PORK PARADISE

PORK PARADISE is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 32 at the Up In smoke on the Square (2017), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #567 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#567

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1665

peak 1681 · rated over 34 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 23, 2013

latest Sep 20, 2019 · 6.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#197

Master 2017 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

13 podiums

Overall top-10s

50% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 32%

overall standings

Best overall

693.6456 / 720

Master · Up In smoke on the Square

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

671.42 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 668.26 (+3.17)

Walk rate

88%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ

Consistency

±14.02

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 168.16 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.09)

Road miles

3,753

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 158 mi

Schedule strength

52%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1568)

Purse competed for

$32K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

668.26 / 720

34 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (17 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

2.2512 points from the title

Came within 2.2512 points of the Grand Championship at Up In smoke on the Square (Jun 2, 2017).

Among the elite

#567 of 6,491 rated teams

In the top 9% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1665 puts them #567 of 6,491 rated teams — the top 9% of the field.

rating 1665
peak 1681
34 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×1

Happy hunting ground

Top 20% average finish here

Route 66 Smoke Out is their spot: an average finish in the top 20% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 6th
average top 20%

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 Up In smoke on the Square (Jun 2, 2017).

Pork Ribs 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

88% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 30 of 34 contests

A top-10 category call in 88% of their 34 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

693.6456 career-best overall

96.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 693.6456 at Up In smoke on the Square — 96.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 2, 2017

Show 10 more storylines

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

RURAL ROUTE BBQ has finished one call ahead of PORK PARADISE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 20%.

9 contests
8 overall top-10s
5 category wins
average top 20%

A tough matchup

18–5 behind in the head-to-head

One2BBQ ahead in 78% of their meetings

One2BBQ has come out ahead in 18 of their 23 shared contests.

A strong matchup

13–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 87% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of FIDDLIN' FATBACK in 13 of their 15 shared contests.

Brisket nemesis

15 of 23 shared brisket entries lost

One2BBQ ahead 65% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, One2BBQ has out-cooked them in 15 of 23 shared brisket entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

ALL IN QUE has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 22% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 22% across 9 contests, versus top 32% the rest of the year.

9 June contests
top 32% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,753 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,753 miles across 34 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 158 miles to Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest.

34 mapped stops
furthest 158 mi

The metronome

±1.95% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.95% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.8% of a perfect score
34 contests

A standing appointment

7 years running at one contest

They've cooked Up In Smoke on the Square every year from 2013 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

7 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
2018 ↗	Master	#887 (344 pts)	#1019 (299 pts)	#1096 (269 pts)	#1002 (309 pts)	#725 (494 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#197 (1,496 pts)	#351 (1,051 pts)	#154 (1,606 pts)	#395 (976 pts)	#202 (1,436 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#427 (932 pts)	#615 (662 pts)	#583 (702 pts)	#403 (982 pts)	#312 (1,152 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#506 (746 pts)	#457 (861 pts)	#666 (581 pts)	#700 (541 pts)	#484 (781 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1920 (105 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#2027 (100 pts)	#2122 (85 pts)	#1836 (130 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#2397 (71 pts)	#2446 (71 pts)	#2436 (71 pts)	#2452 (71 pts)	#2440 (71 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to PORK PARADISE, each with one reason worth a look.

SMOKE N BREW

#565 of the rated field

1665 power rating

Contests: 48
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1678

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 48 contests to 34.

rated over 47 contests
last seen Mar 28, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

931 BBQ

#564 of the rated field

1666 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 77%
Peak: 1666

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 Apr 3, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Smoke, Fire & Brew

#566 of the rated field

1665 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 71%
Peak: 1665

Their rating is built on 5 Grand Championships in 21 contests, alongside a 71% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jun 19, 2026
on a 6-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

The Pig's Pajamas

#568 of the rated field

1664 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 39
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1664

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

rated over 38 contests
last seen Jun 24, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

Q Cartel

#571 of the rated field

1664 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 72%
Peak: 1664

They turned up 10 years after PORK PARADISE did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Matty Macks

#569 of the rated field

1664 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 49
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1664

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 49 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 49 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
One2BBQ	23	5	18	22%	⚔ compare
QUAU	22	12	10	55%	⚔ compare
JUGS BBQ	18	8	10	44%	⚔ compare
ALL IN QUE	17	9	8	53%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	17	9	8	53%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY'S Q	16	13	3	81%	⚔ compare
Outsiders BBQ	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
FIDDLIN' FATBACK	15	13	2	87%	⚔ compare
Carrol Lou's Smokehouse	15	10	5	67%	⚔ compare
THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ	13	6	7	46%	⚔ compare
Oui Oui Oui BBQ	12	12	0	100%	⚔ compare
LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	12	12	0	100%	⚔ compare
SMOKY LINCS	12	11	1	92%	⚔ compare
RUB IT, SMOKE IT, LOVE IT	12	11	1	92%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	12	1	2	176.0116	154.8000	167.08	top 45%
Pork Ribs	34	12	3	3	177.7028	148.5484	166.09	top 40%
Pork	34	11	1	3	180 🔥	158.2284	166.93	top 41%
Brisket	34	19	2	5	175.4172	152.5028	168.16	top 30%

“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)	3	top 35%
Medium (20–39)	12	top 34%
Large (40+)	19	top 30%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IL	27	top 29%
MO	6	top 42%
IN	1	top 39%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Up In Smoke on the Square	7	2	top 32%	May 31, 2019
CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	3	6	top 24%	Oct 12, 2018
Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	3	14	top 31%	Sep 21, 2018
Route 66 Smoke Out	2	6	top 20%	May 5, 2017
Central Illinois Bragging Rights	2	8	top 37%	Oct 9, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 9 contests

Contests a season 4.9 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 27 of 34 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 22 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 529 finished ahead 921 times, behind 421

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

20191 milestone

Sep 20 Most recent contest Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off

20182 milestones

Oct 12 First perfect 180 (Pork) CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ
Oct 12 Peak power rating (1681) CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ

20174 milestones

Jun 2 First Reserve Championship Up In smoke on the Square
Jun 2 First multi-meat day Up In smoke on the Square
Jun 2 Career-best overall score693.6456 Up In smoke on the Square
Oct 6 25th tracked contest Decatur's Smokin BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL)

20154 milestones

Apr 17 First category win (Chicken) 7th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest
Jun 5 First overall top-10 Up In Smoke On The Square
Jun 19 First overall podium Knights of Columbus
Oct 9 10th tracked contest Central Illinois Bragging Rights

20142 milestones

Aug 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score658.2172 Up In Smoke On The Square
Oct 10 First call Central Illinois Bragging Rights

20131 milestone

Aug 23 First tracked contest Up In Smoke on the Square

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.6	Knights of Columbus	Jun 19, 2015
+14.1	Up In Smoke On The Square	Jun 5, 2015
+13.4	Up In smoke on the Square	Jun 2, 2017
+12.6	Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ Contest	Jun 24, 2016
+11.5	Up In smoke on the Square	Jun 3, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9	Up In Smoke on the Square	Aug 23, 2013
-7.9	Up In Smoke on the Square	May 31, 2019
-5	Ribs on the River	Jun 21, 2019
-2.4	Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off	Sep 20, 2019
-1.3	Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ 2nd Annual	Jun 30, 2017

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)
2019	3	0	0	67%	top 46%	93.7%	92.9%
2018	5	1	1	100%	top 36%	94.3%	92.7%
2017	9	8	5	100%	top 20%	96.3%	93.9%
2016	7	4	0	100%	top 28%	95.1%	93.1%
2015	7	4	1	86%	top 31%	94.8%	92.8%
2014	2	0	0	50%	top 47%	91.4%	90.3%
2013	1	0	0	0%	top 83%	86.7%	86.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 20, 2019	Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	26 / 54 (666.6968)	29 (166.2400)	37 (163.3828)	17 (170.2628)	25 (166.8112)
Jun 21, 2019	Ribs on the River 🏅 Louisiana, MO	12 / 26 (674.7540)	10 (169.7028)	4 (173.7256)	19 (162.8000)	11 (168.5256)
May 31, 2019	Up In Smoke on the Square 🏅 Lincoln, IL	16 / 36 (664.4456)	15 (168)	19 (164.5256)	30 (159.3716)	4 (172.5484)
Oct 12, 2018	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	9 / 45 (672.4456)	18 (167.9656)	30 (157.6572)	1 (180)	19 (166.8228)
Sep 21, 2018	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	25 / 59 (678.7772)	38 (165.1200)	23 (170.8344)	26 (169.1200)	9 (173.7028)
Jun 1, 2018	Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) Lincoln, IL	11 / 40 (655.3488)	22 (161.6800)	14 (163.9428)	20 (159.9888)	2 (169.7372)
Apr 27, 2018	Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	15 / 38 (661.5768)	18 (166.8228)	27 (159.9656)	8 (170.8228)	18 (163.9656)
Feb 23, 2018	Polar Bear BBQ Challenge Kingdom City, MO	15 / 29 (669.5656)	10 (173.1200)	17 (165.0972)	22 (161.6684)	9 (169.6800)
Oct 13, 2017	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	6 / 41 (679.8972)	14 (168.5488)	7 (170.8572)	16 (167.3712)	5 (173.1200)
Oct 6, 2017	Decatur's Smokin BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Decatur, IL	4 / 30 (679.8740)	9 (171.9656)	7 (169.7028)	20 (166.2400)	6 (171.9656)
Sep 22, 2017	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	15 / 55 (682.7768)	30 (166.2628)	8 (176)	9 (171.9656)	18 (168.5484)
Aug 18, 2017	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO	3 / 43 (682.7884)	3 (174.2972)	1 (177.7028)	15 (166.8228)	10 (163.9656)
Jul 21, 2017	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	9 / 48 (654.6740)	30 (159.9428)	11 (163.9656)	25 (159.9428)	1 (170.8228)
Jun 30, 2017	Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ 2nd Annual Assumption, IL	7 / 16 (657.6000)	8 (167.4172)	4 (170.8228)	10 (164.5600)	13 (154.8000)
Jun 9, 2017	Beardstown Blues,Brews & Barbecue Beardstown, IL	5 / 24 (675.2796)	21 (159.9428)	1 (175.4172)	7 (170.2512)	7 (169.6684)
Jun 2, 2017	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	2 / 32 (693.6456)	5 (176.0116)	1 (174.2628)	12 (167.9656)	1 (175.4056)
May 5, 2017	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	7 / 29 (675.8744)	13 (167.3944)	12 (166.8228)	3 (175.4056)	11 (166.2516)
Oct 14, 2016	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Authur, IL	21 / 55 (663.8856)	18 (168.5372)	29 (165.1200)	50 (158.2284)	10 (172)
Sep 23, 2016	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	14 / 64 (681.6000)	19 (171.9772)	30 (166.2400)	33 (168.5256)	4 (174.8572)
Jul 22, 2016	EffingHAM Jam Effingham, IL	10 / 29 (659.2912)	21 (159.9656)	14 (162.8344)	5 (170.8112)	11 (165.6800)
Jun 24, 2016	Assumption Fest Smokin Hot BBQ Contest Assumption, IL	3 / 18 (684.4684)	5 (171.9772)	5 (169.6800)	4 (171.9656)	6 (170.8456)
Jun 3, 2016	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	8 / 52 (674.7428)	33 (163.9312)	14 (165.7028)	12 (169.6916)	3 (175.4172)
May 6, 2016	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	6 / 40 (679.9200)	14 (167.3828)	11 (170.8572)	3 (175.4172)	14 (166.2628)
Apr 15, 2016	Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	29 / 53 (650.7316)	46 (154.8000)	46 (151.9544)	11 (169.7028)	6 (174.2744)
Oct 9, 2015	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	8 / 48 (676.4568)	28 (163.4056)	11 (169.6800)	8 (171.9656)	6 (171.4056)
Sep 25, 2015	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	22 / 55 (666.8116)	37 (162.8572)	19 (168)	19 (170.2744)	24 (165.6800)
Jul 24, 2015	Effing-Ham-Jam State BBQ Championship Effingham, IL	8 / 18 (666.1944)	7 (169.1544)	9 (162.2744)	11 (160.5028)	4 (174.2628)
Jun 19, 2015	Knights of Columbus Quincy, IL	3 / 28 (682.7888)	21 (162.2516)	7 (170.2628)	5 (174.8572)	2 (175.4172)
Jun 5, 2015	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	5 / 40 (674.2172)	5 (173.1200)	7 (170.2744)	21 (162.2628)	9 (168.5600)
May 15, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour St. Charles, MO	18 / 30 (646.1368)	6 (171.9656)	22 (159.3828)	16 (159.3712)	19 (155.4172)
Apr 17, 2015	7th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	16 / 49 (662.1484)	1 (174.8456)	35 (157.0628)	23 (162.8572)	16 (167.3828)
Oct 10, 2014	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	21 / 37 (642.7204)	8 (169.1200)	21 (158.8460)	16 (161.0972)	30 (153.6572)
Aug 22, 2014	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	19 / 50 (658.2172)	27 (162.2628)	20 (165.6916)	23 (162.8800)	14 (167.3828)
Aug 23, 2013	Up In Smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	38 / 46 (624.4456)	25 (162.8572)	40 (148.5484)	32 (160.5372)	37 (152.5028)

PORK PARADISE

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 (17 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

Perfect scores on the board

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Brisket nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A June 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)