RJs Smokehouse

RJs Smokehouse is a competition barbecue team with 35 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2020 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 27 at the 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition (2024), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion 3 times. They are ranked #1222 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “RJ's Smokehouse”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,222

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1585

peak 1602 · rated over 27 contests7 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Feb 15, 2020

latest Oct 15, 2026 · 6.7 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#149

Master 2022 · every season

Grand champs

3 reserve

Category wins

17 podiums

Overall top-10s

40% of 35 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 47%

overall standings

Best overall

701.6684 / 720

Master · 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition

Perfect 180s

6 🔥

Current form

680.36 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 679.46 (+0.90)

Walk rate

74%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Brisket · 8th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition

Consistency

±14.67

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 172.11 · weakest Pork Ribs (168.08)

Road miles

25,821

across 35 mapped stops · furthest 2,172 mi

Schedule strength

35%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1547)

Purse competed for

$552K

listed at 29 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 27 state-championship entries

Master avg

679.46 / 720

30 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (18 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

1.7144 points from the title

Came within 1.7144 points of the Grand Championship at DuPont-Hudson's Bay BBQ Competition (Aug 19, 2023).

The 180 club

6 perfect 180s

6 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 2 different meats.

Pork ×3
Brisket ×3

A multi-meat day

1 contest with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition (Aug 24, 2024).

Pork 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

74% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 26 of 35 contests

A top-10 category call in 74% of their 35 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

701.6684 career-best overall

97.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 701.6684 at 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition — 97.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 24, 2024

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

J&C BBQ has finished one call ahead of RJs Smokehouse 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2023 their best year

2023 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 31%.

4 contests
3 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 31%

Show 11 more storylines

A tough matchup

9–1 behind in the head-to-head

CHICKEN FRIED BBQ ahead in 90% of their meetings

CHICKEN FRIED BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.0 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.03 points below their pork, and turns into a call 24% of the time against 47%.

Pork Ribs avg 168.08
Pork avg 172.11
8 calls in 34 entries

A strong matchup

12–5 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 71% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Old Dirty Basters in 12 of their 17 shared contests.

The comeback

1.5 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.5 years, then back at 4th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff (Aug 21, 2021).

last seen Feb 15, 2020
back Aug 21, 2021

Always the bridesmaid

3 reserve championships

Runner-up for the whole thing 3 times against 0 Grand Championships — close enough to touch it, over and over.

0 Grand Championships
35 contests

A big fish in small ponds

Top 51% average finish in small fields

Field size changes the story: they average a top 51% finish in small fields against top 68% in large ones.

Small (<20 teams): top 51% (4)
Large (40+): top 68% (4)

Looking over their shoulder

4× one call behind them

SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST has landed one call behind them 4 times.

An August team

Top 25% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 25% across 7 contests, versus top 47% the rest of the year.

7 August contests
top 47% the rest of the year

The long haul

25,821 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 25,821 miles across 35 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 2,172 miles to Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION).

35 mapped stops
furthest 2,172 mi

The metronome

±1.93% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.93% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.4% of a perfect score
35 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay every year from 2022 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 2nd

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
2026 ↗	Master	#468 (389 pts)	#613 (279 pts)	#564 (364 pts)	#335 (639 pts)	#477 (399 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#329 (659 pts)	#376 (614 pts)	#455 (519 pts)	#344 (654 pts)	#258 (894 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#389 (539 pts)	#451 (479 pts)	#623 (334 pts)	#287 (774 pts)	#290 (794 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#331 (640 pts)	#647 (280 pts)	#499 (470 pts)	#479 (430 pts)	#268 (815 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#149 (1,257 pts)	#179 (1,167 pts)	#252 (957 pts)	#161 (1,207 pts)	#213 (1,032 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#636 (126 pts)	#803 (96 pts)	#771 (111 pts)	#651 (136 pts)	#549 (191 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to RJs Smokehouse, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BAVARIAN SMOKE BBQ

#1,225 of the rated field

1585 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1594

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before RJs Smokehouse's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 25 contests

⚔ Compare careers

BIG PAPA'S COUNTRY KITCHEN

#1,226 of the rated field

1584 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1597

Fewer contests behind them than RJs Smokehouse has cooked, 22 to 35, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Apr 12, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

MR.GOODTIME'S BBQ CLUB

#1,221 of the rated field

1585 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1598

22 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 41% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Jun 3, 2016

⚔ Compare careers

Hot Thang BBQ

#1,220 of the rated field

1585 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 52%
Peak: 1585

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 21 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Aug 21, 2026
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKIN NC

#1,227 of the rated field

1584 power rating

Contests: 39
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1610

They were already cooking in 2015, 5 years before RJs Smokehouse's first contest.

rated over 39 contests
last seen Oct 4, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Menke Boys BBQ

#1,224 of the rated field

1585 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1585

Level with RJs Smokehouse on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 52 contests
last seen Oct 9, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Small Axe BBQ	25	9	16	36%	⚔ compare
J&C BBQ	23	11	12	48%	⚔ compare
Old Dirty Basters	17	12	5	71%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST	17	9	8	53%	⚔ compare
CROOKED PIGS	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
Rob's Smokin and Grillin BBQ	14	10	4	71%	⚔ compare
SLOW PORKIN	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
LAKE HOUSE BBQ	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
SLO.MO.QUE	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
Alderfire BBQ	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
BAR-B-CUDA BBQ	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
HOGGERQ	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
CHICKEN FRIED BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
LC BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	10	1	2	176.5600	146.2400	168.92	top 55%
Pork Ribs	34	8	0	0	176.5600	154.8344	168.08	top 60%
Pork	34	16	4	7	180 🔥	166.2284	172.11	top 40%
Brisket	34	17	5	8	180 🔥	155.3600	170.53	top 39%

“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)	4	top 51%
Medium (20–39)	26	top 43%
Large (40+)	4	top 68%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
OR	16	top 41%
WA	8	top 31%
GA	5	top 72%
ID	2	top 51%
KS	2	top 75%
TN	1	top 65%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	5	2	top 30%	May 23, 2026
Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION)	4	22	top 73%	Oct 15, 2026
Sutherlin Throwdown	2	11	top 43%	Jul 18, 2026
The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2)	2	22	top 85%	May 31, 2025
2024 Icebox Cookoff	2	4	top 39%	Jul 6, 2024

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 11 contests

Contests a season 5 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in OR 16 of 35 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 24 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 822 finished ahead 791 times, behind 959

Longest layoff 1.5 yrs Feb 15, 2020 → Aug 21, 2021

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

20262 milestones

May 23 Peak power rating (1602) BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay
Oct 15 Most recent contest Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION)

20253 milestones

May 31 25th tracked contest The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2)
Jul 19 5th perfect 180 Sutherlin Throwdown
Aug 16 10th category win 8th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition

20242 milestones

Aug 24 First multi-meat day 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition
Aug 24 Career-best overall score701.6684 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition

20225 milestones

May 28 First category win (Chicken) BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay
May 28 First overall podium BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay
May 28 First Reserve Championship BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay
Oct 1 10th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES
Oct 14 First perfect 180 (Pork) Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY)

20211 milestone

Aug 21 First overall past 90% of a perfect score670.7200 4th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff

20203 milestones

Feb 15 First tracked contest Albany Bacon Championship
Feb 15 First call Albany Bacon Championship
Feb 15 First overall top-10 Albany Bacon Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.2	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	May 28, 2022
+12.6	Sweet Home Icebox Cookoff 2022	Jul 2, 2022
+12.3	7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition	Aug 24, 2024
+12	DuPont-Hudson's Bay BBQ Competition	Aug 19, 2023
+11.2	Icebox Cookoff	Jul 1, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.3	The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2)	May 31, 2025
-12	Smoke on the Sound	Sep 25, 2026
-7.5	2024 Icebox Cookoff	Jul 6, 2024
-7.4	The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 1)	May 30, 2025
-3.1	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay	May 25, 2024

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	6	1	0	67%	top 55%	96.5%	94.5%
2025	7	1	2	57%	top 54%	96.9%	94.6%
2024	5	1	3	100%	top 48%	97.5%	95.1%
2023	4	3	2	100%	top 31%	96.5%	95.3%
2022	11	6	3	64%	top 42%	97.2%	94.1%
2021	1	1	0	100%	top 37%	93.2%	93.2%
2020	1	1	0	100%	top 56%	89.4%	89.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 15, 2026	Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION) unrated Roswell, GA	27 / 38 (680.4224)	30 (168.5256)	30 (168.5256)	25 (170.8228)	14 (172.5484)
Sep 25, 2026	Smoke on the Sound 🏅 Redmond, WA	14 / 17 (658.6740)	16 (163.3944)	15 (162.8112)	11 (166.2284)	10 (166.2400)
Sep 4, 2026	Meat & Tater BBQ Fest 🏅 Meridian, ID	29 / 52 (686.2060)	19 (176.0116)	36 (167.3944)	29 (170.8344)	27 (171.9656)
Aug 22, 2026	9th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA	14 / 27 (677.0512)	9 (171.4172)	21 (165.7028)	3 (176.5600)	21 (163.3712)
Jul 18, 2026	Sutherlin Throwdown 🏅 Sutherlin, OR	16 / 29 (685.0400)	28 (159.9544)	6 (176.5600)	5 (178.8572)	17 (169.6684)
May 23, 2026	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	5 / 33 (694.8228)	19 (167.3828)	12 (173.1544)	3 (177.7028)	3 (176.5828)
Oct 16, 2025	Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION) unrated Roswell, GA	22 / 36 (689.6228)	22 (175.4056)	31 (167.9772)	12 (175.4172)	20 (170.8228)
Aug 29, 2025	Meat & Tater BBQ Fest 🏅 Meridian, ID	18 / 39 (686.1712)	10 (174.2628)	19 (173.1200)	24 (169.1084)	22 (169.6800)
Aug 16, 2025	8th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA	4 / 30 (697.6456)	9 (174.8572)	10 (174.2628)	20 (168.5256)	1 (180)
Jul 19, 2025	Sutherlin Throwdown 🏅 Sutherlin, OR	11 / 35 (689.6228)	23 (169.1200)	22 (169.6800)	18 (170.8228)	1 (180)
May 31, 2025	The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2) 🏅 Sweet Home, OR	27 / 28 (664.3884)	27 (162.2284)	22 (167.4060)	12 (171.9656)	23 (162.7884)
May 30, 2025	The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 1) 🏅 Sweet Home, OR	22 / 30 (666.1600)	13 (171.9656)	29 (154.8344)	5 (173.1200)	19 (166.2400)
May 24, 2025	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	14 / 26 (676.5024)	15 (167.3828)	15 (169.7256)	12 (169.7256)	14 (169.6684)
Oct 17, 2024	Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION) unrated Roswell, GA	24 / 33 (680.4456)	25 (170.8228)	28 (167.9656)	28 (166.2400)	8 (175.4172)
Aug 24, 2024	7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA	2 / 27 (701.6684)	2 (176.5600)	20 (166.2512)	1 (180)	1 (178.8572)
Jul 20, 2024	The Sutherlin Throwdown 🏅 Sutherlin, OR	12 / 30 (682.7544)	21 (166.2516)	15 (167.9772)	12 (173.1084)	5 (175.4172)
Jul 6, 2024	2024 Icebox Cookoff 🏅 Sweet Home, OR	25 / 37 (677.0512)	33 (164.5256)	33 (163.9772)	1 (180)	20 (168.5484)
May 25, 2024	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	14 / 27 (681.0968)	17 (170.8228)	17 (163.9884)	17 (166.2856)	2 (180)
Oct 20, 2023	Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION) unrated Roswell, GA	30 / 35 (673.5656)	34 (162.8000)	33 (164.5372)	32 (168.5256)	5 (177.7028)
Aug 19, 2023	DuPont-Hudson's Bay BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA	2 / 30 (691.9428)	16 (169.1200)	7 (171.9772)	6 (174.2856)	2 (176.5600)
Jul 1, 2023	Icebox Cookoff 🏅 Sweet Home, OR	4 / 38 (694.8000)	20 (170.8228)	9 (173.1544)	9 (173.1200)	1 (177.7028)
May 27, 2023	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	5 / 25 (685.7256)	16 (165.7372)	6 (174.8456)	12 (169.1428)	1 (176)
Oct 21, 2022	Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Roswell, GA	24 / 35 (683.8856)	20 (172.5600)	29 (168.5372)	24 (168.5256)	14 (174.2628)
Oct 14, 2022	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN	54 / 83 (670.1712)	73 (162.2400)	42 (170.8228)	1 (180)	78 (157.1084)
Oct 7, 2022	Hermiston Fall Fest, BBQ, Brews, & More 🏅 Hermiston, OR	8 / 19 (671.8968)	4 (172.5600)	12 (167.4172)	10 (169.1084)	11 (162.8112)
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	258 / 505 (666.7428)	194 (169.6800)	282 (166.2628)	244 (167.4172)	295 (163.3828)
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST unrated Kansas City, KS	246 / 249 (645.0060)	208 (165.6916)	244 (155.9888)	172 (167.9656)	243 (155.3600)
Aug 20, 2022	5th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff 🏅 DuPont, WA	4 / 29 (699.9884)	5 (176.5600)	10 (174.2972)	5 (175.4056)	5 (173.7256)
Jul 2, 2022	Sweet Home Icebox Cookoff 2022 🏅 Sweet Home, OR	4 / 34 (698.2744)	13 (172)	5 (176.5600)	1 (179.4400)	11 (170.2744)
May 28, 2022	BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR	2 / 27 (689.0168)	1 (176.5600)	13 (169.6684)	8 (169.6800)	4 (173.1084)
Feb 5, 2022	Outdoor Cooking BBQ Championship 🏅 Puyallup, WA	8 / 22 (669.0744)	9 (168.5716)	12 (167.4400)	11 (166.8228)	7 (166.2400)
Jan 8, 2022	Willamette Sportsman Show Cookoff 2022 🏅 Albany, OR	4 / 16 (678.2288)	7 (166.8344)	4 (170.8572)	2 (177.1428)	8 (163.3944)
Aug 21, 2021	4th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff 🏅 DuPont, WA	10 / 27 (670.7200)	4 (174.2744)	21 (161.6800)	7 (171.9656)	16 (162.8000)
Feb 15, 2020	Albany Bacon Championship 🏅 Albany, OR	9 / 16 (643.3484)	14 (146.2400)	11 (159.3828)	8 (168)	4 (169.7256)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

RJs Smokehouse

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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 (18 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

The 180 club

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Always the bridesmaid

A big fish in small ponds

Looking over their shoulder

An August team

The long haul

The metronome

A standing appointment

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)