The WORST episodes of Barbecue Showdown

Every episode of Barbecue Showdown ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Barbecue Showdown!

Follow the country’s best backyard smokers and competitive barbecuers as they compete for the title of "The American Barbecue Champion." Each episode sees the judges task the cookers with a challenge that will test their barbecue skills in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine. From unique meats to old school techniques, they will have to prove they have the skills to smoke another day.

Last Updated: 1/12/2026Network: NetflixStatus: Continuing

7.05

19 votes

#1 - Brisket Battle

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/4/2024

In their toughest challenge to date, the final four attempt to out-smoke their fellow competitors in an epic beef brisket showdown.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.10

21 votes

#2 - The Final Stand

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/4/2024

The finalists craft dream menus for their very own barbecue joints in a head-to-head battle to claim the coveted grand prize and title.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.21

28 votes

#3 - The Fire Within

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 5/26/2023

The contestants craft signature barbecue plates to show what they can make over an open flame, including one dish cooked al fresco in the all-new Trench.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.29

41 votes

#4 - Cooking It Old School

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/18/2020

Working in pairs, the barbecuers prepare popular proteins from the past, cooking mutton, goat and whole salmon on wooden platforms and over open pits.

7.30

23 votes

#5 - BBQ Trash or Treasure?

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/26/2023

The four fire tamers still in the game get creative to cook perfectly pulled meat and sides using an array of rickety, makeshift smoker rigs.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.31

45 votes

#6 - The. Whole. Hog.

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/18/2020

The final two tackle their biggest challenge yet: building their own pits and cooking a whole hog and brisket. It's gonna be a long night!

Watch Now:Amazon

7.32

19 votes

#7 - A Festive Feast

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/26/2023

The competition gets personal as the barbecuers race to make family-style holiday feasts inspired by their own most delicious traditions.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.32

22 votes

#8 - Breakfast Showdown

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 5/26/2023

After a dramatic campfire breakfast cook-off, the competitors roll through a new challenge: barbecuing a stuffed roast with a delicious surprise inside.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.32

22 votes

#9 - Land, Sea & Fire

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 5/26/2023

The pitmasters dig deep in the Trench to make a mouthwatering surf and turf menu, cooking their proteins both above and below ground.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.33

70 votes

#10 - Barbecue in the Blood

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/2020

The competition kicks off with a smokin' staple: the barbecue combo plate. That's two mouthwatering meats and two succulent sides.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.33

24 votes

#11 - Saucy and Spicy

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 5/26/2023

Things get spicy when the judges ask the cooks to take their pick from a pantry packed with peppers that range from friendly to face-melting.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.35

43 votes

#12 - Barbecue Around the World

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/18/2020

Ingredients and equipment from Morocco, Argentina and Japan spice things up and force the contestants to cook outside their comfort zones.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.36

61 votes

#13 - Red, White and Barbecue

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/18/2020

The competitors make a feast for 50 first responders in a Fourth of July throwdown. Tri-tip, pork chops, cheeseburgers and more are on the menu.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.37

43 votes

#14 - Raccoon, Iguana and Hare - Oh My!

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/18/2020

The pitmasters sink their teeth into some wild meats, delivering dishes like lizard stew, beaver tail crackling and pulled alligator.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.40

20 votes

#15 - Friday Night Bites

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 7/4/2024

Facing elimination, two pitmasters duel it out in a fiery fish cook-off. Afterward, the remaining contestants gear up to satisfy hungry tailgaters.

7.41

51 votes

#16 - Tournament of Sandwiches

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/18/2020

The smokers serve up a trio of sandwiches: savory chicken with crunchy slaw, tender and tangy pork, and five-layer stacks of beef and sausage.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.41

17 votes

#17 - Brew and 'Cue

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/4/2024

Legendary pitmaster Tuffy Stone joins the judging panel as the cooks prepare beer-infused dishes that hop with flavor.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.44

25 votes

#18 - Bad to the Bone

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/4/2024

The contestants kick off the competition by cooking a bone-in protein and two side dishes that reflect their unique styles and personal stories.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.49

57 votes

#19 - Don’t Need Teeth to Eat This Beef

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/18/2020

Time to celebrate the greatest invention in the history of food: ribs! The cooks tackle pork and beef ribs — one with a dry rub, one with a wet sauce.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.50

18 votes

#20 - The Trench Is Back

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/4/2024

The competition heats up as the Trench returns for a twist-filled challenge celebrating flavors from around the world.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.55

20 votes

#21 - The Piggy Bank

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/26/2023

The last two pitmasters standing go whole hog in this fiery finale, serving snout-to-tail spreads to determine who will go home a barbecue champion.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.62

21 votes

#22 - Don't Bring a Skewer to a Swordfight

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/26/2023

Semifinalists tackle a new test in close quarters, sharing one dome to suspend their dishes over open fire as they attempt Brazilian-style churrasco.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.67

18 votes

#23 - Slow Fast Food

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 7/4/2024

Chef Matty Matheson ("The Bear") encourages the pitmasters to turn down the heat and whip up an original fast-food recipe using slow-cooking techniques.

Watch Now:Amazon

7.89

18 votes

#24 - Go Pig or Go Home

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 7/4/2024

Chef and acclaimed author Kwame Onwuachi joins the judges for a Sunday supper that showcases each pitmaster's family traditions.

Watch Now:Amazon