One of Alabama’s most iconic barbecue joints came back to the state with some hardware after the Memphis in May 2025 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q was crowned as the 2025 Pork Shoulder Champion, and placed 2nd in the overall competition.

Big Bob Gibson takes home the gold

The Pork Shoulder gold medal was Gibson’s 13th first-place finish in the prestigious competition.

The Pork Shoulder Campionship results:

1st: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
2nd: Team Waterdog
3rd: Shoats & Skins
4th: Ridiculous Bar-B-Krewe
5th: Smoke BBQ Team
6th: Sweet Swine O’ Mine
7th: First Class BBQ
8th: First Class BBQ
9th: The Pork University
10th: Brown Chicken Brown Cow

The Grand Champion results were:

Heath Riles BBQ
Big Bob Gibson
Swino’s
Will Be Que BBQ
Team Waterdog

Recognized by USA Today as the “Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest,” the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held at Liberty Park in Memphis.

Since the first contest in 1978 teams representing the best of barbecue have been honing their craft to compete for the title of Memphis in May World Champion and a share of the more than $150,000 in prize money.

The contest features championship pork categories of Ribs, Shoulder, Whole Hog, and Patio Porkers as well as the ancillary competitions of Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.”

More results in other categories can be viewed here.

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