Secrets of Championship BBQ: Learn from Grand Champion Ryan King
Master Competition-Grade BBQ in Jacksonville, Florida — Feb 6th & 7th, 2026
If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your backyard smoker into a competition-ready cooking station, this is your chance. Join Grand Champion Ryan King, the 2025 Jack Daniels World BBQ Champion, for hands-on BBQ classes in Jacksonville, Florida. These immersive two-day sessions are designed for anyone serious about mastering competition-grade techniques—from complete beginners to seasoned pitmasters.
Across this intensive weekend, you’ll learn the exact systems Ryan uses to win championships, including meat selection, trimming, injections, brines, sauce building, rub selection, and KCBS-approved box building. Whether you struggle with brisket, poultry, consistency, or presentation, these classes deliver repeatable methods for producing top-scoring BBQ every time.
Why Take a Competition BBQ Class?
Barbecue is both an art and a science, and competition cooking requires precise execution. Many home cooks struggle with consistency—one cook turns out great, the next one falls flat. Learning directly from a Grand Champion removes the guesswork.
By attending Ryan King’s classes, you gain:
- Hands-on experience cooking competition-grade meats
- Small-group, personalized instruction
- Proven techniques for consistency, flavor layering, and precise temperature control
- Direct insight from KCBS Master Judges
- A structured, step-by-step system you can replicate at home or in competition
These are not passive demonstration classes—you will be actively engaged throughout the entire process.
Class Curriculum: Skills You’ll Master
Ryan King’s curriculum covers every major category in professional competition BBQ, with a strong focus on hands-on learning.
Core Class Subjects
- Ribs
- Chicken Thighs
- Turkey Breast
- Wings
- Pork
- Wagyu Gold Brisket
- Prime Brisket
- Meat Trimming
- Box Building
- Recipe & Timeline Book
- Meat Selection
- Injections
- Brines
- Sauce Building
- Rub Selection
Course Breakdown
Ribs, Chicken Thighs & Wings
Learn expert trimming, brining, seasoning timing, smoke management, and finishing touches for juicy poultry and perfectly tender pork ribs. Ryan demonstrates rack-by-rack smoke control and precise flavor layering.
Pork, Wagyu Gold Brisket & Prime Brisket
Dive deep into brisket and pork mastery—from selecting the right grade to trimming, injecting, managing the stall, and slicing for maximum tenderness and visual appeal.
Meat Trimming & Box Building
Competition BBQ is judged with both the eyes and palate. You’ll learn proper trimming for uniformity and box building that meets KCBS standards using strategic placement, angles, and garnish management.
Recipe & Timeline Book
Students receive structured guides for multi-meat cooks. Learn to schedule your cook so every protein hits ideal doneness at exactly the right time.
Meat Selection, Injections & Brines
Understand how to choose high-quality cuts, apply injections to enhance moisture and flavor, and use brines that complement different proteins.
Sauce Building & Rub Selection
Learn how to craft your own sauces from scratch and how to select winning rubs. Ryan teaches you how to layer flavors for balanced, judge-ready bites.
Hands-On Training Highlights
Students rotate through multiple stations, learning to:
- Master temperature and fire management
- Produce tender, juicy meats with perfect tenderness
- Build sauces and select rubs strategically
- Apply injections and brines with precision
- Build KCBS-style turn-in boxes
- Diagnose and fix common mistakes
All meals are included—breakfast, dinner, and unlimited BBQ throughout the class—so you can taste the flavors and techniques you’re learning in real time.
What You’ll Learn: Key Competition BBQ Skills
1. Temperature Mastery
- Maintain consistent pit temps
- Charcoal selection
- Hot and Fast cooking on a Gateway Drum
2. Flavor Architecture
- Layer rubs, sauces, and injections strategically
- Adapt flavors for each protein
- Master the sequence of flavors in every bite
3. Bark & Texture
- Build perfect bark
- Avoid over-smoking
- Learn what championship tenderness feels like
4. Presentation & Box Prep
- Learn how to build boxes that will wow judges
- KCBS, FBA and MBN box building discussions
- Understand what judges look for
5. Time Management
- Cook timeline provided
- Review when to trim meat, make sauce, injections and brines
- How to rest each protein
Why Learn From Ryan King?
Ryan King is a World Champion and you get to learn directly from him. His expertise includes:
- Brisket, Pork, Ribs, Chicken and Turkey
- Learn how to win it “On the Board”
- Learn why “ tenderness “ is more important than flavor
- KCBS-style scoring insights from KCBS Master Judges
- Take your cook game to the next level
Small class sizes ensure personalized attention, making this a best-in-class experience for pitmasters at every level.
Class Offerings — Feb 6th & 7th, 2026 (Jacksonville, FL)
Brisket, Pork, Ribs, Chicken, Chicken Wings and Turkey Masterclass
Selection, trimming, injections, brine, seasoning, smoking, tenderness achievement, sauce setting and box building
Competition Judging
Watch as 2 Master Judges critique each box built by Ryan
BBQ Sauce & Rub Workshop
Flavor building, sauce layering, blending techniques, and application strategies.
Meals Included
- Breakfast & dinner
- BBQ throughout the classes
- Tasting sessions for rubs, sauces, and meats
- Swag bag!
Pricing & Registration
- $699 — Individual Student
- $499 — Teammate / Spouse Add-On
Register through the official Kings BBQ website.
Who Should Attend?
These classes are ideal for:
- Backyard BBQ enthusiasts leveling up
- Aspiring competition pitmasters
- Culinary hobbyists
- KCBS / FBA teams preparing for competition
Whether you’re cooking for friends or judges, Ryan’s methods give you consistent, championship-level results.
The Kings BBQ Difference
This isn’t just a BBQ class—it’s a complete competition playbook. You’ll leave with:
- Confidence in large cuts
- Deep understanding of rubs, sauces & flavor layers
- Mastery of timing, temperature & tenderness
- Insider strategies used by award-winning teams
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to produce competition-quality BBQ every time.
Secure Your Spot
Spaces are extremely limited to ensure one-on-one coaching.
Join us in Jacksonville, Florida — Feb 6th & 7th, 2026 and elevate your BBQ game forever.