The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
SLO DOG Q has finished one call ahead of Saltworks BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Saltworks BBQ
Saltworks BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 9th of 33 at the Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship (2017). They are ranked #4241 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1478
peak 1500 · rated over 13 contests
Contests
13
in the data
First seen
Apr 6, 2013
latest Sep 20, 2019 · 6.5 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
2 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
8% of 13 contests
Avg finish
top 65%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
640.53
last 5 Master vs avg 640.69 (-0.15)
Walk rate
38%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±18.65
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 163.60 · weakest Brisket (156.55)
Road miles
915
across 13 mapped stops · furthest 115 mi
Schedule strength
44%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1558)
Purse competed for
$51K
listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 5 state-championship entries
Master avg
640.69 / 720
13 Master contests · 0 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1036 (247 pts) | #1004 (277 pts) | #975 (302 pts) | #1161 (227 pts) | #751 (437 pts) |
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Saltworks BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
144 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#4,239 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1478
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 12 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#4,233 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1478
Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#4,237 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 18%
- Peak
- 1502
They turned up 6 years after Saltworks BBQ did, first appearing in 2019.
⚔ Compare careers#4,232 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1510
Level with Saltworks BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#4,224 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 9%
- Peak
- 1504
Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#4,243 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 9%
- Peak
- 1478
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | 12 | 7 | 5 | 58% | ⚔ compare |
| PIRATES OF THE PIG | 12 | 1 | 11 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| The Smoking J's | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| Old Town Franklin BBQ | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokey and the Pirate | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Cynical BBQ | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| RBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| SON OF SMOKE | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| GIT-R-SMOKED | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| BONE RUBBIN BBQ | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| FLAME THROWER BBQ CO. | 7 | 6 | 1 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
| KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| BULL MARKET BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 172 | 148.5600 | 161.79 | top 59% |
| Pork Ribs | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 170.2856 | 147.9998 | 163.60 | top 49% |
| Pork | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 171.4284 | 150.2856 | 158.75 | top 67% |
| Brisket | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 176.0344 | 135.4282 | 156.55 | top 63% |
“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) | 9 | 0 | top 62% |
| Large (40+) | 4 | 0 | top 70% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship | 3 | 9 | 0 | top 47% | May 3, 2019 |
| Lassen Annual BBQ Cook-Off | 2 | 17 | 0 | top 65% | Aug 16, 2019 |
| Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship | 2 | 29 | 0 | top 71% | Apr 26, 2019 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2019
5 contests
Contests a season
3.3
across 4 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
CA
12 of 13 contests
Contests visited
9
3 of them more than once
Opponents faced
172
finished ahead 157 times, behind 278
Longest layoff
4.1 yrs
Apr 6, 2013 → May 5, 2017
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20193 milestones
- Career-best single call (Brisket)176.0344 Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship
- 10th tracked contest Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship
- Most recent contest 5th Annual Hot Q's & Cold Brews BBQ Championship
20181 milestone
- Career-best overall score658.7656 Wine Country Big Q Competition and Festival
20174 milestones
- First call Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship
- First overall top-10 Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.6000 Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship
- Peak power rating (1500) Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship
20131 milestone
- First tracked contest Kings of the Que BBQ Championship
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +11 | Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship | May 5, 2017 |
| +2 | Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship | May 4, 2018 |
| +1.8 | 4th Annual Hot Q's & Cold Brews BBQ Championship | Sep 14, 2018 |
| +0.8 | Wine Country Big Q Competition and Festival | Jul 6, 2018 |
| +0.1 | Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship | May 3, 2019 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10.9 | Kings of the Que BBQ Championship | Apr 6, 2013 |
| -7.6 | 5th Annual Hot Q's & Cold Brews BBQ Championship | Sep 20, 2019 |
| -7.4 | Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship | Apr 20, 2018 |
| -4 | Throwdown in the Vineyards | May 31, 2019 |
| -3.8 | Grills N Grills | Aug 25, 2017 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40% | top 70% | 91.1% | 89% |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20% | top 62% | 91.5% | 89.9% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 49% | 91.3% | 90.5% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 85% | 81.5% | 81.5% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2019 | 5th Annual Hot Q's & Cold Brews BBQ Championship 🏅 | 37 / 44 (637.6796) | 35 (159.9884) | 20 (168.0228) | 39 (154.8800) | 36 (154.7884) |
| Aug 16, 2019 | Lassen Annual BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Susanville, CA | 17 / 25 (634.8228) | 21 (148.5600) | 14 (161.1428) | 20 (157.1200) | 6 (168) |
| May 31, 2019 | Throwdown in the Vineyards 🏅 Murphy, CA | 15 / 20 (625.0172) | 15 (157.1088) | 11 (162.2512) | 16 (153.6800) | 15 (151.9772) |
| May 3, 2019 | Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship 🏅 Elk Grove, CA | 17 / 27 (655.9656) | 11 (169.1200) | 12 (168.0456) | 20 (159.9428) | 19 (158.8572) |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 29 / 48 (649.1772) | 36 (158.2856) | 23 (164.5716) | 39 (150.2856) | 2 (176.0344) |
| Sep 14, 2018 | 4th Annual Hot Q's & Cold Brews BBQ Championship Oroville, CA | 24 / 43 (656.4684) | 9 (172) | 18 (165.6800) | 33 (157.1200) | 22 (161.6684) |
| Aug 17, 2018 | Lassen Annual BBQ Cook-Off Susanville, CA | 17 / 27 (643.3488) | 11 (168.5372) | 13 (164.5828) | 23 (157.1200) | 22 (153.1088) |
| Jul 6, 2018 | Wine Country Big Q Competition and Festival Petaluma, CA | 22 / 38 (658.7656) | 16 (169.6684) | 17 (166.2744) | 12 (171.4284) | 28 (151.3944) |
| May 4, 2018 | Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship Elk Grove, CA | 18 / 35 (646.1372) | 12 (169.6684) | 16 (162.2744) | 18 (162.8000) | 23 (151.3944) |
| Apr 20, 2018 | Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship Lodi, CA | 39 / 48 (630.8116) | 44 (152.5716) | 30 (159.9656) | 40 (156.5372) | 27 (161.7372) |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Grills N Grills penn Valley, CA | 19 / 27 (646.2628) | 24 (157.1544) | 9 (170.2856) | 13 (162.8800) | 20 (155.9428) |
| May 5, 2017 | Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship Elk Grove, CA | 9 / 33 (657.6000) | 3 (171.4172) | 10 (165.7028) | 7 (165.6684) | 23 (154.8116) |
| Apr 6, 2013 | Kings of the Que BBQ Championship Woodland, CA | 28 / 33 (586.8564) | 27 (149.1428) | 27 (147.9998) | 22 (154.2856) | 30 (135.4282) |