Perfect Score
Que on the Yazoo 4th Place Ribs
Peavine Festival 8th Place Pulled Pork | 4th Place Ribs
Thunder on the Water 8th Place Whole Hog
Galax Smoke on the Mountain 9th Place Pulled Pork | 10th Place Ribs
Praise the Lard 1st Place Pulled Pork
MS Delta State BBQ Championship 7th Place Whole Hog | 10th Place Pulled Pork
Bolivar BBQ Blowout 6th Place Whole Hog | 3rd Place Pulled Pork2nd Place Ribs
Big Pig Jig 5th Place Whole Hog | 10th Place Pulled Pork | 2nd Place Ribs
*Perfect Score
2023 MBN Season Standings
7th Place Whole Hog Team | 3rd Place Pulled Pork Team | 7th Place Ribs Team
2022
Memphis in May World Championship
4th Place Whole Hog Invited to the Royal Oak Charcoal Invitational
South MS Boucherie 6th Place Whole Hog | 5th Place Pulled Pork | 7th Place Ribs
Atoka BBQ Fest 7th Place Whole Hog | 9th Place Pulled Pork
Que on the Yazoo
Grand Champion – Pulled Pork
4th Place Whole Hog |1st Place Pulled Pork | 5th Place Ribs
Smoke on the Rails
Grand Champion – Whole Hog
1st Place Whole Hog *Perfect Score | 1st Place Pulled Pork | 2nd Place Ribs
Train Tracks Pork Attack 4th Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Pulled Pork | 8th Place Ribs
The Great Ruleville Roast 4th Place Pulled Pork | 7th Place Ribs
DSU Pig Pickin’ 2nd Place Pulled Pork | 2nd Place Ribs
MS Delta BBQ State Championship 1st Place Pulled Pork | 10th Place Ribs
Arlington BBQ Burnout
Grand Champion – Pulled Pork
5th Place Whole Hog | 1st Place Pulled Pork | *Perfect Score
Bolivar BBQ Blowout 2nd Place Whole Hog | 6th Place Pulled Pork | 4th Place Ribs
When Pigs Fly 5th Place Pulled Pork
Big Pig Jig 2nd Place Ribs | * Perfect Score
Biloxi Bay 5th Place Pulled Pork | 7th Place Ribs
2022 MBN Standings
6th Place Whole Hog Team | 1st Place Pulled Pork Team | 5th Place Rib Team
2021
Memphis in May World Championship
4th Place Whole Hog
Atoka BBQ Fest 2nd Place Whole Hog | 9th Place Pulled Pork
Smoke on the Mountain 9th Place Whole Hog | People’s Choice Winner
Train Tracks Pork Attack 3rd Place Whole Hog | 1st Place Pulled Pork
South MS Boucherie 3rd Place Whole Hog | 3rd Place Pulled Pork | 6th Place Ribs
The Great Ruleville Roast 4th Place Whole Hog | 10th Place Pulled Pork | 5th Ribs
MS Delta State BBQ Championship 4th Place Whole Hog | 8th Place Ribs
Arlington BBQ Fall Fest 5th Place Whole Hog | 9th Place Ribs
Bolivar BBQ Blowout 4th Place Whole Hog | 4th Place Pulled Pork | 9th Place Ribs
Southaven Springfest 10th Place Whole Hog | 6th Place Ribs
Big Pig Jig 2nd Place Whole Hog
2021 MBN Final Standings
2nd Place Whole Hog Team | 7th Place Pulled Pork Team | 6th Place Ribs