You've spoken in Round 1 of our Best Barbecue Bracket. Elite 8 voting is officially open

JaNae Williams, The Oklahoman
Updated ·4 min read
Who has the best BBQ in Oklahoma?
Who has the best BBQ in Oklahoma?

It's round two of our Oklahoma's Best Barbecue Bracket and the competition is heating up faster than a pellet smoker.

We're down to eight restaurants and just three rounds of voting remain. You've narrowed the field and the Elite 8 is now in your hands to decide. The remaining pitmasters on the list are still representative of the entire state stretching from Idabel to Oklahoma City.

Don't forget that many of the pitmasters in this bracket will compete in an upcoming Barbecue Brawl on Oct. 14. Tickets for the event are on sale now and participating pitmasters will put their brisket, ribs, sausage and turkey up for judging.

With eight restaurants remaining, it's still a heavy hitting field so, choose your favorite go-to for 'cue, a restaurant you've recently discovered or pick one at random, just like many do when they fill out their March Madness basketball brackets.

Whatever your method, make sure you make your choices known and cast your vote!

But remember that this bracket is just for fun, there's nothing at stake but a fun competition. So, there's no need for using bots or computers for overloading and casting additional votes for a particular restaurant, our system shows us when this happens and it's not necessary.

A sampling of food offered at The Butcher BBQ Stand in Wellston: Apple pie beans, smoked sausage jalapeno-cheese hot link, pulled pork, potato salad, ribs, chicken, burnt ends, turkey, pickles and onions, Twinkies and brisket.
A sampling of food offered at The Butcher BBQ Stand in Wellston: Apple pie beans, smoked sausage jalapeno-cheese hot link, pulled pork, potato salad, ribs, chicken, burnt ends, turkey, pickles and onions, Twinkies and brisket.

Elite 8 voting guide

  • Voting started at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17.

  • Final 4 voting will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 19, featuring winners from the previous round.

Who has the best barbecue in Oklahoma? Round Two bracket
Who has the best barbecue in Oklahoma? Round Two bracket

Remaining Oklahoma's Best Barbecue Bracket dates

  • Elite 8: Sept. 12-17.

  • Final Four: Sept. 19-24.

  • THE FINALS: Sept. 26 - Oct. 1.

  • Winner announced Oct. 3.

Keep reading below to learn more about those remaining in our bracket.

Smoked ribs and pulled pork from Edge Craft Barbecue in downtown Oklahoma City.
Smoked ribs and pulled pork from Edge Craft Barbecue in downtown Oklahoma City.

The Rub Truck vs Burn Co. Barbecue

The Rub Truck: These days you'll primarily find Joel Bein of The Rub Truck catering events through his secondary venture The Meat and Cheese Show, where you'll find him bringing his particular brand of flavors to things like brisket barbacoa tacos among other items. You can visit the store and check online for opportunities to order from Bein. 1306 E 11th St., Suite H, Tulsa; 918-764-8881, themeatandcheeseshow.com/

Burn Co. Barbecue: At Burn Co. you'll find the meats you've come to expect at barbecue joints, plus a signature roll of meat called a fatty, that is smoked, sliced and placed on a cheeseburger. 500 Riverwalk Terrace Suite #135, Jenks; 918-528-6816, Website

Phat Tabb's vs Bedlam BBQ

Phat Tabb's: Tabb Singleton has appeared on and won several Food Network competitions and believes in using big flavors with his "Okie -Tex" barbecue. Trying new things isn't out of the ordinary on a day-to-day basis for Singleton, who recently made the trip up from Idabel to showcase a bulgogi beef bologna and a Hawaiian Shoyu pork belly at Chefs Fest at Super Cao Nguyen. Phat Tabb's is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, if you're willing to take a bit of a drive for your barbecue. 1110 South Central, Idabel; 580-376-1088, phattabbsbbq.com/

Bedlam BBQ: Opened in 2003, Bedlam BBQ utilizes traditional curing and dry-rub applications in the preparation and smoking of their meats. Using family recipes held to original standards, through multiple generations, the spot now brings a lineup including ribs, chicken, brisket, various sausages, turkey, pulled pork and more. 610 NE 50 St., Oklahoma City; 405-528-7427 bedlambarbq.com/

Leo's Barbecue vs Van's Pig Stands

Leo's Barbecue: Pitmaster Charles Smith moved his operation to the east-side Homeland location when it opened in 2021 and has been serving up the ribs, brisket and pulled pork Leo's has been known for since his father started the spot back in 1974. Don't miss the hot barbecue sauce for an added kick of flavor. 625 NE 36 St., Oklahoma City

Van's Pig Stands: Van’s Pig Stands hold the title as Oklahoma’s oldest barbeque restaurant continuously owned and operated by the same family. The location on Highland in Shawnee is regarded as the "original" and there are four additional locations throughout the state. 717 E Highland St., Shawnee; 405-703-3000, pigstands.com

Edge Craft Barbecue vs The Butcher BBQ Stand

Edge Craft Barbecue: Pitmaster Zach Edge learned to make the central Texas-style barbecue he serves up through watching his grandfather cook for family functions growing up. Now he uses the tested-and-true combination of oak, smoke and fire in Oklahoma City. 1920 Linwood Blvd., Oklahoma City; 405-768-2970, edgecraftbbq.com/

The Butcher BBQ Stand: Levi Bouska prides himself on embracing all of the flavors available for barbecue. The restaurant opened in 2015, with Bouska using skills learned from a world-championship bloodline handed down from his father and grandfather. Now he serves up his distinct brand of Oklahoma barbecue on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays utilizing flavors he calls "a little bit of everybody in a big bowl." 3402 W State Highway 66, Wellston; 405-703-3000, butcherbbqstand.com/

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who has the best barbecue in Oklahoma? Vote in the Elite 8 polls here