Big Poppa Smokers
About Big Poppa Smokers
Founded in 2009, Big Poppa Smokers has made a name for itself by making an award-winning line of championship rubs. These rubs have have a hand in winning almost every major competition BBQ event; including, the 2012 and 2013 World Series of BBQ in Kansas City, the 2012 Jack Daniels Invitational, the 2013 Kingsford Challenge, the 2014 Houston Livestock and Rodeo, and many more to come. In 2013, BPS banded together with fellow California-based BBQ rub company Simply Marvelous BBQ to form what has now become known as “The West Coast Offense”. Defying conventional wisdom, these two California-based BBQ rub makers have cornered the market on competitive BBQ and begun to redefine the flavor profile that competitive cooks from across the country have begun to aim for.
Big Poppa Smokers has even created two of its own unique competitions. One being, The Smithfield King of the Smoker, which brings the best of the very best in BBQ head to head in a, “back-to-basics,” competition. The King of the Smoker is unique in that contestants may not use any electric devices such as pellet cookers or pit minders. Contestants are just allowed to use charcoal, wood, and their wits to win one of the most high stakes BBQ competitions around. Hosted at the beautiful Westin Mission Hills Resort & Club in Rancho Mirage, California, this elite invitational competition has quickly become the competition that all teams want to be invited to. The second competition that BPS has started is known as The Guinea Pig, which is a cost-controlled competition that helps to bring in newcomers to competitive BBQ. It also features prize distribution all the way down to 10th place in each category, which helps provide incentive to get new competitors into the world of BBQ.
Don’t think BPS can just be pigeonholed into competitive BBQ either. BPS rubs have become so well known that they’ve been picked up by nationwide restaurant chain BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. With four of the eight BPS rubs featured on their permanent menu, BPS rubs are proven to be a great addition to anyone’s pantry. Not only that, Sterling Ball has helped create or has collaborated on several menu items at BJ’s!
On top of all that, Big Poppa has created a unique brand ambassador program: The Children’s Charities: Cooking for Kids program, featuring 15 of the best competition teams in the country working together to promote camaraderie, competition BBQ, and to benefit children’s charities across the US. The Cooking for Kids teams use BPS rubs to win competitions across the US, while helping children in their community at the same time.
Turning the competition BBQ world on its head, creating their own unique competitions, becoming a staple of a nationwide restaurant chain, and benefitting children’s charities across the US is just the beginning for Big Poppa Smokers!
Big Poppa Smokers – YouTube Channel