Pig in a Poke

Pig in a Poke is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2021. Their best overall finish is 5th of 29 at the Smokin' in the Ville (2015). They are ranked #4631 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,631

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1470

peak 1522 · rated over 19 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 15, 2013

latest Mar 19, 2021 · 8 years on the trail

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

5% of 19 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

685.7028 / 720

Master · Smokin' in the Ville

Perfect 180s

Current form

616.60 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 641.77 (-25.16)

Walk rate

47%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176

Pork · Smokin' in the Ville

Consistency

±24.56

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 163.73 · weakest Brisket (156.07)

Road miles

4,800

across 19 mapped stops · furthest 952 mi

Schedule strength

36%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1548)

Purse competed for

$78K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

641.77 / 720

19 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

685.7028 career-best overall

95.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 685.7028 at Smokin' in the Ville — 95.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 24, 2015

A tough matchup

8–3 behind in the head-to-head

2 DRUNK 2 QUE ahead in 73% of their meetings

2 DRUNK 2 QUE has come out ahead in 8 of their 11 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.7 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.66 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 5% of the time against 26%.

Brisket avg 156.07
Chicken avg 163.73
1 call in 19 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN ZEKE'S BBQ in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

8 of 8 shared chicken entries lost

913 BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 913 BBQ has out-cooked them in 8 of 8 shared chicken entries.

Boom or bust

±12.99% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±12.99% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 86.3% of a perfect score
best 95.2%

An April team

Top 49% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 49% across 3 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 60% the rest of the year

Show 1 more storyline

The long haul

4,800 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,800 miles across 19 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 952 miles to Great Southern Tailgate Cook-off.

19 mapped stops
furthest 952 mi

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Pig in a Poke, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BUBBA AND THE BOYS BARBEQUE

#4,649 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1470

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to Pig in a Poke)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Pig in a Poke has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 10, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

Beantown Smokers

#4,633 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1500

They've been 1500 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Aug 9, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

PURPLE SHADOW

#4,647 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1534

Careers of much the same size, 19 contests to 19, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKIN' S'WINE

#4,644 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1515

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 4 years before Pig in a Poke's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 16 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Serial Grillers

#4,642 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1470

25 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 4% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Jun 6, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

MO BBQ

#4,637 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1501

Level with Pig in a Poke on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jun 30, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
2 DRUNK 2 QUE	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Three Brothers Different Mothers	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Fergolicious BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
MAD HOGS AND AN ENGLISHMAN	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
SMOOTH SMOKE	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
DUSTY ROADS BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
Wildhouse BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
99 PROBLEMS SMOKIN AINT 1	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	19	5	1	174.8800	148	163.73	top 58%
Pork Ribs	19	3	0	172	146.8000	160.79	top 58%
Pork	19	3	1	176	140.5372	161.18	top 59%
Brisket	19	1	0	170.2860	141.6572	156.07	top 70%

“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)	8	0	top 56%
Large (40+)	11	0	top 64%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KS	13	top 63%
MO	2	top 63%
FL	1	top 57%
KY	1	top 55%
NC	1	top 40%
TN	1	top 55%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin on Oak	3	17	0	top 64%	Aug 18, 2017
Smokin' in the Ville	2	5	0	top 29%	Apr 29, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 5 contests

Contests a season 2.1 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 13 of 19 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 16 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,067 finished ahead 523 times, behind 1,143

Longest layoff 1 yrs Apr 24, 2015 → Apr 29, 2016

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

20211 milestone

Mar 19 Most recent contest 3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship

20161 milestone

Apr 29 Peak power rating (1522) Smokin' in the Ville

20154 milestones

Apr 24 First overall top-10 Smokin' in the Ville
Apr 24 10th tracked contest Smokin' in the Ville
Apr 24 Career-best overall score685.7028 Smokin' in the Ville
Apr 24 Career-best single call (Pork)176 Smokin' in the Ville

20133 milestones

Mar 15 First tracked contest NKC MO State BBQ Championship
Jul 19 First call Smokin the Valley Blueberry Festival and Bar-B-Que Cook-Off
Jul 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.0516 Smokin the Valley Blueberry Festival and Bar-B-Que Cook-Off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.3	Smokin' in the Ville	Apr 24, 2015
+9.7	Balloons & BBQ Festival at Kansas Speedway	Aug 8, 2014
+5.3	Smokin' in the Ville	Apr 29, 2016
+5.1	WNC Barbeque Festival	Jul 26, 2013
+3.1	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST	Sep 12, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.6	2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship	Mar 13, 2020
-11	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 15, 2018
-10	The G Town Smokin Showdown	Apr 28, 2017
-9.5	3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship	Mar 19, 2021
-7	Smoke On the Trails	Sep 29, 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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2021	1	0	0%	top 94%	85.5%	85.5%
2020	1	0	0%	top 99%	82.4%	82.4%
2019	1	0	0%	top 29%	31.5%	31.5%
2018	1	0	0%	top 95%	83%	83%
2017	3	0	33%	top 76%	90.2%	88%
2016	2	0	50%	top 55%	92.3%	90.5%
2015	1	1	100%	top 17%	95.2%	95.2%
2014	5	0	80%	top 52%	94.1%	90.5%
2013	4	0	50%	top 53%	92.4%	90.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Mar 19, 2021	3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	66 / 70 (615.9088)	57 (161.1088)	57 (157.1544)	66 (152.5600)	69 (145.0856)
Mar 13, 2020	2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	67 / 68 (593.0748)	63 (154.8572)	62 (153.1432)	68 (140.5372)	66 (144.5372)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	136 / 468 (170.2628)	309 (161.7028)	188 (166.8460)	237 (165.1428)	418 (149.0972)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	442 / 467 (597.5656)	403 (155.9884)	439 (146.8000)	404 (153.1200)	443 (141.6572)
Sep 29, 2017	Smoke On the Trails Gardner, KS	51 / 64 (633.6688)	36 (162.8344)	47 (156.5600)	51 (157.0972)	46 (157.1772)
Aug 18, 2017	Smokin on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	17 / 28 (649.0972)	21 (159.4172)	20 (161.6800)	16 (165.6684)	18 (162.3316)
Apr 28, 2017	The G Town Smokin Showdown Garnett, KS	24 / 27 (618.8116)	20 (158.2972)	25 (147.3828)	10 (169.7372)	25 (143.3944)
Aug 26, 2016	Smokin' On Oak Bonner Springs, KS	26 / 37 (638.2168)	15 (168.6172)	21 (162.2856)	36 (151.9312)	27 (155.3828)
Apr 29, 2016	Smokin' in the Ville Edwardsville, KS	12 / 30 (664.5260)	12 (169.1312)	11 (169.1316)	22 (155.9772)	8 (170.2860)
Apr 24, 2015	Smokin' in the Ville Edwardsville, KS	5 / 29 (685.7028)	8 (173.1428)	7 (172)	2 (176)	15 (164.5600)
Aug 22, 2014	Great Southern Tailgate Cook-off Amelia Island, FL	23 / 40 (660.4228)	34 (162.8112)	8 (171.9772)	24 (163.9772)	29 (161.6572)
Aug 22, 2014	Smokin' on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	18 / 30 (641.5540)	7 (170.8228)	23 (155.9544)	29 (154.2512)	17 (160.5256)
Aug 8, 2014	Balloons & BBQ Festival at Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS	15 / 53 (677.2116)	9 (174.2972)	22 (166.8572)	11 (169.7600)	21 (166.2972)
Mar 28, 2014	Grills Gone Wild BBQ Festival London, KY	23 / 42 (647.9200)	26 (165.1772)	7 (171.4056)	30 (161.0856)	35 (150.2516)
Mar 14, 2014	NKC MO State Championship BBQ 🏅 N. Kansas City, MO	37 / 61 (630.2056)	37 (157.1428)	26 (161.1200)	31 (159.3828)	43 (152.5600)
Oct 18, 2013	Autumn Blaze BBQ Smoke Off State Championship Contest 🏅 Garnett, KS	13 / 25 (652.4568)	3 (174.8800)	20 (151.3600)	13 (166.2512)	13 (159.9656)
Jul 26, 2013	WNC Barbeque Festival Maggie Valley, NC	19 / 48 (661.0860)	37 (162.8688)	13 (166.8344)	20 (165.6800)	20 (165.7028)
Jul 19, 2013	Smokin the Valley Blueberry Festival and Bar-B-Que Cook-Off Unicoi, TN	11 / 20 (665.0516)	7 (169.7028)	12 (163.9544)	6 (169.7028)	15 (161.6916)
Mar 15, 2013	NKC MO State BBQ Championship N. Kansas City, MO	52 / 79 (618.2858)	68 (148)	57 (152.5716)	17 (164.5716)	57 (153.1426)

Pig in a Poke

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

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

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Boom or bust

An April team

The long haul

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)