Burn Barrel BBQ

Burn Barrel BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 36 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 27 at the Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off (2018). They are ranked #1228 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,228

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1584

peak 1616 · rated over 34 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 17, 2015

latest Apr 3, 2026 · 11 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#201

Backyard 2026 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

17% of 36 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 45%

overall standings

Best overall

690.1944 / 720

Master · Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

679.19 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 667.34 (+11.85)

Walk rate

75%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Chicken · BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard)

Consistency

±13.14

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.76 · weakest Brisket (165.63)

Road miles

6,894

across 36 mapped stops · furthest 971 mi

Schedule strength

74%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1594)

Purse competed for

$155K

listed at 18 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 19 state-championship entries

Master avg

667.34 / 720

32 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

337.37 / 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.

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in chicken.

Chicken ×1

They almost always walk

75% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 27 of 36 contests

A top-10 category call in 75% of their 36 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

690.1944 career-best overall

95.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 690.1944 at Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival — 95.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 19, 2023

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ has finished one call ahead of Burn Barrel BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 31%.

9 contests
3 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 31%

A tough matchup

19–1 behind in the head-to-head

Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit ahead in 95% of their meetings

Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit has come out ahead in 19 of their 20 shared contests.

The comeback

2.4 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.4 years, then back at American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest (Mar 20, 2026).

last seen Nov 3, 2023
back Mar 20, 2026

Show 5 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

16 of 21 shared chicken entries lost

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ ahead 76% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ has out-cooked them in 16 of 21 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BIG DOG BBQ VA has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 24% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 24% across 4 contests, versus top 45% the rest of the year.

4 May contests
top 45% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,894 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,894 miles across 36 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 971 miles to American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest.

36 mapped stops
furthest 971 mi

The metronome

±2.21% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.21% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.5% of a perfect score
36 contests

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
2026 ↗	Backyard	#201 (173 pts)	#217 (168 pts)	#201 (203 pts)	—	—
2024 ↗	Master	#1073 (86 pts)	#1131 (91 pts)	#1230 (81 pts)	#883 (141 pts)	#1029 (106 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#429 (460 pts)	#392 (575 pts)	#402 (615 pts)	#390 (550 pts)	#339 (640 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#679 (258 pts)	#600 (338 pts)	#778 (243 pts)	#573 (353 pts)	#691 (268 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#703 (205 pts)	#805 (180 pts)	#593 (310 pts)	#1043 (115 pts)	#539 (345 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#819 (355 pts)	#874 (350 pts)	#745 (445 pts)	#678 (495 pts)	#1203 (205 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#902 (335 pts)	#862 (385 pts)	#1007 (315 pts)	#823 (415 pts)	#907 (355 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1565 (155 pts)	#1580 (170 pts)	#1183 (280 pts)	#1799 (120 pts)	#1246 (245 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Burn Barrel BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Needs More Cowbell BBQ

#1,230 of the rated field

1584 power rating

Contests: 41
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 34%
Peak: 1591

Careers of much the same size, 41 contests to 36, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 39 contests
last seen Apr 25, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

HARLAN CO. COAL BURNERS

#1,231 of the rated field

1584 power rating

Contests: 55
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1588

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 7 years before Burn Barrel BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 55 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Gardenvalley Smokers

#1,226 of the rated field

1584 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1606

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 20 contests, alongside a 40% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Mar 1, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Loose Cannon BBQ

#1,225 of the rated field

1584 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 68%
Peak: 1584

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 Sep 15, 2023
on a 10-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Sticky Bones BBQ

#1,232 of the rated field

1583 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 73%
Peak: 1590

They turned up 6 years after Burn Barrel BBQ did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Jul 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Team Chupacabra

#1,229 of the rated field

1584 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1584

Level with Burn Barrel BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Oct 30, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	21	3	18	14%	⚔ compare
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
BIG DOG BBQ VA	16	14	2	88%	⚔ compare
CHUNKY BBQ	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
Top Gun Barbecue	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
SMOKECRAFT - MD	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	12	4	8	33%	⚔ compare
3N1 Q	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
CHOCK FULL OF BARBEQUE	10	10	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	12	0	2	180 🔥	162.2516	168.76	top 43%
Pork Ribs	34	9	0	2	176.5828	147.9316	166.44	top 44%
Pork	32	12	0	2	176.5600	153.0972	166.64	top 44%
Brisket	32	11	3	4	178.3200	153.0744	165.63	top 45%

“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)	2	top 72%
Medium (20–39)	12	top 45%
Large (40+)	21	top 43%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
VA	17	top 48%
PA	8	top 32%
NC	5	top 44%
MO	2	top 75%
NJ	2	top 47%
IA	1	top 50%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	4	14	top 42%	Mar 25, 2023
New Holland Summer Fest	3	11	top 26%	Aug 27, 2021
Currituck Bulls & BBQ	2	8	top 47%	Nov 5, 2021
Twin Valley Fire and Smoke	2	12	top 29%	May 17, 2019
Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition	2	5	top 24%	Apr 26, 2019
Que by the Sea	2	18	top 47%	Sep 22, 2018
Que for the Troops	2	24	top 43%	Jun 1, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 9 contests

Contests a season 4 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in VA 18 of 36 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 25 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 733 finished ahead 871 times, behind 786

Longest layoff 2.4 yrs Nov 3, 2023 → Mar 20, 2026

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

20261 milestone

Apr 3 Most recent contest Iowa State BBQ Championship

20232 milestones

Mar 24 First perfect 180 (Chicken) BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard)
May 19 Career-best overall score690.1944 Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival

20213 milestones

Jun 11 First category win (Brisket) BBQ Jamboree
Aug 27 Peak power rating (1616) New Holland Summer Fest
Nov 5 25th tracked contest Currituck Bulls & BBQ

20181 milestone

Jun 1 10th tracked contest Que for the Troops

20173 milestones

Jun 2 First call Que for the Troops
Oct 6 First overall top-10 Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic
Oct 6 First overall podium Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic

20152 milestones

Apr 17 First tracked contest 2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition
Apr 17 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0852 2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.8	Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic	Oct 6, 2017
+14.3	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition	Apr 27, 2018
+13.4	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off	May 18, 2018
+10.1	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	Jun 15, 2018
+9.4	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival	May 19, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.1	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard)	Mar 25, 2022
-6.1	Currituck Bulls and BBQ	Nov 3, 2023
-4.8	Americamps BBQ Masters Throwdown Day 2	Aug 12, 2023
-4.7	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard)	Mar 24, 2023
-3.9	18th Annual Recovery Fest and 12th Annual KCBS BBQ Cookoff	Sep 9, 2022

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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)
2026	2	0	0	0%	top 52%	94.1%	93.7%
2023	6	1	1	83%	top 60%	95.9%	94.3%
2022	3	0	0	33%	top 69%	93.7%	93.4%
2021	4	0	2	100%	top 46%	94.4%	93.4%
2020	2	1	0	50%	top 62%	95.5%	90.1%
2019	5	0	0	100%	top 39%	93.2%	92.2%
2018	9	3	0	78%	top 31%	94.7%	91.8%
2017	4	1	0	100%	top 37%	94.8%	91.9%
2015	1	0	0	0%	top 48%	90.2%	90.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 3, 2026	Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA	21 / 42 (335.9428)	28 (166.2628)	13 (169.6800)	—	—
Mar 20, 2026	American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO	18 / 33 (338.7884)	15 (170.8228)	20 (167.9656)	—	—
Nov 3, 2023	Currituck Bulls and BBQ 🏅 Powells Point, NC	17 / 21 (668.4000)	16 (166.2400)	18 (162.8000)	8 (171.9772)	13 (167.3828)
Aug 12, 2023	Americamps BBQ Masters Throwdown Day 2 🏅 Ashland, VA	21 / 26 (678.7428)	21 (168.5372)	22 (167.9772)	11 (171.4172)	18 (170.8112)
May 19, 2023	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC	7 / 25 (690.1944)	15 (168.5256)	4 (173.1316)	11 (170.8228)	1 (177.7144)
Apr 29, 2023	Revolutionary BBQ Brawl - Battle on the James (Day 2) 🏅 Williamsburg, VA	14 / 19 (676.4456)	17 (166.2400)	9 (173.1316)	15 (166.2284)	6 (170.8456)
Mar 25, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	22 / 46 (682.1600)	39 (166.2400)	9 (174.2628)	8 (175.4172)	31 (166.2400)
Mar 24, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	26 / 53 (678.1716)	2 (180)	22 (171.9772)	27 (169.1200)	47 (157.0744)
Sep 9, 2022	18th Annual Recovery Fest and 12th Annual KCBS BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Hanover, VA	12 / 17 (674.7312)	10 (172.5600)	12 (168.5372)	3 (176.5600)	17 (157.0740)
Mar 25, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	36 / 53 (670.7772)	20 (172.5600)	40 (164.5372)	42 (165.6800)	27 (168)
Mar 25, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) (One Meat Chicken) Urbanna, VA	—	—	—	—	—
Nov 5, 2021	Currituck Bulls & BBQ 🏅 Powells Point, NC	17 / 26 (678.1716)	9 (171.9772)	20 (166.2516)	20 (167.9772)	10 (171.9656)
Aug 27, 2021	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	11 / 44 (666.1712)	10 (171.4056)	24 (157.6572)	20 (163.9428)	1 (173.1656)
Jun 11, 2021	BBQ Jamboree 🏅 Fredericksburg, VA	18 / 30 (665.0512)	21 (163.9656)	11 (168.5372)	28 (154.2284)	1 (178.3200)
Mar 27, 2021	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	14 / 40 (679.3368)	16 (170.8228)	5 (176.5828)	31 (165.6684)	24 (166.2628)
Nov 6, 2020	Currituck Bulls & BBQ 🏅 Powells Point, NC	8 / 28 (687.3256)	3 (176.5600)	4 (171.9772)	15 (169.1200)	11 (169.6684)
Apr 6, 2020	Socially Distanced Smoking - Brisket presented by The BBQ League unrated washington, MO	103 / 109 (152.5828)	—	—	—	—
Oct 4, 2019	Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA	13 / 36 (659.8512)	10 (168.5256)	23 (162.2628)	6 (173.1200)	27 (155.9428)
Aug 23, 2019	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	15 / 65 (670.7200)	17 (167.9656)	2 (175.4056)	9 (170.2744)	41 (157.0744)
May 17, 2019	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA	12 / 44 (667.8972)	14 (167.4056)	14 (165.6800)	6 (172)	20 (162.8116)
Apr 26, 2019	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition 🏅 Lanexa, VA	12 / 32 (667.8744)	8 (171.9656)	9 (167.4172)	18 (164.5372)	19 (163.9544)
Mar 23, 2019	BBQ Gives Back-IV (DAY 2) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	36 / 52 (651.2800)	9 (174.2744)	31 (162.8228)	38 (158.8228)	39 (155.3600)
Sep 28, 2018	Smithfield BBQ Classic Richmond, VA	23 / 41 (651.3260)	10 (171.9772)	34 (154.8344)	12 (167.3944)	31 (157.1200)
Sep 22, 2018	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	22 / 43 (639.9432)	6 (170.8344)	36 (147.9316)	21 (161.1428)	17 (160.0344)
Aug 24, 2018	New Holland Summer Fest (JUDGES FULL) New Holland, PA	21 / 71 (649.0284)	25 (163.3828)	38 (156.5144)	13 (166.2856)	21 (162.8456)
Jun 15, 2018	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	8 / 44 (669.0396)	22 (166.8228)	13 (165.6800)	10 (166.8456)	7 (169.6912)
Jun 1, 2018	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	24 / 61 (647.8972)	19 (166.8228)	23 (162.2628)	48 (153.0972)	17 (165.7144)
May 18, 2018	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	3 / 27 (681.1312)	4 (172.5828)	14 (164.5256)	3 (169.1428)	2 (174.8800)
May 18, 2018	Twin Valley Fire And Smoke Morgantown, PA	14 / 47 (664.4456)	34 (162.2516)	12 (168.5484)	8 (169.7028)	22 (163.9428)
Apr 27, 2018	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lenexa, VA	5 / 45 (681.6460)	17 (166.8344)	17 (167.4172)	4 (175.4172)	9 (171.9772)
Mar 23, 2018	BBQ Gives Back Urbanna, VA	26 / 75 (662.7424)	41 (165.0856)	39 (163.9312)	40 (162.2512)	9 (171.4744)
Oct 6, 2017	Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic Virginia Beach, VA	3 / 23 (682.8000)	7 (169.6684)	2 (170.8344)	4 (173.1772)	9 (169.1200)
Sep 22, 2017	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	18 / 43 (653.6464)	25 (162.8460)	18 (163.3944)	28 (156.5716)	5 (170.8344)
Aug 4, 2017	Smithfield BBQ Classic Smithfield, VA	13 / 28 (663.3372)	20 (163.9772)	11 (167.9772)	10 (167.4056)	12 (163.9772)
Jun 2, 2017	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	30 / 63 (645.6228)	15 (167.4628)	5 (169.6684)	39 (155.4172)	44 (153.0744)
Apr 17, 2015	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition Lanexa, VA	22 / 46 (649.0852)	20 (164.5484)	13 (166.8800)	24 (161.6912)	26 (155.9656)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

Burn Barrel BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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 (12 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

The long haul

The metronome

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)