Clucking Amazing
Bad Bears BBQ turns melted butter, borrowed smokers into gold at The Jack
3:55 p.m. Oct. 13, 2025
The journey to The Jack for Ryan Viernes and his sister, Jackie, began months earlier in Oregon at the Sutherlin Throwdown.
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
When Ryan Viernes and his Bad Bears BBQ team boarded a red-eye out of Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 9, they weren’t just flying 2,000 miles to compete – they were chasing a dream. After years of backyard barbecues, local contests, and near-misses, the team found itself in the big leagues: the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational BBQ in Lynchburg.
And they didn’t just show up – they smoked the competition.
Bad Bears BBQ claimed first place in Chicken with a perfect 180 score, edging out eventual Grand Champion Kings BBQ Team by a scant 0.56 points.
“This is absolutely bigger than Oregon,” Viernes said afterward, still reeling from the announcement. “The Jack is very coveted and on the bucket list of a barbecue competitor. To hear my name called – let alone first place in a category – means the whole world to me.
“Even getting one call at this contest, let alone landing in the top 10 overall, is unbelievable. I’m still not sure if it’s all real or not!”
Their trip didn’t start smoothly. Viernes, his sister Jackie, mentor Donna Fong, Fong’s partner Paul Wenger, and Viernes’ girlfriend Claire Trias boarded a late flight out of Oakland that connected through Las Vegas before touching down in Nashville at 5 a.m.
“I was falling asleep on the road,” Viernes said with a laugh. “Luckily, we made it, because these two [Jackie and Claire] were passed out in the rental car. It was our first time in the South – and the plane was horrible, hot and humid – but we made it safely.
“And Southern hospitality is not an exaggeration. Everyone has been so nice to us, and the food has been amazing.”
Their first meal in Tennessee? Marvin’s in Fayetteville. “We tried something called ‘butter roll’ for the very first time – it blew our socks off,” Viernes said. “It’s just dough and butter, but man, it’s magic.”
Viernes’ journey to The Jack began months earlier in Oregon – the Sutherlin Throwdown, a high-stakes, two-day barbecue contest with a $25,000 payout each day.
“It is only my third year as a professional competitor,” he recalled. “It was a who’s who – teams like Gettin’ Basted, Rio Valley Meat and Chicken Fried BBQ were there. When I heard my name called over and over, I thought, ‘No way!’ Then, when they announced the Grand Champion – Bad Bears BBQ – I couldn’t believe it. We’d just earned a draw for The Jack.”
Viernes admits he didn’t always expect chicken to be his strong suit. “The weird thing about competition barbecue,” he said, “is the category you love the most ends up being the one that scores the lowest. For me, I loved my ribs – and they tanked. But my chicken, which I thought was just OK, scored a perfect 180. There’s no way to explain it.”
This year, he leaned into that success. “It’s got to be the chicken,” he said before turn-ins. “People keep telling me, do what got you here. So that’s what I’m doing.”
And yes – he has a secret.
“When it’s done, I take an injector, pull up some melted butter mixed with my marinade, and inject it right into the cooked chicken,” Viernes said. “If the judges are from the South, they’re gonna love butter.”
Traveling across the country meant Viernes couldn’t bring his own smokers. So he did what barbecue folks do best – he asked for help.
“I put out a distress signal on Facebook,” he said. “Within hours, people stepped up.”
Jerry Miller from Delaware’s Piggy & Swine BBQ lent equipment, Ryan King from Kings BBQ Team in Florida brought a food warmer and canopy, and Jeff McCreary from North Carolina supplied tables and chairs.
“It’s a blessing,” Viernes said. “To be able to show up and have people you’ve never met lend a hand – that’s what this community’s all about.”
Viernes’s sister Jackie, who’s been with him since his first amateur contest, plays a vital role on the team.
“I drive, I taste, I cheer,” she said. “[Ryan] trusts me to tell him if it needs more sugar or salt. I want to learn how to cook, but it’s his thing – if I tried, it wouldn’t taste the same.”
Their first contest together was in 2022. “We won second place that day,” Viernes said. “[Jackie] was crying and cheering like we’d won The Jack.”
As the smoke settled over Lynchburg, Bad Bears BBQ had made its mark – not just for their perfect chicken and seventh-place overall finish, but for embodying the spirit of the competition itself: humble roots, hard work, and heart.
“I want people to see that I belong here,” Viernes said. “It takes a lot to get to The Jack. There are plenty of teams more experienced than me who didn’t get this chance. So I’m taking it all in – and giving it everything I’ve got.”
Bad Bears BBQ is featured in the Oct. 15 issue of the Observer. Picks up a copy at Real Deal Designs, Woodards Market & Deli, Prince's Parlor, Lynchburg Gifts & More, Dixie Outfitters, Jiffy Mart, or Lullette's.
Keeping it Simple: The Secret
to Competition-Ready Flavor
When it comes to barbecue rubs, Bad Bears BBQ pitmaster Ryan Viernes says less is more.
“There’s not really a California flavor profile,” he explained. “Most people in competition barbecue go for something sweet with a little heat. You’ve got to make something anybody would like.”
Viernes said the key is balance – and predictability. “You don’t know who’s judging you. It could be six random people from anywhere. So you can’t go too exotic – no chipotle peppers or soy sauce – just something that tastes really good to everyone.”
While backyard cooks often experiment with homemade blends, Viernes said competition barbecue is all about consistency. “Most teams use pre-purchased rubs – not because it’s cheating, but because it’s consistent. Same brand, same rub every time. That way, nothing gets thrown off.”
His go-to? A rub from his sponsor, Man Meat BBQ Rub, based in Kansas. “My favorite is the Southern Style Honey Pecan Rub,” he said. “It’s simple, it’s sweet, and works every time.”
