Grills Mafia Backyard BBQ Throwdown

Competition Rules

GrillsMafia Backyard BBQ Throwdown!

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Load in: 8 am // Awards: 5 pm

Location: Palmer’s Direct To You Market

900 Jefferson Rd Suite 1000, Rochester, NY 14623

THE CONTEST

  1. Ribeye Steak

  2. Chicken Wings (Pitmaster’s Choice)

  3. Pumpkin Dessert (Anything Goes)

$125 Entry Fee.

All proteins Provided by Palmer’s Direct To You Market and included in the entry fee.

THE PRIZES

Steak: 

  • First Place: $300! Trophy, Gift Card

  • Second Place: $150! Trophy

  • Third Place: $125, Medal 

Chicken Wings:

  • First Place: $300! Trophy, Gift Card  

  • Second Place: $150! Trophy

  • Third Place: $125, Medal 

Dessert:

  • First Place: $200! Trophy, Gift Card  

  • Second Place: $50, Trophy

Overall:

Combination of all three entries to determine the ultimate winner.

  • Grand Champion: $1,000, Signed Reid Ferguson jersey or shirt

  • Reserve Grand Champion: $200, Signed Reid Ferguson item 

RIBEYE STEAK RULES

Can You Grill the Best “Medium” Steak Ever?

  • Each cook selects 2 ribeyes during the Cook’s Meeting at Palmer’s. Order of selection done by lottery. Cut 1-1.25 inch.

  • Only turn in ONE Ribeye in the provided 9x9 box. 

  • Do not slice the ribeye. It should be one full steak that will be sliced in front of the judges.

  • No garnish allowed. 

  • The challenge: cook to a perfect medium - a soft pink in the middle. Refer to SCA for examples of a perfect medium. 

  • Judges will take one bite from an area of their choice. 

Scoring ranges from 1 - 9, with 1 being inedible, 6 being “Average, Decent” and 9 being amazing, “Best Steak I’ve Ever Had.”


Judged based on:

  • 20% Appearance (appetizing, perfect medium center)

  • 30% Tenderness (mouth feel & chew)

  • 50% Taste (deliciousness)

  • Overall impression as tiebreaker 

CHICKEN WING RULES

Pitmaster’s Choice: Grill it, Smoke it, Fry it, any style goes! 

Palmer’s is providing 2-pounds (15-20 pieces) of raw chicken wings, and it’s up to you to do with it what you think is best. Judges want to be wowed by how awesome the wings look, smell, and of course taste.

  • Each cook receives the wings during the cook's meeting. 

  • Cooks present their wings in the provided 9x9 box. 

  • Garnish is allowed, but not required. Garnish must be edible (lettuce, parsley, kale are common)

  • Any sauce or other ingredients should be on the wings. No dipping sauces or sides.

  • Ensure there are enough wings to serve among 6 judges. 

  • Can be smoked, grilled, fried.

  • Judges will take one bite. 

Scoring ranges from 1 - 9, with 1 being inedible, 6 being “Average, Decent” and 9 being amazing, “Best Chicken Wing I’ve Ever Had.”

Judged based on:

  • 20% Appearance (appetizing, creativity)

  • 30% Tenderness (mouth feel & chew)

  • 50% Taste (deliciousness)

  • Overall impression as tie-breaker 

DESSERT RULES

Anything Goes Pumpkin Challenge! 

This one is all up to you! As long as there is pumpkin included or pumpkin flavor and it’s prepared onsite, you can enter it.

  • Contestants provide their own ingredients. 

  • Cooks present their pumpkin dessert dish in the provided 9x9 box. 

  • Any garnish must be edible. 

  • Main elements of the dish must be prepared onsite. (For example, cool whip can be pre-bought.)

  • Ensure there are enough bites to serve among 6 judges. 

  • Judges will take one bite. 

Scoring ranges from 1 - 9, with 1 being inedible, 6 being “Average, Decent” and 9 being amazing, “Best Pumpkin Dessert I’ve Ever Had.”

Judged based on:

  • 20% Appearance (appetizing, creativity)

  • 30% Tenderness (mouth feel & chew)

  • 50% Taste (deliciousness)

  • Overall impression as tie-breaker 

ALL JUDGING IS BLIND 

Judges and staff will NOT know who turned in which box. Each turn-in box will have a team number. 

SCHEDULE

8am - 9am - Cooks arrive and setup

10am - Cook’s meeting at the back of Palmer’s Market - Meat Selection for Steak & Wings

Cooks may now begin seasoning, marinating meats. 

1:00 - 1:30pm - Steak turn-in

2:00 - 2:30pm - Chicken Wing turn-in

3:00 - 3:15pm - Dessert turn-in

Begin takedown of spaces

5:15pm -  Awards

6pm Official takedown of spaces 

Please be cleared out by 7pm

TURN-IN RULES

  • The 30-minute window is the ONLY time a box may be turned in. 

  • No boxes will be accepted before or after the allotted time. 

  • The turn-in area will be clearly shown to all cooks during setup and the cook’s meeting. 

  • Once a box is turned in, that entry is final, as-is. (No take-backs) 

RULES 

10x15 Space

  • Each team will have a 10x15 area to set-up as their cooking space. We recommend a 10x10 tent and folding tables. 

  • Teams will be setup in the parking lot of Palmer’s Direct To You Market. The area will be clearly marked. Spaces are on a first-come-first-serve basis.

  • A team member from Grills Mafia will be onsite to assist with setup direction.

Cooking Team: 

  • Each team will consist of one chief cook and one assistant. 

  • The chief cook will be responsible for the conduct of the team and any guests within the team area. No team will share a cooker and no two teams can be in the same area.  

Cooking Site: 

  • Spaces will be determined as each team arrives. 

Equipment

  • Teams will provide all necessary equipment, fuel and cookers. 

  • Palmer’s will provide the protein/meats and turn-in boxes. 

  • There will be no electricity or water source provided for this event.   

Cleanliness 

  • Teams must keep their sites clean and collect their own garbage. 

  • All fires will be put out and equipment maintained in a safe manner. 

  • All cooking sites must be cleaned up upon leaving, including removal of all trash and ash. The area should be left as found. 

  • All work surfaces must be sanitized. 

  • Teams must provide their own water containers. 

  • No pets or children are allowed in the cooking area. 

  • We require the use of nitrile gloves in handling raw foods.

  • No sampling to the public is allowed. Any tasters should be a part of your team. 

Cookers & Fuel

  • Charcoal grills. No pellet, electric, or propane cookers. 

  • Fuel sources can be wood or charcoal. All teams must meet all local, state and federal fire, and health codes. 

Fire Extinguisher (TBD Provider)

  • Fire extinguishers will be available at every cook station, courtesy of TBD. Please leave these at your station at the end of the event. 

  • If any extinguisher is used, there will be a $100 charge. 

    Alcohol 

  • There will be no excessive use of alcoholic beverages by a team and any member of the public or guest in a cook site area. No alcoholic beverages will be given to the public. There will be no use of any controlled substance. There will be no use of unacceptable language. Teams are subject to being disqualified for violation of these rules. Loud radios and excessive noise from team members or their guests are not allowed.  


Entry 

  • All entry fees will be non-refundable, except in the case of an emergency or reasonable circumstance.  

  • All entries must be turned in using the provided 9in x 9in containers, following instruction during the cook’s meeting.

No Sauce on the Side 

  • No separate containers of sauce are allowed. Any sauce used in the entry must be on the meat or in the turn in box.  

  • No utensils or cups or any other inedible items may be in the turn-in box with the exception of the dessert category.

Failure to follow these rules or to be respectful of staff, representatives, and the community will result in disqualification. 


Any questions? Email: info@que42bbq.com