A tough matchup
4–0
behind in the head-to-head
COOL HAND QUE ahead in 100% of their meetings
COOL HAND QUE has come out ahead in 4 of their 4 shared contests.
Smokin J's BBQ
Smokin J's BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 20 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 18th of 21 at the B-Dale BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (2022). They are ranked #6358 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Smokin' J's BBQ” and “SMOKIN J'S BBQ - GA”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1400
peak 1400 · rated over 14 contests
Contests
20
in the data
First seen
Oct 17, 2014
latest May 12, 2023 · 8.6 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
2 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
0% of 20 contests
Avg finish
top 83%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
617.25 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 626.81 (-9.56)
Walk rate
10%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±28.91
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 159.20 · weakest Brisket (152.63)
Road miles
11,877
across 20 mapped stops · furthest 2,466 mi
Schedule strength
42%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1555)
Purse competed for
$71K
listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 8 state-championship entries
Master avg
626.81 / 720
12 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
309.93 / 360
2 Backyard contests · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Smokin J's BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
#6,357 of the rated field
- Contests
- 28
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 4%
- Peak
- 1401
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smokin J's BBQ)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Smokin J's BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#6,352 of the rated field
- Contests
- 39
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 3%
- Peak
- 1502
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smokin J's BBQ)
They've been 1502 at their best, 101 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#6,356 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1401
Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 6 years before Smokin J's BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#6,354 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 5%
- Peak
- 1401
Careers of much the same size, 19 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#6,353 of the rated field
- Contests
- 25
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1401
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 25 contests, alongside a 8% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#6,355 of the rated field
- Contests
- 48
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 2%
- Peak
- 1401
Level with Smokin J's BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersBy meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 175.4056 | 138.2400 | 159.20 | top 68% |
| Pork Ribs | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 177.7144 | 142.3200 | 158.93 | top 73% |
| Pork | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 169.1428 | 146.8000 | 157.87 | top 84% |
| Brisket | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 165.1088 | 139.4172 | 152.63 | top 81% |
“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) | 7 | 0 | top 91% |
| Large (40+) | 7 | 0 | top 75% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) | 2 | 29 | 0 | top 97% | Apr 22, 2023 |
| The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival | 2 | 26 | 0 | top 100% | Oct 8, 2021 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2023
6 contests
Contests a season
2.5
across 8 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
MN
6 of 20 contests · 8 states in all
Contests visited
12
2 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
17 entries · 1 win · 1 call
Opponents faced
591
finished ahead 140 times, behind 639
Longest layoff
2.1 yrs
Aug 25, 2017 → Oct 11, 2019
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20234 milestones
- First call Break Up Shake Up BBQ Contest (ONE MEAT RIBS)
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Break Up Shake Up BBQ Contest (ONE MEAT RIBS)
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.7144 Break Up Shake Up BBQ Contest (ONE MEAT RIBS)
- Most recent contest Minnesota in May
20211 milestone
- 10th tracked contest The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival
20144 milestones
- First tracked contest Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score662.2512 Mid-South Barbecue Festival
- Career-best overall score662.2512 Mid-South Barbecue Festival
- Peak power rating (1496) Mid-South Barbecue Festival
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +2.5 | Bixby BBQ'N Blues Festival | May 6, 2016 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.4 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival | Oct 11, 2019 |
| -10.7 | Chillin & Grillin | Apr 8, 2016 |
| -10.6 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival | Oct 8, 2021 |
| -9.8 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) | Apr 21, 2023 |
| -9.2 | Minnesota in May (Backyard) | May 13, 2022 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 33% | top 95% | 87.9% | 83.2% |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 88% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 81% | 91.3% | 89.5% |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 73% | 91.4% | 91.4% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 100% | 90.5% | 90.5% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 77% | 87.9% | 85.5% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 71% | 88.3% | 85.6% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 69% | 92% | 92% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2023 | Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN | 54 / 59 (633.0856) | 26 (170.8228) | 41 (164.0228) | 55 (158.8228) | 58 (139.4172) |
| May 12, 2023 | Minnesota in May (One Meat Ribs) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 30 (163.4284) | — | — |
| Apr 29, 2023 | Break Up Shake Up BBQ Contest (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Palmer, AK | — | 3 (175.4056) | — | — | — |
| Apr 29, 2023 | Break Up Shake Up BBQ Contest (ONE MEAT RIBS) Palmer, AK | — | — | 1 (177.7144) | — | — |
| Apr 22, 2023 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 29 / 30 (593.0628) | 30 (138.2400) | 30 (142.8228) | 27 (159.4172) | 27 (152.5828) |
| Apr 21, 2023 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 35 / 36 (570.7544) | 36 (141.0972) | 36 (142.3200) | 34 (146.8000) | 35 (140.5372) |
| Aug 5, 2022 | B-Dale BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) Roseville, MN | 18 / 21 (308.4800) | 19 (146.8228) | 13 (161.6572) | — | — |
| May 13, 2022 | Minnesota in May (Backyard) Cambridge, MN | 34 / 38 (311.3828) | 33 (153.6800) | 28 (157.7028) | — | — |
| May 13, 2022 | Minnesota in May (One Meat Ribs) Cambridge, MN | — | — | 29 (157.6684) | — | — |
| May 13, 2022 | Minnesota in May (Masters) 🏅 Cambridge, MN | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 8, 2021 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lyons, GA | 26 / 26 (631.7828) | 22 (163.3944) | 26 (153.6800) | 21 (163.3828) | 24 (151.3256) |
| Mar 5, 2021 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 51 / 81 (657.5544) | 56 (163.9428) | 47 (165.1200) | 61 (163.3828) | 48 (165.1088) |
| Jul 31, 2020 | Hawgin On Lanier 🏅 Cumming, GA | 40 / 55 (658.1488) | 20 (172.0116) | 42 (162.2400) | 46 (164.5256) | 48 (159.3716) |
| Oct 11, 2019 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lyons, GA | 27 / 27 (651.8400) | 26 (163.9428) | 27 (156.5144) | 13 (169.1428) | 24 (162.2400) |
| Aug 25, 2017 | East Central State BBQ Cook-Off, Paola Roots Festival Paola, KS | 40 / 57 (632.9944) | 29 (161.0972) | 15 (169.1200) | 51 (154.2628) | 52 (148.5144) |
| May 19, 2017 | Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY | 34 / 41 (598.0800) | 36 (147.3600) | 27 (150.8000) | 32 (151.3828) | 24 (148.5372) |
| May 6, 2016 | Bixby BBQ'N Blues Festival Bixby, OK | 40 / 83 (635.8060) | 18 (170.8228) | 45 (161.0972) | 70 (150.8116) | 52 (153.0744) |
| Apr 8, 2016 | Chillin & Grillin Sand Springs, OK | 40 / 43 (596.3428) | 41 (145.0856) | 40 (148.5144) | 40 (154.8000) | 35 (147.9428) |
| Oct 17, 2014 | Mid-South Barbecue Festival Mount Pleasant, TN | 24 / 35 (662.2512) | 12 (174.2856) | 19 (167.3828) | 34 (157.7028) | 22 (162.8800) |
| Jul 25, 2014 | Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash Cleveland, TN | — | — | — | — | — |