Pitmasters

The final two teams compete head-to-head preparing a five-course barbecue tasting menu. Judges Andrew Zimmern, Ernest Servantes, Jess Pryles and Moe Cason decide who will walk away with $30,000 and the title of Pitmasters Champion.

The three remaining teams transform a whole hog into a cohesive, competition-worthy meal to earn $8,000 and a spot in the finale. Plus, the judges want a different meal for lunch, and they're willing to pay for it with another $4,000 up for grabs.

With four teams left in the competition, judges Andrew Zimmern, Ernest Servantes, Jess Pryles, and Moe Cason are looking for a classic backyard barbecue potluck with a live-fire main course and two sides that don't disappoint. But the catch is that the pitmasters only have three hours to pull it off! The teams are fighting for a spot in the semifinals, and for the first time the Big Burn comes with a $5,000 prize.

In the ultimate live-fire endurance challenge, the teams face four barbecue pillars: chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder and beef brisket. Exhaustion is taking its toll, but the teams who can dig deep have a chance to win $1,000 for each round.

The six remaining teams face off in a nose-to-tail barbecue battle, transforming either a hog, goat, or lamb into two main dishes and two sides; with $2,000 on the line, they must use the remaining parts of their animal to make sausage.

The teams are faced with a meatless challenge, and the winner has a big choice to make

The teams create a BBQ platter that defines their culinary point of view.

Hosts and judges Andrew Zimmern, Ernest Servantes, Jess Pryles, and Moe Cason kick off the competition by giving the teams nine hours to create a family-style barbecue platter that defines their barbecue style and culinary point of view.