Smokin' Joe's BBQ

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

Power ranking

#6103

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1425

peak 1425 · rated over 18 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-26

latest 2019-10-11

Best ToY finish

#1471

Master 2013

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 19 contests

Avg finish

top 72%

overall standings

Best overall

662.7888 / 720

Master · Jiggy With the Piggy

Perfect 180s

Current form

630.99 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 608.82 (+22.16)

Walk rate

37%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.1772

Pork Ribs · Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic

Consistency

±111.33

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 162.69 · weakest Brisket (150.45)

Road miles

9,877

mi across 18 mapped stops · furthest 1404 mi

Schedule strength

40%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1552)

Purse competed for

$39K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

608.82 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

342.29 / 360

1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs

Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is 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.

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 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

662.7888 career-best overall

92.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 662.7888 at Jiggy With the Piggy — 92.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
2016-05-06

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 62%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 62%

A tough matchup

12–1 behind in the head-to-head

PICKIN' PORKERS ahead in 92% of their meetings

PICKIN' PORKERS has come out ahead in 12 of their 13 shared contests.

The weak link

−12.2 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 12.24 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 32%.

Brisket avg 150.45
Pork Ribs avg 162.69
0 calls in 17 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BOBO'S QUE in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

8 of 13 shared pork ribs entries lost

PICKIN' PORKERS ahead 62% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, PICKIN' PORKERS has out-cooked them in 8 of 13 shared pork ribs entries.

Announced themselves early

2nd at their very first contest

Finished 2 of 15 at their very first tracked contest, Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY) ().

15-team field

Boom or bust

±15.23% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±15.23% 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 85.1% of a perfect score
best 95.1%

A June team

Top 53% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 53% across 3 contests, versus top 72% the rest of the year.

3 June contests
top 72% the rest of the year

The long haul

9,877 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 9,877 miles across 18 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,404 miles to Smokin' On the Pecos.

18 mapped stops
furthest 1,404 mi

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.

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

Smokin Bros BBQ

#6107 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1425

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Smokin' Joe's BBQ)

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2017-08-25

⚔ Head-to-head

Parra Q

#6109 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 16 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2022-04-08

⚔ Head-to-head

FRICKIN' CHICKIN BBQ

#6110 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1505

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 16 contests to 19, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2017-09-01

⚔ Head-to-head

DU-LITTLE BBQ

#6100 of the rated field

1425 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2021-04-23

⚔ Head-to-head

HEAVENLY HOGS BBQ COMPANY

#6108 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2018-05-12

⚔ Head-to-head

Big Blue BBQ

#6105 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

Level with Smokin' Joe's BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2024-10-30

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PICKIN' PORKERS	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKE BBQ-NC	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
FatHeads bbq	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
RECYCLED SMOKE	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN' SMOKE	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
WHO CARES BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
MIDNIGHT BURN	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BALONEY JOE'S BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
K & D SMOKERS	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	2	0	1	170.8688	145.6800	162.42	top 59%
Pork Ribs	19	6	1	1	177.1772	147.9204	162.69	top 52%
Pork	17	1	0	0	173.7028	141.0972	160.51	top 62%
Brisket	17	0	0	0	161.1656	131.4286	150.45	top 82%

“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	Avg finish
NC	13	top 75%
MI	2	top 82%
MN	2	top 85%
NM	1	top 43%
IA	1	top 13%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 13%
Medium (20–39)	4	top 87%
Large (40+)	14	top 71%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	5	24	top 79%	2019-09-20
Bordertown BBQ Brawl	2	18	top 82%	2019-07-19
BBQ Capital Cook-Off	2	52	top 89%	2015-04-24

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 6.5 yrs 2013-04-26 → 2019-10-11

Busiest season 2015 4 contests

Contests a season 2.4 across 8 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NC 13 of 19 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 13 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 19 entries · 1 win · 6 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 162.69 · weakest Brisket (150.45)

Walk rate 37% a top-10 call in 7 of 19 contests

Overall top-10 rate 5% 1 of 19 contests

Master average 608.82 out of 720 · 18 contests · 0 GCs

Backyard average 342.29 out of 360 · 1 contest · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 517 272–692 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 9,877 18 mapped stops · furthest 1,404 mi

Schedule strength 1552 average field rating faced — tougher than 40% of rated contests

Purse competed for $39,300 listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 3 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.3 yrs 2016-05-06 → 2017-08-25

Power rating 1425 peak 1425 · #6103 of 6,413 rated

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

First tracked contest Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
First call Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
First overall top-10 Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
First overall podium Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
First Reserve Championship Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
First overall past 90% of a perfect score342.2860 Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
2013
Jun 28 Peak power rating (1491) Smokin' On the Pecos
2015
Aug 28 10th tracked contest 8th Annual Big Island BBQ
2016
May 6 Career-best overall score662.7888 Jiggy With the Piggy
2017
Sep 15 First category win (Pork Ribs) Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic
Sep 15 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.1772 Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic
2019
Oct 11 Most recent contest Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+7	Jiggy With the Piggy	2016-05-06
+3.8	Smokin' On the Pecos	2013-06-28
+3.7	Peak City Pig Fest	2014-06-20

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.2	BBQ Capital Cook-Off	2013-04-26
-12.4	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	2013-09-20
-11.9	8th Annual Big Island BBQ	2015-08-28
-10.8	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	2019-10-11
-8.3	BBQ Capital Cook-Off	2015-04-24

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
—	1	1	0	100%	top 13%	95.1%	95.1%
2019	3	0	0	0%	top 90%	89.2%	86.3%
2018	2	0	0	100%	top 79%	90.9%	89.7%
2017	2	0	1	50%	top 71%	90.3%	89.3%
2016	1	0	0	100%	top 42%	92.1%	92.1%
2015	4	0	0	25%	top 80%	90.8%	72.2%
2014	3	0	0	0%	top 62%	90.4%	89.4%
2013	3	0	0	33%	top 76%	88%	85.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-10-11	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	32 / 32 (581.0744)	30 (153.1200)	29 (150.2628)	32 (141.0972)	32 (136.5944)
2019-09-20	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic 🏅 Salisbury, NC	45 / 56 (640.5032)	47 (157.1316)	36 (163.4288)	39 (159.3712)	38 (160.5716)
2019-07-19	Bordertown BBQ Brawl 🏅 Sault Ste Marie, MI	25 / 28 (642.2172)	23 (158.8116)	26 (155.3600)	18 (166.8800)	21 (161.1656)
2018-09-14	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	24 / 29 (636.9944)	9 (169.1200)	4 (176.0000)	29 (146.2628)	28 (145.6116)
2018-08-17	*Bordertown BBQ Brawl Sault Ste Marie, MI	18 / 24 (654.1368)	17 (163.4172)	5 (171.4056)	18 (161.1200)	20 (158.1940)
2017-09-15	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	45 / 63 (650.1716)	41 (165.6800)	1 (177.1772)	62 (151.9316)	48 (155.3828)
2017-08-25	10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	40 / 56 (635.3036)	19 (170.8688)	53 (147.9204)	20 (166.8572)	42 (149.6572)
2016-05-06	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	32 / 76 (662.7888)	24 (170.2860)	8 (174.3200)	27 (166.8228)	66 (151.3600)
2015-09-18	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	40 / 59 (653.6000)	28 (166.2628)	38 (159.9544)	7 (173.7028)	47 (153.6800)
2015-08-28	8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	54 / 55 (157.1200)	—	42 (157.1200)	—	—
2015-06-19	Peak City Pigfest Apex, NC	31 / 45 (640.4460)	19 (165.6800)	41 (148.5372)	13 (167.4172)	32 (158.8116)
2015-04-24	BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC	52 / 60 (629.4744)	54 (156.5144)	39 (161.6572)	45 (162.2400)	55 (149.0628)
2014-09-19	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally Salisbury, NC	46 / 64 (648.4456)	39 (165.7028)	28 (166.2744)	42 (161.1084)	56 (155.3600)
2014-06-20	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	22 / 48 (650.7312)	15 (168.5484)	11 (168.5716)	32 (160.5256)	36 (153.0856)
2014-04-25	BBQ Capital Cookoff Lexington, NC	42 / 62 (631.9200)	51 (155.3944)	31 (160.5600)	48 (157.1084)	29 (158.8572)
2013-09-20	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	67 / 72 (610.1712)	69 (145.6800)	59 (155.9656)	37 (166.2512)	70 (142.2744)
2013-06-28	Smokin' On the Pecos Artesia, NM	30 / 70 (633.7136)	15 (167.4284)	10 (168.5712)	26 (161.1426)	59 (136.5714)
2013-04-26	BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC	65 / 71 (599.9998)	56 (154.2856)	45 (155.4286)	49 (158.8570)	70 (131.4286)
	Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY) Bancroft, IA	2 / 15 (342.2860)	2 (169.7144)	4 (172.5716)	—	—

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
2019 ↗	Master	#2564 (53 pts)	#2043 (63 pts)	#2565 (53 pts)	#1858 (88 pts)	#1933 (73 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2010 (88 pts)	#1920 (123 pts)	#1740 (143 pts)	#2525 (73 pts)	#2494 (73 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1471 (150 pts)	#1336 (200 pts)	#1271 (225 pts)	#1560 (150 pts)	#1506 (150 pts)