PIG APPROVED BBQ

PIG APPROVED BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 32 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2017. Their best overall finish is 12th of 47 at the Up in Smoke BBQ Bash (2016). They are ranked #5536 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,536

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1450

peak 1450 · rated over 32 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 17, 2013

latest Sep 15, 2017 · 4.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#624

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 32 contests

Avg finish

top 71%

overall standings

Best overall

682.2172 / 720

Master · Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

Perfect 180s

Current form

652.95 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 636.48 (+16.47)

Walk rate

38%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7144

Chicken · SMSU Smokefest

Consistency

±24.54

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 164.45 · weakest Pork Ribs (154.57)

Road miles

2,757

across 32 mapped stops · furthest 256 mi

Schedule strength

41%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1554)

Master avg

636.48 / 720

32 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

High-water mark

682.2172 career-best overall

94.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 682.2172 at Up in Smoke BBQ Bash — 94.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jul 22, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

KNUCKLEHEADS BAR AND GRILL BBQ has finished one call ahead of PIG APPROVED BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 46%.

6 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 46%

A tough matchup

27–0 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 100% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 27 of their 27 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.9 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.88 points below their pork, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 22%.

Pork Ribs avg 154.57
Pork avg 164.45
0 calls in 32 entries

A strong matchup

9–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 82% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of LUCKY BRISKET in 9 of their 11 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

18 of 27 shared pork entries lost

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has out-cooked them in 18 of 27 shared pork entries.

Show 1 more storyline

An August team

Top 57% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 57% across 6 contests, versus top 71% the rest of the year.

6 August contests
top 71% the rest of the year

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2017 ↗	Master	#929 (375 pts)	#824 (475 pts)	#1001 (370 pts)	#710 (585 pts)	#890 (425 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#682 (560 pts)	#601 (675 pts)	#907 (420 pts)	#738 (535 pts)	#667 (595 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#760 (456 pts)	#668 (571 pts)	#805 (451 pts)	#523 (741 pts)	#786 (466 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#624 (596 pts)	#665 (576 pts)	#652 (586 pts)	#312 (1,116 pts)	#651 (571 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#728 (428 pts)	#585 (558 pts)	#748 (443 pts)	#625 (528 pts)	#756 (428 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to PIG APPROVED BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

115 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

ROOT RIVER BOTTOM SMOKER

#5,526 of the rated field

1450 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1450

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to PIG APPROVED BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team PIG APPROVED BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Aug 16, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Bare Bones BBQ Team

#5,541 of the rated field

1450 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 3%
Peak: 1500

They've been 1500 at their best, 50 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 31 contests
last seen Oct 30, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

LITTLE BOB'S BBQ

#5,524 of the rated field

1450 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1505

Careers of much the same size, 27 contests to 32, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Jul 21, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

OWLS NEST BBQ

#5,545 of the rated field

1450 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1450

22 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 5% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 22 contests
last seen May 11, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

HAMOUFLAGE

#5,562 of the rated field

1450 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1450

Level with PIG APPROVED BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Aug 9, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

PLUM CRAZY BBQ

#5,523 of the rated field

1450 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1450

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 19 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Jul 30, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	27	0	27	0%	⚔ compare
Hogline	23	1	22	4%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	21	1	20	5%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	20	0	20	0%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	19	4	15	21%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
CASE OF RIBS	18	5	13	28%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	18	1	17	6%	⚔ compare
LUCKY'S Q	17	0	17	0%	⚔ compare
BIG CITY BBQ	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
NECTAR OF THE HOGS	16	5	11	31%	⚔ compare
MYASSIS SMOKIN	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
QUETOPIA	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
Subtle Smoke	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	32	5	0	177.7144	135.9656	161.68	top 63%
Pork Ribs	32	0	0	168.5372	125.1426	154.57	top 74%
Pork	32	7	4	174.8456	151.9996	164.45	top 49%
Brisket	32	2	0	174.8572	134.8344	155.77	top 69%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 81%
Medium (20–39)	11	top 70%
Large (40+)	20	top 71%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MN	28	top 71%
WI	3	top 86%
IA	1	top 26%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin In Steele	4	31	top 82%	Jun 2, 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	3	22	top 89%	Jul 24, 2015
Minnesota in May	2	19	top 51%	May 13, 2016
Med City BBQ & Musicfest	2	20	top 61%	Aug 8, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 8 contests

Contests a season 6.4 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 28 of 32 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 25 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 448 finished ahead 419 times, behind 1,002

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20171 milestone

Sep 15 Most recent contest KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off

20163 milestones

Jun 11 25th tracked contest Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard)
Jul 22 Career-best overall score682.2172 Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
Aug 19 Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7144 SMSU Smokefest

20142 milestones

Jun 27 10th tracked contest Bend of the River CookOut
Aug 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.9768 Big Island BBQ

20133 milestones

May 17 First tracked contest Minnesota in May
May 17 Peak power rating (1485) Minnesota in May
Jul 12 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.1	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Jul 22, 2016
+13	Minnesota in May	May 13, 2016
+12.5	Mankato Cookout Day 1 and (BACKYARD)	Jun 9, 2017
+9.9	SMSU Smokefest	Aug 19, 2016
+6.1	Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard)	Jun 11, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.9	Minnesota in May	May 17, 2013
-13.5	Smokin' in Steele	May 31, 2013
-11.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Jul 12, 2013
-10.7	Smokin in Steele	May 30, 2014
-10.5	Bend of the River CookOut	Jun 27, 2014

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2017	5	40%	top 67%	93.1%	90.7%
2016	6	67%	top 46%	94.8%	92.4%
2015	7	43%	top 77%	90.9%	87.2%
2014	8	25%	top 78%	91.1%	86.9%
2013	6	17%	top 84%	89%	85.9%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 15, 2017	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	24 / 27 (644.4228)	14 (169.1200)	25 (156.5144)	19 (161.0856)	21 (157.7028)
Jul 21, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Eagan, MN	25 / 30 (637.6000)	25 (162.8000)	29 (151.3828)	14 (165.1200)	22 (158.2972)
Jun 10, 2017	Mankato Cookout Day 2 Mankato, MN	20 / 33 (670.2516)	29 (161.1088)	23 (164.5716)	3 (174.8456)	14 (169.7256)
Jun 9, 2017	Mankato Cookout Day 1 and (BACKYARD) Mankato, MN	13 / 35 (669.7260)	19 (168.0344)	16 (166.8344)	17 (167.4172)	15 (167.4400)
Jun 2, 2017	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	31 / 46 (642.7320)	7 (173.7144)	19 (165.7144)	37 (159.9544)	43 (143.3488)
Aug 19, 2016	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	14 / 37 (666.2288)	4 (177.7144)	20 (164.5716)	22 (164)	22 (159.9428)
Jul 22, 2016	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	12 / 47 (682.2172)	24 (169.1084)	22 (168.5372)	17 (169.7144)	5 (174.8572)
Jun 11, 2016	Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard) Mankato, MN	18 / 32 (666.2512)	7 (173.7028)	21 (164.6172)	6 (172.5484)	28 (155.3828)
Jun 10, 2016	Mankato Cookout Day 1 Mankato, MN	21 / 33 (664.6060)	15 (170.8572)	26 (164.5944)	30 (158.8688)	10 (170.2856)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	35 / 53 (645.0172)	23 (165.7028)	41 (155.9544)	24 (163.9428)	31 (159.4172)
May 13, 2016	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	19 / 71 (666.7884)	31 (165.1200)	24 (167.4172)	24 (166.2856)	20 (167.9656)
Aug 7, 2015	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	29 / 47 (642.8228)	34 (159.4172)	28 (159.9656)	27 (160.5828)	22 (162.8572)
Jul 24, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	30 / 30 (594.7428)	20 (163.4172)	30 (135.9544)	23 (156.5484)	30 (138.8228)
Jul 10, 2015	Smoke on the Waterfall Redwood Falls, MN	13 / 16 (626.2744)	4 (173.7028)	14 (146.2744)	12 (158.9144)	14 (147.3828)
May 29, 2015	Smokin' in Steel Owatonna, MN	45 / 60 (638.7084)	51 (156.5372)	28 (164.5484)	31 (163.9656)	46 (153.6572)
May 15, 2015	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	32 / 60 (654.2972)	41 (159.9656)	26 (164.5716)	3 (173.2000)	47 (156.5600)
May 2, 2015	The Masters In May - The Classic Appleton, WI	35 / 47 (634.7540)	29 (159.3600)	46 (147.4172)	8 (166.8684)	27 (161.1084)
May 1, 2015	The Masters In May Appleton, WI	52 / 57 (603.9540)	52 (148.5484)	49 (148.5600)	37 (158.2856)	48 (148.5600)
Sep 12, 2014	King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	28 / 36 (631.4628)	26 (159.4056)	27 (154.2856)	18 (166.3316)	30 (151.4400)
Aug 22, 2014	Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	31 / 54 (655.9768)	31 (167.3828)	44 (160.5940)	16 (169.1428)	33 (158.8572)
Aug 8, 2014	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	20 / 40 (646.8572)	21 (165.6800)	28 (154.8572)	3 (171.4972)	28 (154.8228)
Jul 18, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	22 / 30 (634.2744)	27 (157.1084)	19 (158.2400)	11 (167.4516)	23 (151.4744)
Jun 27, 2014	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	49 / 50 (611.9544)	50 (135.9656)	50 (143.3600)	22 (166.8800)	24 (165.7488)
May 30, 2014	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	66 / 67 (602.2172)	66 (151.4056)	67 (134.8000)	38 (164.5944)	60 (151.4172)
May 16, 2014	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	44 / 58 (623.5080)	52 (150.2968)	52 (146.8340)	2 (173.7944)	45 (152.5828)
May 2, 2014	The Masters in May Fremont, WI	58 / 62 (599.9652)	58 (143.4284)	60 (139.3712)	21 (162.2856)	45 (154.8800)
Aug 23, 2013	6th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	32 / 50 (641.0740)	22 (166.8684)	22 (165.1428)	36 (159.9428)	41 (149.1200)
Aug 9, 2013	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	36 / 50 (627.3944)	40 (155.4400)	38 (153.1428)	20 (164.5716)	33 (154.2400)
Jul 12, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	27 / 29 (618.8800)	6 (169.2344)	25 (149.1084)	10 (165.7028)	28 (134.8344)
Jun 15, 2013	Treasure Island International BBQ Championship Welch, MN	57 / 68 (632.5710)	54 (158.8572)	41 (163.9998)	61 (156.5712)	57 (153.1428)
May 31, 2013	Smokin' in Steele Owatonna, MN	49 / 51 (582.2850)	45 (154.8570)	50 (125.1426)	47 (151.9996)	40 (150.2858)
May 17, 2013	Minnesota in May Faribault, MN	48 / 49 (607.4280)	39 (159.9998)	49 (139.4284)	39 (159.4284)	44 (148.5714)

PIG APPROVED BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

An August team

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)