Why BBQ Fans love the show Bama-Q

Bama-Q is a reality tv show I recently discovered on Amazon Prime Video. It’s a 30-minute TV show that follows members of the Alabama Barbecue Association (Pro and Backyard Divisions) as they compete against the best of the best BBQ teams from all over the US. The series is packed with fun times among good friends that each have a fiercely competitive nature with a desire to win their next Grand Championship.

Bama-Q

Why do I enjoy watching Bama-Q?

If you’re a regular reader of ThatHelfpulDad or the LordoftheGrills sites, then you know my friends and I love grilling out together. I’ve published countless articles about the best bbq cookbooks, cooking tips for kamado grills, all about Traeger grills, and more.

Bama-Q Fun to Watch

Bama-Q is a fun show to watch. The episodes are quick and I really enjoy getting to know the people and personalities that make up the various teams competing for BBQ prizes. I had no idea how many BBQ events took place around the country and it brings a smile to your face to see down-home Americana again (it sure makes you miss the good ol’ days before The Covid threatened changed our world)

Bama-Q is filled with TIPS

In addition to the reality show aspect of the BBQ competition, what I like most about Bama-Q is actually the fact that the show is filled with TONS of little tips that can make any BBQ pitmaster better – especially for self-proclaimed neighborhood grill champs like me. Hey I’m always looking for some secret tips I can use against my buddies and I’ve got a few new tricks up my sleeve that I can’t wait to try on my friends.

Bama-Q features Pro teams AND Backyard Teams

Another thing I like about Bama-Q is that it doesn’t focus exclusively on ‘pro’ teams. The show also features the cooks from numerous backyard (i.e. non-professional) teams too. This is important to me because I doubt I’ll ever compete as a BBQ pro, but who knows, maybe one day I might want to try my hand at a BBQ competition and seeing other Backyardigans like me out there gives me some inspiration.

I enjoy getting to know the personalities

There are so many great teams that are featured on Bama-Q including the formidable forces of the Smokin’ Butt Crew, Smoke Me Silly (seems like they ALWAYS win!), BootyQue (what this guy does with pork is incredible), Southpork, and The Georgia Pit Crew (featuring Tina Cotton who also won the Netflix American BBQ Showdown Challenge).

That said, my favs from the show (so far) are Chester Lewis of The Specialists and Tony Mancuso of Bush League BBQ.

Chester Lewis – The Specialists
Tony Mancuso – Bush League BBQ

To be clear, I like all the teams on the show, I’m just highlighting Chester because this guy is like Mr. Team Spirit for Alabama BBQ (he’s always upbeat and positive in cheering on his friends) and Tony because he seems the most like a a down-home kinda guy – we’ll call him Mr. Everyman – he’s self-deprecating and honest about his cooks and I get lots of tips from watching him.

Special shout-out to the Bama-Q host Lisa Blackwell show does a great job of keeping it all together – seamlessly orchestrating the madness of the BBQ competitions and making it all look easy. And kudo’s to executive producer Michael Smith for coming up with the idea for the show!

I like seeing what grills and equipment the pros use.

Another thing I enjoy from the show is seeing the wide variety of grills and smokers the pro’s use to cook. Sure lots of them are high-end custom smokers that are way out of the price range for BBQ wannabes like me, but it was great to see that the pro’s also use lots of smokers that common folk like me use too, including Kamado-style grills like The Big Green Egg, Monolith, (I’m a Kamado Joe guy myself), Grilla Grills, and a wide variety of other units.

I also watch to see what charcoal (I use Western already and am looking to try B&B Charcoal soon), temperature probes (the Thermapen is incredible), heat-control units (I want a Flame Boss!), knives (I haven’t used these yet) and cooking utensils. I also enjoying seeing what rubs & sauces they buy vs make on their own. And who knew Parkay Spray Butter was so important to competition BBQ?!?

I’ve upped my own BBQ game by purchasing some of these and I haven’t been disappointed yet.

The 7:07

The final thing I love about Bama-Q is the 7:07 Toast – this is a group toast with Bud Light that the teams go at 7:07am on the morning of the competition. I could be wrong, but I believe it was started by the Southpork Team (as shown in Season 1 Episode 1).

Who doesn’t like drinking a beer at 7 in the morning? That sounds like a great day of BBQ to me!

Check it out…

7:07 Toast

Get a taste for Bama-Q

Here’s the first episode of Bama-Q…

Bama-Q Season ONE, Show ONE

Where can you watch Bama-Q?

Here are links to watch Bama-Q on…

Bama-Q Season TWO
Bama-Q Season THREE

What to Read Next

If you enjoyed this article, check out our grilling website for more BBQ tips and product reviews…

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