BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#4320

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1476

peak 1476 · rated over 17 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-08-16

latest 2017-07-14

Best ToY finish

#843

Master 2016

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 65%

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 646.78 (+11.43)

Walk rate

59%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

175.4172

Pork Ribs · Original SD BBQ Championships

Consistency

±14.33

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 162.75 · weakest Pork Ribs (160.55)

Road miles

2,849

mi across 17 mapped stops · furthest 449 mi

Schedule strength

38%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1551)

Master avg

646.78 / 720

17 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (6 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

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
2016-06-11

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.

A tough matchup

15–0 behind in the head-to-head

Eggspert BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

Eggspert BBQ has come out ahead in 15 of their 15 shared contests.

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

13 of 15 shared pork entries lost

Eggspert BBQ ahead 87% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Eggspert BBQ has out-cooked them in 13 of 15 shared pork entries.

The metronome

±1.99% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.99% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.8% of a perfect score
17 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

BARE BUTTS

#4312 of the rated field

1476 ▲ 0 power rating

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

1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE)

These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — BARE BUTTS ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2021-06-04

⚔ Head-to-head

Hogs Breath BBQ

#4323 of the rated field

1476 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 12%
Peak: 1514

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1514 at their best, 39 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

JUICE'S SMOKEN BBQ

#4328 of the rated field

1476 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1476

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2017-07-07

⚔ Head-to-head

CAJUN JAX BBQ

#4301 of the rated field

1476 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1476

No shared contest yet.

18 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 11% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2016-10-14

⚔ Head-to-head

FATTMIKES BBQ

#4330 of the rated field

1476 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1512

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2025-06-27

⚔ Head-to-head

Griller Unchained

#4327 of the rated field

1476 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1503

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2026-06-20

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
Eggspert BBQ	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
MUSTANG SALLY BBQ	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
Pigtamer BBQ	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
Subtle Smoke	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	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
SHORT CREW BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	17	1	0	172.0228	142.2628	161.56	top 65%
Pork Ribs	17	3	1	175.4172	150.1944	160.55	top 63%
Pork	17	2	1	171.4400	154.8800	162.75	top 59%
Brisket	17	4	0	175.4056	146.2628	161.91	top 51%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MN	10	0	top 61%
SD	7	0	top 70%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	9	0	top 65%
Large (40+)	8	0	top 65%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Cookin' on Kampeska	3	25	top 77%	2016-07-15
Smokefest	3	21	top 72%	2015-08-21
Minnesota in May	2	40	top 62%	2017-05-12
Original SD BBQ Championships	2	19	top 56%	2016-06-03

The story so far (14 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.9 yrs 2013-08-16 → 2017-07-14

Busiest season 2016 5 contests

Contests a season 3.4 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MN 10 of 17 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 11 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 17 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 162.75 · weakest Pork Ribs (160.55)

Walk rate 59% a top-10 call in 10 of 17 contests

Overall top-10 rate 6% 1 of 17 contests

Master average 646.78 out of 720 · 17 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 240 236–421 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,849 17 mapped stops · furthest 449 mi

Schedule strength 1551 average field rating faced — tougher than 38% of rated contests

Power rating 1476 peak 1476 · #4320 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Aug 16 First tracked contest Smokefest
Aug 16 Peak power rating (1496) Smokefest
2014
Jun 6 First call SD BBQ Championships
Aug 8 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.8568 Great Northern BBQ
2015
Jul 31 First overall top-10 Great Northern BBQ
Aug 21 10th tracked contest Smokefest
2016
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)
2017
Jul 14 Most recent contest Cookin On Kampeska

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+10.5	*Mankato Cookout Day 2 and( Back Yard)	2016-06-11
+7.6	Great Northern BBQ	2015-07-31
+5.7	Original SD BBQ Championships	2016-06-03
+3.9	SMSU Smokefest	2016-08-19
+0.9	Minnesota in May	2017-05-12

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.3	Cookin' on Kampeska	2014-07-18
-8.8	Cookin' on Kampeska	2015-07-17
-5.7	*Mankato Cookout Day 1	2016-06-10
-4.8	Smokefest	2015-08-21
-4.5	Smokefest	2013-08-16

Category scores over time

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

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

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	1	0	0%	top 68%	87.5%	87.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2017-07-14	Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD	37 / 48 (654.1940)	33 (165.6684)	29 (164.5484)	24 (166.2856)	43 (157.6916)
2017-05-12	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	40 / 71 (645.6688)	6 (172.0228)	63 (153.6800)	51 (158.8344)	36 (161.1316)
2016-08-19	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	19 / 37 (657.0168)	16 (169.6684)	33 (150.8228)	18 (166.2744)	6 (170.2512)
2016-07-15	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	25 / 41 (658.2172)	15 (169.7028)	36 (157.1432)	37 (159.4056)	10 (171.9656)
2016-06-11	*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)
2016-06-10	*Mankato Cookout Day 1 Mankato, MN	28 / 33 (641.0060)	26 (165.1544)	32 (150.1944)	29 (159.3828)	17 (166.2744)
2016-06-03	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	19 / 44 (663.9544)	34 (159.4056)	2 (175.4172)	26 (162.2628)	12 (166.8688)
2015-08-21	Smokefest Marshall, MN	32 / 42 (642.1944)	39 (157.6456)	24 (163.9888)	35 (157.1428)	23 (163.4172)
2015-07-31	Great Northern BBQ Brainerd, MN	10 / 26 (667.3716)	16 (169.1200)	12 (165.6800)	5 (170.8572)	14 (161.7144)
2015-07-17	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	33 / 38 (621.1312)	38 (142.2628)	15 (165.1428)	20 (164.0000)	32 (149.7256)
2015-06-05	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	28 / 41 (627.3940)	40 (144.5256)	22 (162.8344)	24 (160.0112)	21 (160.0228)
2015-05-15	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	40 / 60 (645.6796)	31 (163.4056)	49 (154.2512)	38 (162.8800)	22 (165.1428)
2014-08-15	Smokefest Marshall, MN	23 / 32 (641.1656)	16 (164.6056)	22 (158.8572)	3 (171.4400)	29 (146.2628)
2014-08-08	Great Northern BBQ Brainerd, MN	16 / 25 (650.8568)	16 (163.4284)	10 (167.4172)	16 (162.2740)	19 (157.7372)
2014-07-18	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	26 / 31 (638.8800)	28 (153.1428)	28 (152.5600)	15 (167.4400)	9 (165.7372)
2014-06-06	SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	29 / 42 (634.2972)	27 (160.5600)	10 (166.2972)	32 (154.8800)	32 (152.5600)
2013-08-16	Smokefest Marshall, MN	21 / 31 (630.2856)	28 (154.8112)	22 (157.7144)	23 (157.1656)	15 (160.5944)

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

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — 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)