Ask anyone at Smokey D’s BBQ what separates good barbecue from championship BBQ, and you’ll hear the same word every time: consistency. It’s the secret behind our success on the competition BBQ circuit — and it’s the exact same reason your brisket, ribs, and pulled pork taste just as incredible on a random Tuesday as they do on championship Saturday.
It All Started on the Competition BBQ Circuit
Smokey D’s BBQ was founded in 2006 by Darren and Sherry Warth, and we didn’t start with a dining room — we started with a smoker, a trailer, and a passion for competition barbecue. Our success on the BBQ circuit is what grew Smokey D’s into the restaurant and catering operation it is today. Every rack of competition ribs and every smoked brisket we ever turned in to a judge taught us the same lesson that now defines us as Central Iowa’s home for Championship BBQ.
Consistency Is the Secret Ingredient
In competition BBQ, you don’t win by cooking one perfect rib once. You win by turning in the same perfect rib, box after box, contest after contest, weekend after weekend. As we say ourselves: our success has centered around consistency — turning in the same quality product week after week. Judges reward the teams that can repeat greatness on demand, under pressure, no excuses.
That discipline — precise temperatures, tested rubs and sauces, timing down to the minute, and tasting everything before it leaves the pit — is exactly what you want from the restaurant feeding your family or catering your event.
Our 2026 American Royal Finish: Legends of the American Royal BBQ
The American Royal World Series of Barbecue in Kansas City is one of the largest and most prestigious barbecue competitions in the world — and this year Smokey D’s put that consistency on full display. In the American Royal Invitational, we finished 11th Overall out of 158 of the best teams in the country — including 8th in Ribs and 12th in Brisket. And in the Open contest, we were honored with the Legends of the American Royal BBQ trophy — awarded to the highest-scoring team among all teams that have cooked the Royal for more than 20 years. Two decades of showing up and turning in championship-caliber barbecue, year after year — that’s exactly the kind of consistency this whole story is about.
From the Contest Table to Your Table
Here’s what competition barbecue means for you: the same award-winning BBQ process we use to chase trophies is the process behind every order of smoked meats in Des Moines. The pulled pork, smoked brisket, St. Louis-style ribs, smoked turkey, and burnt ends you get from Smokey D’s aren’t reheated shortcuts — they’re cooked low and slow with the same championship consistency, whether it’s a single plate at our 2nd Avenue or Skywalk location or a full-scale BBQ catering spread for 500 guests.
- Competition-grade quality — the same recipes, rubs, and technique that win on the circuit
- Consistency every day — your favorite order tastes the same every single visit
- Award-winning BBQ catering in Des Moines — weddings, corporate events, graduations, and parties
Taste the Championship BBQ for Yourself
You don’t have to be a contest judge to taste the difference consistency makes. Whether you’re craving the best BBQ in Des Moines for lunch or planning your next big event, Smokey D’s brings the same championship standard to every plate. Order online or book your BBQ catering today — and taste why Central Iowa trusts Smokey D’s for award-winning barbecue.
