Smokin' Joe's BBQ

Smokin' Joe's BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 15 at the Bourbon, Brews & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) (), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #6158 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “SMOKIN JOE'S BBQ”.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#6,158

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1425

peak 1425 · rated over 18 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 26, 2013

latest Oct 11, 2019 · 6.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1471

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

5% 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

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 162.69 · weakest Brisket (150.45)

Road miles

9,877

across 18 mapped stops · furthest 1,404 mi

Schedule strength

40%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1553)

Purse competed for

$39K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

608.82 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

342.29 / 360

1 Backyard contest · 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.

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

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
May 6, 2016

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

Show 3 more storylines

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

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	#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)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Smokin' Joe's BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Parra Q

#6,162 of the rated field

1425 power rating

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

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 Apr 8, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Hog Wash

#6,160 of the rated field

1425 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1425

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jul 19, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

DU-LITTLE BBQ

#6,156 of the rated field

1425 power rating

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

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Apr 23, 2021

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HEAVENLY HOGS BBQ COMPANY

#6,161 of the rated field

1425 power rating

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

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen May 12, 2018

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Big Blue BBQ

#6,163 of the rated field

1425 power rating

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

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 Oct 30, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

BBQ De Reizende Mannen

#6,154 of the rated field

1426 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1426

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 12 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Nov 30, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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 field size and state

By contest size

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

By state / province (where the contests were held)

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

Repeat visits (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%	Sep 20, 2019
Bordertown BBQ Brawl	2	18	top 82%	Jul 19, 2019
BBQ Capital Cook-Off	2	52	top 89%	Apr 24, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 4 contests

Contests a season 2.4 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in NC 13 of 19 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 13 3 of them more than once

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

Opponents faced 513 finished ahead 272 times, behind 692

Longest layoff 1.3 yrs May 6, 2016 → Aug 25, 2017

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

20191 milestone

Oct 11 Most recent contest Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down

20172 milestones

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

20161 milestone

May 6 Career-best overall score662.7888 Jiggy With the Piggy

20151 milestone

Aug 28 10th tracked contest 8th Annual Big Island BBQ

20131 milestone

Jun 28 Peak power rating (1491) Smokin' On the Pecos

—6 milestones

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)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+7	Jiggy With the Piggy	May 6, 2016
+3.8	Smokin' On the Pecos	Jun 28, 2013
+3.7	Peak City Pig Fest	Jun 20, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.2	BBQ Capital Cook-Off	Apr 26, 2013
-12.3	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	Sep 20, 2013
-11.9	8th Annual Big Island BBQ	Aug 28, 2015
-10.8	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	Oct 11, 2019
-8.3	BBQ Capital Cook-Off	Apr 24, 2015

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	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
Oct 11, 2019	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	32 / 32 (581.0744)	30 (153.1200)	29 (150.2628)	32 (141.0972)	32 (136.5944)
Sep 20, 2019	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)
Jul 19, 2019	Bordertown BBQ Brawl 🏅 Sault Ste Marie, MI	25 / 28 (642.2172)	23 (158.8116)	26 (155.3600)	18 (166.8800)	21 (161.1656)
Sep 14, 2018	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	24 / 29 (636.9944)	9 (169.1200)	4 (176)	29 (146.2628)	28 (145.6116)
Aug 17, 2018	Bordertown BBQ Brawl Sault Ste Marie, MI	18 / 24 (654.1368)	17 (163.4172)	5 (171.4056)	18 (161.1200)	20 (158.1940)
Sep 15, 2017	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)
Aug 25, 2017	10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	40 / 56 (635.3036)	19 (170.8688)	53 (147.9204)	20 (166.8572)	42 (149.6572)
May 6, 2016	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	32 / 76 (662.7888)	24 (170.2860)	8 (174.3200)	27 (166.8228)	66 (151.3600)
Sep 18, 2015	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)
Aug 28, 2015	8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	54 / 55 (157.1200)	—	42 (157.1200)	—	—
Jun 19, 2015	Peak City Pigfest Apex, NC	31 / 45 (640.4460)	19 (165.6800)	41 (148.5372)	13 (167.4172)	32 (158.8116)
Apr 24, 2015	BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC	52 / 60 (629.4744)	54 (156.5144)	39 (161.6572)	45 (162.2400)	55 (149.0628)
Sep 19, 2014	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)
Jun 20, 2014	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	22 / 48 (650.7312)	15 (168.5484)	11 (168.5716)	32 (160.5256)	36 (153.0856)
Apr 25, 2014	BBQ Capital Cookoff Lexington, NC	42 / 62 (631.9200)	51 (155.3944)	31 (160.5600)	48 (157.1084)	29 (158.8572)
Sep 20, 2013	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)
Jun 28, 2013	Smokin' On the Pecos Artesia, NM	30 / 70 (633.7136)	15 (167.4284)	10 (168.5712)	26 (161.1426)	59 (136.5714)
Apr 26, 2013	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)	—	—

Smokin' Joe's BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

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

Backyard avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork Ribs nemesis

Announced themselves early

Boom or bust

A June team

The long haul

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 — 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)