SmokeMasters BBQ

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! 

Our SmokeSlam Pitmasters

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 Blowout
 2nd 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

2020

Covid Pandemic | No Competitions 
Started YouTube Channel BBQ With Uncle Woo

2019

Memphis in May World Championship
2nd Place Whole Hog 
Conquistador Challenge 
Grand Champion – Whole Hog 
1st Place Whole Hog | 8th Place Pulled Pork
Atoka BBQ Fest 2nd Place Pulled Pork 
Ham Jam 6th Place Whole Hog | 7th Place Pulled Pork 
Southaven Springfest  5th Place Whole Hog | 10th Place Pulled Pork 
Que on the Yazoo  1st Place Whole Hog | 4th Place Pulled Pork 
World’s Oldest BBQ Festival 10th Place Pulled Pork | 6th Ribs | 1st Place Whole Hog 
Smoke on the Mountain 2nd Place Whole Hog | 6th Place Pulled Pork 
Delta State University Pig Pickin’ 
2nd Place Whole Hog | 6th Place Pulled Pork | 5th Place Ribs
The Great Ruleville Roast 5th Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Ribs 
MS Delta State BBQ Championship 6th Place Pulled Pork | 4th Place Whole Hog 
Arlington BBQ Fall Fest 3rd Place Whole Hog | 7th Place Pulled Pork 
Big Pig Jig Ribs Prelim *Perfect Score | 5th Place Whole Hog | 2nd Place Ribs 

2019 MBN Final Standings
MBN Team of the Year
1st Place Whole Hog Team | 3rd Place Pulled Pork Team | 5th Place Ribs Team

2018

Conquistador Challenge
Grand Champion
1st place Whole Hog | 6th place Pulled Pork 
Atoka BBQ Fest 2nd place Whole Hog 
Ham Jam 2nd Place Whole Hog | 6th Place Pulled Pork 
Southaven Springfest 4th Place Whole Hog 
Que on the Yazoo 8th Place Whole Hog 
World’s Oldest BBQ Festival
Grand Champion
5th Place Pulled Pork | 1st Place Whole Hog 
Smoke on the Mountain 9th Place Pulled Pork | 1st Place Whole Hog  
Train Tracks Pork Attack5th Place Pulled Pork | 1st Place Whole Hog 
Smokin’ on the White 8th Place Pulled Pork | 2nd Place Whole Hog 
Delta State University Pig Pickin’
Grand Champion
9th Place Pulled Pork | 1st Place Whole Hog 
The Great Ruleville Roast 6th Place Whole Hog | 3rd Place Whole Hog 
MS Delta State BBQ Championship 2nd Place Whole Hog 
Arlington BBQ Fall Fest 4th Place Pulled Pork | 2nd Place Whole Hog 

2018 MBN Final Standings
MBN Team of the Year
1st Place Whole Hog Team | 4th Place Pulled Pork Team

Other Notable Finishes

 
2016 Bartlett BBQ Fest
Grand Champion 

2012 Memphis in May World Championship
3rd Place Ribs

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