BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE

BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE is a competition barbecue team with 18 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2017. Their best overall finish is 10th of 26 at the Great Northern BBQ (2015). They are ranked #4608 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Big J's Smoke House”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,608

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1471

peak 1471 · rated over 18 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 2, 2013

latest Jul 14, 2017 · 3.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#843

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

6% of 18 contests

Avg finish

top 66%

overall standings

Best overall

675.9656 / 720

Master · Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard)

Perfect 180s

Current form

658.21 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 645.55 (+12.66)

Walk rate

56%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

175.4172

Pork Ribs · Original SD BBQ Championships

Consistency

±14.82

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 162.06 · weakest Pork Ribs (160.21)

Road miles

3,001

across 18 mapped stops · furthest 462 mi

Schedule strength

37%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1549)

Master avg

645.55 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (7 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

675.9656 career-best overall

93.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 675.9656 at Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard) — 93.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 11, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

SPITFIRE has finished one call ahead of BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 56%.

5 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 56%

A strong matchup

6–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CRF BLUE RIBB'N BBQ in 6 of their 8 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

14 of 15 shared pork entries lost

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead 93% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has out-cooked them in 14 of 15 shared pork entries.

The long haul

3,001 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,001 miles across 18 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 462 miles to Great Northern BBQ.

18 mapped stops
furthest 462 mi

The metronome

±2.06% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.06% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.7% of a perfect score
18 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
2017 ↗	Master	#1722 (120 pts)	#1303 (235 pts)	#1822 (120 pts)	#1773 (125 pts)	#1794 (120 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#843 (420 pts)	#832 (460 pts)	#805 (495 pts)	#988 (375 pts)	#547 (740 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1002 (306 pts)	#1132 (276 pts)	#987 (351 pts)	#941 (381 pts)	#1037 (311 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1071 (285 pts)	#1053 (320 pts)	#921 (395 pts)	#750 (500 pts)	#965 (345 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1964 (76 pts)	#2650 (56 pts)	#2436 (71 pts)	#2520 (66 pts)	#1860 (106 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Hogs Breath BBQ SD

#4,595 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

2–3 in 5 shared contests (40% to BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — Hogs Breath BBQ SD ahead 3–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Jul 20, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

Lucky Q BBQ

#4,590 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1513

They've been 1513 at their best, 42 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Jul 24, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Razor Back BBQ

#4,622 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1471

Careers of much the same size, 13 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Aug 11, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Onkel Felix BBQ

#4,612 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1471

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

rated over 27 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2026
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

ROKER Q

#4,598 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1471

They turned up 9 years after BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE did, first appearing in 2022.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

SHO DAWG BBQ

#4,610 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1471

Level with BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Aug 5, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SPITFIRE	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
Eggspert BBQ	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
MUSTANG SALLY BBQ	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Pigtamer BBQ	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
Subtle Smoke	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Charcoal Loungers	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
SONS OF BUTCHERS	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
CRF BLUE RIBB'N BBQ	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	1	0	172.0228	142.2628	161.54	top 66%
Pork Ribs	18	3	1	175.4172	150.1944	160.21	top 65%
Pork	18	2	1	171.4400	150.2628	162.06	top 61%
Brisket	18	4	0	175.4056	146.2628	161.74	top 52%

“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)	10	0	top 67%
Large (40+)	8	0	top 65%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MN	11	0	top 64%
SD	7	0	top 70%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Cookin' on Kampeska	3	25	top 77%	Jul 15, 2016
Smokefest	3	21	top 72%	Aug 21, 2015
Minnesota in May	2	40	top 62%	May 12, 2017
Original SD BBQ Championships	2	19	top 56%	Jun 3, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 5 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 11 of 18 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 12 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 246 finished ahead 239 times, behind 439

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

20171 milestone

Jul 14 Most recent contest Cookin On Kampeska

20162 milestones

Jun 3 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)175.4172 Original SD BBQ Championships
Jun 11 Career-best overall score675.9656 Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard)

20152 milestones

Jul 31 First overall top-10 Great Northern BBQ
Jul 31 10th tracked contest Great Northern BBQ

20142 milestones

Jun 6 First call SD BBQ Championships
Aug 8 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.8568 Great Northern BBQ

20132 milestones

Aug 2 First tracked contest Great Northern Barbeque
Aug 2 Peak power rating (1489) Great Northern Barbeque

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+10.8	Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard)	Jun 11, 2016
+7.9	Great Northern BBQ	Jul 31, 2015
+6	Original SD BBQ Championships	Jun 3, 2016
+4.1	SMSU Smokefest	Aug 19, 2016
+1.1	Minnesota in May	May 12, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.6	Great Northern Barbeque	Aug 2, 2013
-8.8	Cookin' on Kampeska	Jul 18, 2014
-8.4	Cookin' on Kampeska	Jul 17, 2015
-5.4	Mankato Cookout Day 1	Jun 10, 2016
-4.5	Smokefest	Aug 21, 2015

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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)
2017	2	0	50%	top 67%	90.9%	90.3%
2016	5	0	80%	top 56%	93.9%	91.6%
2015	5	1	20%	top 67%	92.7%	89%
2014	4	0	100%	top 72%	90.4%	89.1%
2013	2	0	0%	top 77%	87.5%	87.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 14, 2017	Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD	37 / 48 (654.1940)	33 (165.6684)	29 (164.5484)	24 (166.2856)	43 (157.6916)
May 12, 2017	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	40 / 71 (645.6688)	6 (172.0228)	63 (153.6800)	51 (158.8344)	36 (161.1316)
Aug 19, 2016	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	19 / 37 (657.0168)	16 (169.6684)	33 (150.8228)	18 (166.2744)	6 (170.2512)
Jul 15, 2016	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	25 / 41 (658.2172)	15 (169.7028)	36 (157.1432)	37 (159.4056)	10 (171.9656)
Jun 11, 2016	Mankato Cookout Day 2 and ( Back Yard) Mankato, MN	12 / 32 (675.9656)	11 (171.4172)	25 (162.8800)	16 (166.2628)	4 (175.4056)
Jun 10, 2016	Mankato Cookout Day 1 Mankato, MN	28 / 33 (641.0060)	26 (165.1544)	32 (150.1944)	29 (159.3828)	17 (166.2744)
Jun 3, 2016	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	19 / 44 (663.9544)	34 (159.4056)	2 (175.4172)	26 (162.2628)	12 (166.8688)
Aug 21, 2015	Smokefest Marshall, MN	32 / 42 (642.1944)	39 (157.6456)	24 (163.9888)	35 (157.1428)	23 (163.4172)
Jul 31, 2015	Great Northern BBQ Brainerd, MN	10 / 26 (667.3716)	16 (169.1200)	12 (165.6800)	5 (170.8572)	14 (161.7144)
Jul 17, 2015	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	33 / 38 (621.1312)	38 (142.2628)	15 (165.1428)	20 (164)	32 (149.7256)
Jun 5, 2015	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	28 / 41 (627.3940)	40 (144.5256)	22 (162.8344)	24 (160.0112)	21 (160.0228)
May 15, 2015	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	40 / 60 (645.6796)	31 (163.4056)	49 (154.2512)	38 (162.8800)	22 (165.1428)
Aug 15, 2014	Smokefest Marshall, MN	23 / 32 (641.1656)	16 (164.6056)	22 (158.8572)	3 (171.4400)	29 (146.2628)
Aug 8, 2014	Great Northern BBQ Brainerd, MN	16 / 25 (650.8568)	16 (163.4284)	10 (167.4172)	16 (162.2740)	19 (157.7372)
Jul 18, 2014	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	26 / 31 (638.8800)	28 (153.1428)	28 (152.5600)	15 (167.4400)	9 (165.7372)
Jun 6, 2014	SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	29 / 42 (634.2972)	27 (160.5600)	10 (166.2972)	32 (154.8800)	32 (152.5600)
Aug 16, 2013	Smokefest Marshall, MN	21 / 31 (630.2856)	28 (154.8112)	22 (157.7144)	23 (157.1656)	15 (160.5944)
Aug 2, 2013	Great Northern Barbeque Brainerd, MN	19 / 22 (624.5828)	18 (161.1544)	20 (154.3084)	20 (150.2628)	15 (158.8572)

BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE

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 (7 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

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 — 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)