Permalink  BBQ Sauce, Classes, Contests, General, Jack Daniel's World Championship, Vending  14 Responses »
May 072026
 

 

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Swamp Boys are proud to offer a 25% standing discount to all U.S. Veterans and current military personnel at our online store. Applies to all regularly priced items; already discounted and bulk quantity items not included.
Follow this link for details.

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ABOUT: Swamp Boys are a Winter Haven FL based team and BBQ Food Truck, and now also championship BBQ sauce and rub producer. I began competing as a “pro” in 2004, was a Top 5 team in the Florida BBQ Association (FBA) in 2006 and 2007, was Team of the Year in 2008, 2009, and 2017. I was inducted into the Florida BBQ Association Hall of Fame and awarded Lifetime Membership. We were ranked the #1 team in the country for all of 2009 by the National BBQ Rankings, and again in 2013. We compete primarily in the southeast – FL, AL, GA, SC, NC and TN in both FBA and KCBS contests. We have won 64 professional Grand Championships and 52 Reserve Grand Championships. We were World Champions in Pork at The Jack in ’09, and tied for first in ’17. I was hired to go to Brazil to train and help open that country’s first ever American-Style Barbecue restaurant. I have taught professional BBQ classes from FL to IL to AZ, to The Hague, Netherlands. Hundreds of people from all over the World have attended. I’ve been a spokesman for Kingsford Charcoal. I’ve competed on the TV shows BBQ Pitmasters and Big Bad BBQ Brawl. We’ve been blessed.

CATERING: Besides competing, we also offer world class barbecue catering. We are licensed by the state of Florida, and fully insured. Let me provide the best barbecue you’ve ever had for your next event. All of our meats are slow smoked the old fashioned way on wood & charcoal burning pits. I use combinations of pecan & hickory to smoke the meats from 4 to 16 hours, depending on the cut. The end product is far above & beyond anything you’ve ever had at a “BBQ” restaurant. Guaranteed.

Call or email me today to reserve your date & discuss your menu. Or better still, come visit me at a Barbecue event & you can sample some.

My BBQ Catering mission is not to be the cheapest.
It is to be the BEST.

WE ARE PROUDLY CERTIFIED
FRESH FROM FLORIDA

Rob ‘Rub’ Bagby
swampboysbbq@gmail.com
863-206-9363

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 Posted by at 1:20 am

Inside Scoop on Local BBQ Events

 Charity, Contests, Fundraising, General  No Responses »
Jan 212025
 

Swamp Boys!

If you enjoy BBQ and you live in or near Central Florida, consider yourself blessed. There are lots of BBQ events in our area. The Florida BBQ Association (FBA) and Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) host contests throughout the year for you. You can find out about them from the websites I’ve linked. If you’ve never been to one they can be a little overwhelming – in a good way. Let me try to help.

Don’t stress parking. With the 2 big events I’m discussing here, parking is free and on site:
Lakeland Pig Fest this weekend at Lakeland Linder Airport has plenty of parking onsite. Use this address 4175 Medulla Rd, Lakeland, Lakeland.

Smoke OFF the Water is in Winter Haven, in 2 weeks, Feb. 7-8. Use this address: 3195 Dundee Rd, Winter Haven.

It is important to understand that these events are organized and put on by volunteers, and they are raising money for local charities. If you’re asked to pay for parking or to pay to get in, know that it is benefiting a local charity. And helping those in need is a good thing. Entry is typically $10 or less, with children free.

Now you’re inside the gate, and the wonderful smells of bbq smoke, and succulent meats are filling the air. Your stomach rumbles and you’re ready to eat. The first thing you’ll need to do is buy some of the designated money/currency for the event. Since they are fundraisers, most make you pay for everything you buy in “_______ – Bucks”. The blank could be PIG, BBQ, or anything else. For now, we’ll call them BBQ Bucks. Find the area where they are being sold and buy some. It is $1 for 1 BBQ Buck. Vendors are not allowed to take your cash money, they must take BBQ Bucks. The vendors turn in their BBQ Bucks at the end of the event and get paid $0.80 on the dollar. This is one way the charities make money from the event. BBQ Bucks are non-refundable so keep that in mind.

Swamp Boys Win Governor’s Trophy at Pig Fest!

With your bucks in hand, it’s time to start sampling the foods now. You will have dozens of choices on where you can spend your BBQ Bucks. Know that some vendors will be much, much better than others. Some pitmasters love to show off their accomplishments with trophies and/or banners on display. Unfortunately not all vendors are 100% honest with their advertising. Just because the signs are 75′ up in the air, doesn’t mean their food is great. So who do you go to? Ask around. Ask the other teams who aren’t selling their food where they would go eat, and who they would avoid. They know, and they will be honest with you. Life’s too short for bad BBQ. Educate yourself on where to spend your BBQ Bucks.

Besides great food, there may also be live music, craft vendors, car shows, cornhole tournaments, cooking demos, auctions, 50/50 raffles, and who knows what else. BBQ events usually offer All-American fun stuff to do and see. Make sure you get around to see everything. BBQ events give the host towns a chance to shine and celebrate their local community.

If you have the time, stick around until 5pm Saturday and watch the BBQ awards show at the main stage. For most teams, this is the reason they are at the contest. Teams can spend anywhere from $900 – $2000 and up to enter a single contest. Most are on-sight for a minimum of 24 hours and up to 60 hours. A contest is a major investment of time and money. The teams turn in chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket at predetermined times. Tables of certified judges score the entries in a double blind format, so they don’t know whose food they are judging. The highest scores for each category win money and trophies. The team with the highest total score of all categories among the teams wins Grand Champion (GC). The second highest score wins Reserve Grand Champion (RGC). Doing well in one category is nice, but being consistent in every category and winning GC is the ultimate. This usually qualifies you for the big national invitational contests and is quite an accomplishment. It’s a long standing tradition in the FBA that the winner buys pizza for the other teams Saturday evening. The Saturday night get together is the best part of the weekend for a lot of the teams.

I hope this will help you enjoy the next BBQ event you visit. The vendors, teams and certainly the organizers and charities are happy and thankful you’ve come out to help support the community. And the fact that we get to enjoy BBQ, America’s original cuisine, makes it awesome.

-Rub Bagby
Pitmaster, Swamp Boys BBQ

 Posted by at 12:25 pm

Come Eat With Swamp Boys!

 Charity, Contests, Fundraising, General, Vending  No Responses »
Jan 192022
 

Swamp Boys set up

This January 28 – 29, and then February 4-5, you can come eat world-class barbecue with Swamp Boys at 2 of the best events in the state.

The Lakeland Pigfest happens Friday, Jan. 28 from 5:00pm – 10:00pm, and again Saturday from 10:00am – 5:00pm. Parking is free and entry is $5, 12 and under are free. Buy Pig Bucks at the booth when you get there, then come find us. 20% of all of our sales will will go to help local charities.

Winter Haven’s Smoke on the Water is Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4 – 5. This is a major fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County, and 20% of our sales will be going back to the B&G Clubs. Admission on Friday is $10 and is more adult oriented with a party vibe. Saturday is for the family, with admission just $2 and kids 10 and under are free.

Insider tip for both events – come early. We cook all of our bbq fresh onsite, and we will run out before closing time. Also, we can package your food to-go, so you can enjoy it later. And check out this article from 3 years ago on How to Make the Most of a BBQ Contest as a Spectator.

 Posted by at 11:50 pm

How To Make the Most of a BBQ Contest as a Spectator

 Charity, Contests  3 Responses »
Jan 302019
 

Eat with Swamp Boys!

If you enjoy BBQ and you live in or near Central Florida, consider yourself blessed. There are a lot of Florida BBQ Association (FBA) and Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) contests throughout the year for you, and you can find out about them from the websites I’ve listed. If you’ve never been to one they can be a little hard to figure out. Let me try to help.

Parking can be a challenge, but don’t let it be. At Smoke on the Water this weekend in Winter Haven, they have free satellite parking. That is the way to go. A free shuttle service will be running back and forth all weekend. Look for the Satellite Parking signs on Havendale Boulevard. This is a great way to avoid the stress of finding a spot to park.

It is important to understand that the majority of contests are organized and put on by volunteers, and they are usually raising money for local charities. If you’re not sure and want to know, ask someone or check their website. If you’re asked to pay for parking or to pay to get in, know that it is likely benefiting a local charity. And helping those in need is a good thing. That said, the majority are free to enter.

Now you’re inside the gate, and the wonderful smells of hickory smoke, juicy pork and chicken, and succulent beef are filling the air. Your stomach rumbles and you’re ready to eat. The first thing you’ll want to do is buy some of the designated money/currency for the event. Since most are fundraisers, most make you pay for everything you buy in “_______ – Bucks”. The blank could be PIG, BBQ, or anything else. For now we’ll call them BBQ Bucks. Find the area where they are being sold and buy some. It is $1 for 1 BBQ Buck. Vendors are not allowed to take your cash money, they must take BBQ Bucks. The vendors turn in their BBQ Bucks at the end of the event and get paid $0.80 on the dollar. This is one way the charities make money from the event. BBQ Bucks are non-refundable so keep that in mind.

With your bucks in hand, it’s time to start sampling the foods now. Sometimes there are literally dozens and dozens of choices, like at Lakeland Pig Fest or Winter Haven’s Smoke on the Water. Sometimes there are only 5 or 6 choices. Know that some vendors will be much, much better than others. Pitmasters love to show off their accomplishments with trophies and/or banners on display. Unfortunately not all vendors are 100% honest with their advertising. Just because the signs are 75′ up in the air, doesn’t mean their food is great. So who do you go to? Ask around. Ask the other teams who aren’t selling their food where they would go eat, and who they would avoid. They know, and they will be honest with you. Life’s too short for bad BBQ. Educate yourself on where to spend your BBQ Bucks.

Besides great food, there may also be live music, craft vendors, car shows, cornhole tournaments, cooking demos, water ski shows, seaplane rides, auctions, 50/50 raffles, and who knows what else. BBQ contests usually offer All-American fun stuff to do and see. Make sure you get around to see everything. BBQ contests give the host towns a chance to shine and celebrate their community. 

If you have the time, stick around until 5pm Saturday and watch the BBQ awards show, usually at the main stage. For most teams, this is the reason they are at the contest. Teams can spend anywhere from $900 – $1500 and up to enter a single contest. Most are on-sight for a minimum of 24 hours and up to 60 hours. A contest is a major investment of time and money. The teams turn in chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket at predetermined times. Tables of certified judges score the entries in a double blind format, so they don’t know whose food they are judging. The highest scores for each category win money and trophies. The team with the highest total score of all categories among the teams wins Grand Champion (GC). The second highest score wins Reserve Grand Champion (RGC). Doing well in one category is nice, but being consistent in every category and winning GC is the ultimate. This usually qualifies you for the big national invitational contests and is quite an accomplishment. It’s a long standing tradition in the FBA that the winner buys pizza for everyone Saturday evening. The Saturday night get together is the best part of the weekend for a lot of the teams.

I hope this will help you enjoy the next BBQ contest you visit. The teams and certainly the organizers and charities are happy and thankful you’ve come out to help support the community. And the fact that we get to enjoy BBQ, America’s original cuisine, makes it awesome.

 Posted by at 8:29 pm

2017: Swamp Boys Year in Review

 Contests, General, Sponsors  No Responses »
Dec 212017
 


 

 

 

 

 

Swamp Boys bbq team had a very blessed year in 2017. The experiences I get to have with friends and family are truly unforgettable. I’m so thankful. I’m especially thankful for earning the Florida BBQ Association Team of the Year ’17. This marks my 3rd time winning it, in two different decades. Here’s my year by the numbers:

  • 28 contests in 5 states – FL, GA, AL, TN, and CA
  • FBA TOTY
  • 7 Grand Championships, 3 Reserve Grands
  • 19 Top 5 Overalls
  • 14 category 1st place calls
  • Vended as well as competed at 4 contests
  • Taught 3 Swamp Boys Q Schools

Final TOTY Standings. I was in 2nd place up until the final contest.

One of the things that won’t show up in the numbers that I’m really proud of was earning an invitation to every major invitational in the country. The American Royal, Sonny’s, The Jack, and the King of the Smoker. We were able to travel and compete in all but the American Royal.

Regarding KCBS I was able to compete in 5 contests. Out of over 2,200 teams in my division (5 or less contests) Swamp Boys placed 8th overall for the year, and we were the 2nd place rib team (Smithfield ribs baby!). I’m pretty happy with that considering 2 of those contests we were vending, which means I was cooking food for thousands of people, as well as the 6 judges.

Finally a big shout out to my amazing sponsors! Products from each of them are integral to my team, and I’m thankful for their support.

  • Deep South Smokers – simply the best quality and performance smokers. 100% usable interior space, the most even temp’d cooker I’ve ever used. Built by hand in the USA.
  • Big Poppa Smokers and Simply Marvelous aka West Coast Offense – some amazing rubs and injections from these 2. I use them every contest. So do the best teams in the country. Proud to be a West Coast Offense team!
  • Nature’s Own Hardwood Charcoal from Basques – Every time I cook. Clean and predictable sugar maple lump. Nothing else. Why would you cook on anything other than all wood?
  • Grizzly Coolers – I’m proud to be an ambassador for the best coolers on the market. Made in the USA. Lifetime Warranty. Try to top that.
  • The BBQ Guru – Hands down the best thermostat/draft system for smokers anywhere. I’ve been using them since they started back in the early 2000s. Makes minding your pit incredibly easy and produces consistent results.
  • Butcher BBQ – David Bouska has lived and breathed meat and BBQ most of his life and his products reflect that. He’s used his knowledge to produce some amazing injections, rubs, sauces and oils. I use his products every contest and am proud to be a Pro Staff team.
  • Smithfield – The best ribs and pork I can put my hands on. They just win. And they are super easy to find locally! Check your WalMart and Sam’s Clubs, they should carry Smithfield products.
  • Mac’s Meats and Produce – My favorite meat place ever! Family owned and operated, quality customer service and prices. Tell them I sent you.
 Posted by at 1:27 pm
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