How do you know Rodeo season has arrived? You can smell it.
The scent of wood smoke caressing meat fat — that olfactory sensation near and dear to the Texas heart — is the surest signal that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is galloping into town. We’re speaking, of course, of the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest that kicks off Rodeo Houston’s 2025 season from March 4-23.
The beloved barbecue event, casually referred to as the cook-off, begins its three-day run on Thursday, February 27, filling the air surrounding NRG Park with the distinctive smell, sights, and sounds of one of the world’s biggest, most influential barbecue competitions.
For the 250 participating teams, the cook-off is an opportunity to show off their smoking skills and a chance to nab one of the barbecue world’s most prestigious competition titles. For ’cue fans — of which more than 230,000 attended the cook-off last year — it’s an indulgent, unbridled immersion in up-close pitmaster prowess and day-long partying filled with food and fun.
So what actually happens at the barbecue cook-off? If you’re a newbie, or this is indeed your first rodeo, here’s what you need to know:
How can I go to the cook-off?
Tickets for adults ($26), children aged 3-12 ($10), and babies under 2 (free) grant visitors admission to the vast cook-off campus and public venues at NRG Park, including the carnival and concerts at the Garden Stage. Tickets also include a complimentary barbecue meal served at the Chuckwagon tent, plus admission into the adjacent Rockin’ Bar-B-Que Saloon. The daily schedule is Thursday, February 27, 6 to 11 p.m.; Friday, February 28, noon to 11 p.m.; and Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. All are welcome to attend, with a ticket.
Does my ticket give me access to the tents in the cook-off village?
Tents are not open to the public. Think of the tents that compromise the cook-off village as work stations for teams preparing their entries for the official barbecue competition. These team tents, as well as a variety of corporate and sponsor tents, are private venues. Their inner sanctums — often equipped with bars, day-long catering, and live music stages, as well as the smokers that are integral to each team’s barbecue magic — are reserved for invited guests only.
How do I get into the highly sought-after tents?
It pays to have barbecue pals. Getting in good with barbecue teams and Rodeo royalty has its benefits come cook-off time. Each team creates an environment for their friends, family, and sponsors to enjoy the cook-off in a private, comfortable space. Who gets invited into these tents is largely a matter of who you are, or who you know.
Competition and sponsor tents, like the rowdy Holy Cow Cookers and ultra-posh Cotton Inc. enclaves, often try to outdo each other with décor, entertainment, food and drink, so it’s no wonder access to them is in high demand. Seasoned cook-off insiders flex their social status with invites to the grandest party tents, showcased by the colorful wristbands that line their arms.
How does judging for the barbecue competition work, and can I watch?
You can’t watch the judging process, but everyone in attendance on the final day of the cook-off is invited to watch the awards.
Scoring is done in seclusion, with teams competing in brisket, ribs, and chicken categories, as well as Dutch oven desserts and an “open” category for non-barbecue dishes. The HLSR barbecue committee recruits approximately 300 judges to evaluate samples among the five categories. The crop of judges is made up of industry professionals and journalists, with many who have served on the panel for years.
Votes are cast based on a “blind” method, ensuring that winners are determined solely on the quality of barbecue, with the top ranking in each meat category is named Champion; and the team with the highest aggregate score across all categories is named Grand Champion. The public can watch the live awards presentation on Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. at the Garden Stage.
What does it mean to place in the finals?
Winning at the cook-off is considered one of the top prizes in the barbecue world. “The WCBBQ is one of the premier and longer-standing barbecue competitions,” said Lisa Schutzenhofer, chairman of the Rodeo’s Board. “While there are a lot of contests out there, winning or placing in this contest is a feat men strive to attain.”
Winning at the cook-off also provides automatic team entry into two other national barbecue competitions, American Royal in Kansas City, Mo., and Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational BBQ in Lynchburg, TN., as well as San Antonio and Austin rodeo cook-offs.
What comes next, after the smoke clears from cook-off?
“After our event, our committee leadership compiles notes on what went well and what we can improve. This creates a roadmap for what has worked for the next year,” Schutzenhofer said. “Leadership meets on an almost a monthly basis to progress towards making the next competition better than the last.”
For everyone else, the end of the cook-off means that the start of the Rodeo, and its weeks-long all-star concert lineup, is set to begin. And for this festive Houston tradition, all are invited to take part.
For information on all things Rodeo, see rodeohouston.com.
