BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE

BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE is a competition barbecue team with 27 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2020. Their best overall finish is 5th of 35 at the When Pigs Fly South (2015). They are ranked #5951 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,951

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1437

peak 1437 · rated over 27 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Feb 15, 2013

latest Jan 24, 2020 · 6.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#754

Master 2015 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

4% of 27 contests

Avg finish

top 66%

overall standings

Best overall

668.5944 / 720

Master · When Pigs Fly South

Perfect 180s

Current form

644.30 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 641.55 (+2.75)

Walk rate

26%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.1428

Chicken · The Tiger Town Pig Festival

Consistency

±13.83

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.03 · weakest Brisket (154.61)

Road miles

10,839

across 27 mapped stops · furthest 956 mi

Schedule strength

25%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1534)

Purse competed for

$61K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

641.55 / 720

27 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

668.5944 career-best overall

92.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 668.5944 at When Pigs Fly South — 92.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Nov 6, 2015

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 48%.

5 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 48%

A tough matchup

14–1 behind in the head-to-head

SWAMP BOYS ahead in 93% of their meetings

SWAMP BOYS has come out ahead in 14 of their 15 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.4 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.42 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 4% of the time against 22%.

Brisket avg 154.61
Chicken avg 164.03
1 call in 27 entries

A strong matchup

9–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 82% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Two Crackers Cooking in 9 of their 11 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

9 of 15 shared chicken entries lost

SWAMP BOYS ahead 60% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SWAMP BOYS has out-cooked them in 9 of 15 shared chicken entries.

A November team

Top 51% average finish in November

Something about November: average finish in the top 51% across 8 contests, versus top 66% the rest of the year.

8 November contests
top 66% the rest of the year

Show 2 more storylines

The long haul

10,839 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 10,839 miles across 27 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 956 miles to City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival.

27 mapped stops
furthest 956 mi

The metronome

±1.92% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.92% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.1% of a perfect score
27 contests

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
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1226 (180 pts)	#1295 (180 pts)	#1197 (210 pts)	#1301 (180 pts)	#1277 (180 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1524 (120 pts)	#1230 (215 pts)	#1397 (175 pts)	#1610 (120 pts)	#1586 (120 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1722 (120 pts)	#1363 (215 pts)	#1822 (120 pts)	#1707 (135 pts)	#1794 (120 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#986 (330 pts)	#973 (370 pts)	#1025 (345 pts)	#893 (435 pts)	#1105 (300 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#754 (465 pts)	#504 (770 pts)	#899 (395 pts)	#662 (570 pts)	#804 (455 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#841 (401 pts)	#596 (656 pts)	#950 (376 pts)	#927 (386 pts)	#820 (431 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#992 (292 pts)	#1097 (277 pts)	#975 (317 pts)	#793 (417 pts)	#950 (322 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Blue Line BBQ

#5,935 of the rated field

1437 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1437

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Feb 27, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Z SMOKE

#5,957 of the rated field

1436 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1507

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE)

They've been 1507 at their best, 70 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 53 contests
last seen Oct 22, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

BIG RACK SMOKERS

#5,943 of the rated field

1437 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1437

Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 27, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 21, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

RAMSHACKLE BBQ

#5,940 of the rated field

1437 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1437

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Aug 2, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

50 Shades of Pork

#5,949 of the rated field

1437 power rating

Contests: 42
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 2%
Peak: 1437

Level with BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 42 contests
last seen Jun 27, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

ALLSEASONED DUTCH BBQ TEAM

#5,933 of the rated field

1437 power rating

Contests: 43
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1535

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 43 contests
last seen Sep 10, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SWAMP BOYS	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
HOT WACHULA'S	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
SWINOS	12	7	5	58%	⚔ compare
Two Crackers Cooking	11	9	2	82%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN BLUE Q FL	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
WHISKEY BENT BBQ - FL	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKE SHACK BBQ	9	9	0	100%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN ACES BBQ - FL	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
Uncle Kenny's Take-Away	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
Accutech BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
United Pork Smokers	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Smokin' Slimz	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
HOGS GONE WILD BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Pig In or Pig Out	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
The BBQ Shack	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	27	6	3	177.1428	149.1428	164.03	top 51%
Pork Ribs	27	0	0	169.7256	143.9200	160.23	top 64%
Pork	27	3	0	172.5600	142.1940	162.68	top 55%
Brisket	27	1	0	167.4516	137.6572	154.61	top 70%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	5	0	top 58%
Large (40+)	22	0	top 68%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
FL	17	top 62%
TX	6	top 77%
AL	4	top 70%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ	4	39	top 70%	May 3, 2019
Lakeland Pig Festival	3	35	top 70%	Jan 24, 2020
Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	3	27	top 76%	Aug 30, 2019
Plant City Pig Jam	3	17	top 63%	Nov 18, 2016
City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	3	49	top 79%	Sep 3, 2016
When Pigs Fly South	2	19	top 55%	Dec 2, 2016
Lakeland Pig Festival	2	34	top 71%	Jan 29, 2016
When Pigs Fly South	2	5	top 30%	Nov 6, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 5 contests

Contests a season 3.4 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in FL 17 of 27 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 13 8 of them more than once

Opponents faced 842 finished ahead 521 times, behind 1,063

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

20201 milestone

Jan 24 Most recent contest Lakeland Pig Festival

20191 milestone

May 3 25th tracked contest The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ

20154 milestones

Jan 30 10th tracked contest Lakeland Pig Festival
Nov 6 First overall top-10 When Pigs Fly South
Nov 6 Career-best overall score668.5944 When Pigs Fly South
Nov 20 Peak power rating (1491) Plant City Pig Jam - State Championship BBQ Contest

20142 milestones

Jan 23 First call The Tiger Town Pig Festival
Jan 23 Career-best single call (Chicken)177.1428 The Tiger Town Pig Festival

20132 milestones

Feb 15 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Nov 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.1600 When Pigs Fly South

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.2	When Pigs Fly South	Nov 6, 2015
+7.3	Plant City Pig Jam - State Championship BBQ Contest	Nov 20, 2015
+4.7	Plant City Pig Jam	Nov 21, 2014
+3.5	When Pigs Fly South	Nov 15, 2013
+2.3	When Pigs Fly South	Dec 2, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Feb 15, 2013
-9.8	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 29, 2016
-9.5	City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	Sep 3, 2016
-7.2	Plant City Pig Jam	Nov 18, 2016
-7.2	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	Aug 31, 2018

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2020	1	0	0%	top 79%	89.3%	89.3%
2019	3	0	0%	top 73%	90.8%	89.4%
2018	2	0	50%	top 78%	90.1%	88.1%
2017	2	0	50%	top 64%	89.3%	88.6%
2016	5	0	20%	top 77%	92%	88%
2015	5	1	60%	top 48%	92.9%	91%
2014	5	0	20%	top 62%	90.5%	88.9%
2013	4	0	0%	top 69%	90.9%	88.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jan 24, 2020	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	42 / 53 (642.6972)	44 (160.5028)	47 (157.6572)	41 (161.0972)	28 (163.4400)
Aug 30, 2019	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival 🏅 Bedford, TX	48 / 58 (630.0568)	38 (165.1200)	48 (160.4912)	39 (163.9428)	54 (140.5028)
May 3, 2019	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ 🏅 Huntsville, AL	41 / 54 (646.6628)	36 (162.8116)	48 (154.2400)	38 (162.7884)	26 (166.8228)
Jan 25, 2019	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	35 / 58 (653.6456)	25 (166.2400)	19 (169.7256)	38 (161.1200)	43 (156.5600)
Nov 16, 2018	Suncoast Credit Union Plant City Pig Jam Plant City, FL	31 / 44 (648.4228)	8 (174.2744)	14 (169.6684)	30 (161.7028)	43 (142.7772)
Aug 31, 2018	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX	63 / 74 (620.4684)	51 (160.5372)	68 (153.7028)	66 (154.8228)	65 (151.4056)
Sep 2, 2017	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Bedford, TX	27 / 46 (633.0056)	8 (170.2628)	37 (154.2516)	27 (161.6800)	41 (146.8112)
Jan 27, 2017	Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	42 / 60 (643.2456)	43 (161.0972)	43 (158.8228)	22 (166.2284)	37 (157.0972)
Dec 2, 2016	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	19 / 36 (662.1600)	11 (169.1200)	16 (166.8228)	13 (168)	27 (158.2172)
Nov 18, 2016	Plant City Pig Jam Plant City, FL	31 / 38 (625.4972)	31 (157.0856)	29 (156.5028)	28 (159.3944)	29 (152.5144)
Sep 3, 2016	City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX	51 / 58 (629.0056)	33 (163.3828)	48 (155.4056)	10 (172.5600)	58 (137.6572)
May 6, 2016	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	50 / 67 (634.0456)	31 (168.5256)	50 (154.8000)	34 (165.0972)	60 (145.6228)
Jan 29, 2016	Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	51 / 58 (616.9024)	53 (154.7656)	45 (157.0856)	55 (149.0856)	44 (155.9656)
Nov 20, 2015	Plant City Pig Jam - State Championship BBQ Contest 🏅 Plant City, FL	17 / 49 (667.8512)	2 (174.2628)	39 (158.2172)	17 (168.5484)	19 (166.8228)
Nov 6, 2015	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	5 / 35 (668.5944)	3 (169.1200)	11 (166.2744)	6 (167.4400)	5 (165.7600)
Sep 4, 2015	City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX	49 / 70 (636.3996)	61 (152.5372)	48 (159.3484)	40 (161.6684)	27 (162.8456)
May 1, 2015	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	42 / 63 (650.7084)	60 (153.6572)	34 (165.6800)	17 (170.8456)	45 (160.5256)
Jan 30, 2015	Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	34 / 62 (653.6916)	8 (173.7144)	20 (166.2400)	10 (170.3200)	56 (143.4172)
Nov 21, 2014	Plant City Pig Jam Plant City, FL	17 / 39 (649.6344)	14 (165.7372)	22 (161.1200)	19 (162.8228)	23 (159.9544)
Nov 7, 2014	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	24 / 42 (651.3144)	22 (163.4060)	24 (161.0740)	35 (159.3828)	12 (167.4516)
Aug 30, 2014	City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX	59 / 76 (620.4228)	29 (164.5372)	73 (143.9200)	36 (161.7256)	58 (150.2400)
May 2, 2014	The WhistleStop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (JUDGES SIGN UP STARTS DECEMBER 2, 2013) Huntsville, AL	39 / 62 (648.3660)	14 (171.9772)	34 (163.3944)	35 (163.9428)	57 (149.0516)
Jan 23, 2014	The Tiger Town Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	47 / 69 (630.0568)	3 (177.1428)	34 (160.5372)	66 (142.1940)	54 (150.1828)
Nov 22, 2013	Plant City Pig Jam Plant City, FL	34 / 53 (638.1256)	36 (158.7884)	28 (162.8344)	18 (165.1200)	39 (151.3828)
Nov 15, 2013	When Pigs Fly South Lakeland, FL	22 / 49 (654.1600)	30 (158.2628)	25 (163.3944)	11 (170.8228)	18 (161.6800)
Aug 23, 2013	Great Southern Tailgate Cook-off Amelia Island, FL	32 / 44 (636.3884)	27 (162.8228)	29 (159.3600)	29 (161.0856)	35 (153.1200)
Feb 15, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tampa, FL	23 / 24 (630.2854)	23 (149.1428)	15 (165.7142)	16 (158.8570)	21 (156.5714)

BIG JOHN'S TEXAS BAR-B-QUE

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

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

A November team

The long haul

The metronome

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)