Bill Souza is happy to tell you the key ingredient that helped him and his family – also known as Big B’s Down ’n Dirty BBQ – win the 11th Brentwood BBQ King Cook-off contest on Sunday, and you can’t buy it at any store.

“It’s all in the love you put into it,” Bill said as he, wife Yvonne and son Eddie basked in the glory at Harvest Park Bowling Center. “All the other stuff is extra.”

A record 22 cooks helped raise about $4,000 in this year’s fundraiser for the Brentwood Police Activities League (PAL) and the East Contra Costa Historical Society. It was a particularly good day for PAL: in addition to the fundraiser, the group was notified it had won a $15,000 mentoring grant from the national PAL organization, plus $6,000 in annual sponsorships, including $5,000 from event host Harvest Park.

“The great thing is that every penny goes right back to Brentwood in meaningful ways,” said PAL President Jeff Altman.

Other winners in the event included:

CHILI

First place: Hog Island Pit Masters, John Hendrickson

Second place: Rick’s Righteous Ribs, Rick Gilbert

Third place: Jeannine Freitas

CHICKEN

First place: Bowling Over Pigs, Chuck and Cindy Collendrez

Second place: Son of Smoke BBQ, Derrick and Zack Galiste

Third place: Big B’s Down ’n Dirty BBQ, Bill and Yvonne Souza

RIBS

First place: Bad S BBQ, Ryan Pang

Second place: Big B’s Down ’n Dirty BBQ, Bill and Yvonne Souza

Third place: Son of Smoke BBQ, Derrick and Zack Galiste

TRI-TIP

First place: Ricks Righteous Ribs, Rick Gilbert

Second place: Good Old Boys Cooking Team, Dan Pachecco and Brett Swisher

Third place: Blazers BBQ, George Muggee

Third place: Bowling Over Pigs, Chuck and Cindy Collendrez

OVERALL

First place: Big B’s Down ’n Dirty BBQ, Bill and Yvonne Souza

Second place: Bad S BBQ, Ryan Pang

Third place: Son of Smoke BBQ, Derrick and Zack Galiste

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Finger Lickin’ BBQ, Justin Altman

DESSERT:

Fatty Atty’s BBQ, Jennifer Missakian