MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ

MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 36 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 8th of 59 at the Minnesota in May (Masters) (2022). They are ranked #3350 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,350

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1496

peak 1502 · rated over 33 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Sep 12, 2014

latest Nov 5, 2025 · 11.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#822

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

6% of 36 contests

Avg finish

top 61%

overall standings

Best overall

679.9548 / 720

Master · Minnesota in May (Masters)

Perfect 180s

Current form

664.32 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 652.30 (+12.03)

Walk rate

25%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Pork Ribs · American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST

Consistency

±14.93

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 166.25 · weakest Brisket (160.82)

Road miles

6,920

across 36 mapped stops · furthest 371 mi

Schedule strength

58%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1574)

Purse competed for

$431K

listed at 15 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 14 state-championship entries

Master avg

652.30 / 720

33 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

679.9548 career-best overall

94.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 679.9548 at Minnesota in May (Masters) — 94.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 13, 2022

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

SCHWEBS BBQ has finished one call ahead of MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 41%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 41%

A tough matchup

25–3 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 89% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 25 of their 28 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.4 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.44 points below their pork, and turns into a call 3% of the time against 6%.

Brisket avg 160.82
Pork avg 166.25
1 call in 33 entries

A strong matchup

16–6 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 73% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of 3 BRATS AND A COCKTAIL WEENIE in 16 of their 22 shared contests.

The comeback

1.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.7 years, then back at Minnesota in May (May 13, 2016).

last seen Sep 12, 2014
back May 13, 2016

Show 5 more storylines

Pork nemesis

20 of 28 shared pork entries lost

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead 71% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has out-cooked them in 20 of 28 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Swampview BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 50% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 50% across 8 contests, versus top 61% the rest of the year.

8 May contests
top 61% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,920 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,920 miles across 36 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 371 miles to American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST.

36 mapped stops
furthest 371 mi

The metronome

±2.11% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.11% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.7% 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
2025 ↗	Master	#1148 (60 pts)	#1221 (60 pts)	#1293 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#1182 (60 pts)	#1242 (60 pts)	#1317 (60 pts)	#1231 (60 pts)	#1204 (60 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1255 (60 pts)	#1319 (60 pts)	#1254 (105 pts)	#1104 (110 pts)	#1296 (60 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#917 (120 pts)	#978 (120 pts)	#746 (215 pts)	#717 (210 pts)	#915 (130 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1226 (180 pts)	#1295 (180 pts)	#1058 (265 pts)	#1247 (195 pts)	#1277 (180 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#822 (395 pts)	#883 (370 pts)	#795 (450 pts)	#703 (520 pts)	#994 (300 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1392 (180 pts)	#1493 (180 pts)	#1506 (180 pts)	#1213 (265 pts)	#1391 (205 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1418 (190 pts)	#1547 (180 pts)	#987 (370 pts)	#1536 (185 pts)	#1247 (250 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Harry's Bar All Sauced Up & Smokin

#3,353 of the rated field

1496 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1507

0–4 in 4 shared contests (0% to MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — Harry's Bar All Sauced Up & Smokin ahead 4–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Feb 21, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Hoochie Que

#3,340 of the rated field

1497 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1502

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ has cooked, 10 to 36, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 10 contests
last seen May 9, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

KCKing BBQ

#3,349 of the rated field

1496 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1525

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 3 years before MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 10 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Braizin' Assets

#3,344 of the rated field

1497 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1497

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ)

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

rated over 6 contests
last seen Oct 29, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

SILENCE OF THE HAMS BBQ TEAM

#3,360 of the rated field

1496 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1502

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team MARBURG BROTHERS BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Sep 16, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

SUE E PIGG

#3,351 of the rated field

1496 power rating

Contests: 50
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1560

They've been 1560 at their best, 64 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 50 contests
last seen Oct 28, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	28	3	25	11%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	27	5	22	19%	⚔ compare
Hogline	27	4	23	15%	⚔ compare
SMOKE IN THE EYE	23	8	15	35%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	23	1	22	4%	⚔ compare
3 BRATS AND A COCKTAIL WEENIE	22	16	6	73%	⚔ compare
LUCKY'S Q	21	2	19	10%	⚔ compare
PO PO PORK	19	6	13	32%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
NECTAR OF THE HOGS	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
HOT DADDY'S BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	33	3	0	0	172.0572	145.7256	162.29	top 63%
Pork Ribs	33	4	1	2	179.4400	151.3828	162.93	top 58%
Pork	33	2	0	1	177.2000	150.8344	166.25	top 47%
Brisket	33	1	0	0	178.8800	142.8116	160.82	top 59%

“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)	6	0	top 75%
Large (40+)	27	0	top 58%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MN	20	top 65%
KS	9	top 51%
IA	2	top 58%
WI	1	top 63%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	3	216	top 58%	Sep 27, 2023
Minnesota in May (Masters)	3	8	top 45%	May 13, 2022
SMSU Smokefest	3	27	top 70%	Aug 16, 2019
Smokin In Steele	3	26	top 68%	May 31, 2019
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	275	top 69%	Nov 5, 2025
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	2	14	top 58%	Sep 28, 2018
Minnesota in May	2	8	top 39%	May 11, 2018
KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off	2	24	top 88%	Sep 15, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 7 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MN 20 of 36 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 21 8 of them more than once

Opponents faced 2,036 finished ahead 2,375 times, behind 3,055

Longest layoff 1.7 yrs Sep 12, 2014 → May 13, 2016

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

20251 milestone

Nov 5 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides

20231 milestone

Sep 27 Peak power rating (1502) American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

20221 milestone

May 13 Career-best overall score679.9548 Minnesota in May (Masters)

20213 milestones

May 7 25th tracked contest Minnesota in May
Sep 16 First category win (Pork Ribs) American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST
Sep 16 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)179.4400 American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST

20181 milestone

May 11 First overall top-10 Minnesota in May

20171 milestone

Aug 18 10th tracked contest SMSU Smokefest

20161 milestone

Aug 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.7260 Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full)

20142 milestones

Sep 12 First tracked contest King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off
Sep 12 First call King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.8	Minnesota in May	May 11, 2018
+15.8	Minnesota in May (Masters)	May 13, 2022
+15.6	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST	Sep 12, 2019
+14.3	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 15, 2018
+5.3	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Sep 28, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.2	Minnesota in May	May 13, 2016
-9.6	King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off	Sep 12, 2014
-7.9	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off	Sep 15, 2017
-7.8	Smokin in Steele	Jun 3, 2016
-7.1	Minnesota in May	May 10, 2019

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)
2025	2	0	0	0%	top 75%	91.6%	91.6%
2024	1	0	0	0%	top 62%	92.8%	92.8%
2023	3	0	0	0%	top 51%	93.6%	93.2%
2022	3	1	0	0%	top 41%	94.4%	92.6%
2021	3	0	1	33%	top 59%	92.3%	91.8%
2019	5	0	0	20%	top 55%	93.6%	91%
2018	7	1	0	43%	top 49%	94.3%	91.7%
2017	5	0	0	20%	top 73%	90.6%	89.6%
2016	6	0	0	33%	top 74%	91.4%	88.9%
2014	1	0	0	100%	top 86%	87%	87%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	302 / 401 (659.1996)	394 (147.8856)	222 (168.5256)	104 (174.2628)	187 (168.5256)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	275 / 444 (667.8396)	186 (170.8228)	302 (165.6800)	279 (166.2284)	267 (165.1084)
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	286 / 487 (667.3028)	249 (168.5256)	444 (154.2516)	112 (173.1200)	128 (171.4056)
May 12, 2023	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	25 / 59 (674.2516)	39 (167.4172)	16 (170.8572)	15 (172)	39 (163.9772)
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	349 / 505 (653.0172)	418 (159.3828)	425 (158.2744)	220 (168.5372)	220 (166.8228)
May 13, 2022	Minnesota in May (Masters) 🏅 Cambridge, MN	8 / 59 (679.9548)	13 (170.8344)	22 (167.9888)	17 (171.9772)	16 (169.1544)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	216 / 467 (664.5372)	415 (152.5256)	1 (179.4400)	269 (163.4288)	134 (169.1428)
Aug 20, 2021	13th Annual Big Island BBQ 🏅 Albert Lea, MN	27 / 35 (657.6000)	29 (159.3828)	17 (166.2744)	15 (169.1312)	23 (162.8116)
May 7, 2021	Minnesota in May 🏅 Cambridge, MN	33 / 60 (661.1316)	49 (159.3944)	14 (168.5828)	17 (170.2628)	36 (162.8916)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	35 / 468 (505.6112)	159 (168.5828)	405 (154.2400)	363 (157.0972)	446 (142.8116)
Aug 23, 2019	Big Island BBQ 🏅 Alberta Lea, MN	36 / 50 (640.4228)	27 (166.2628)	30 (161.0972)	33 (164.5256)	46 (148.5372)
Aug 16, 2019	SMSU Smokefest 🏅 Marshall, MN	31 / 46 (658.1828)	38 (163.3828)	15 (170.8228)	29 (164)	33 (159.9772)
May 31, 2019	Smokin In Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN	26 / 43 (650.2404)	37 (157.1200)	17 (165.1888)	13 (169.6800)	27 (158.2516)
May 10, 2019	Minnesota in May 🏅	38 / 57 (653.6112)	54 (150.8000)	9 (172.5484)	22 (169.1428)	39 (161.1200)
Sep 28, 2018	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	14 / 29 (647.3488)	9 (162.8344)	18 (157.1316)	3 (170.8572)	20 (156.5256)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	90 / 467 (678.8800)	103 (172.0572)	111 (170.8572)	78 (171.9884)	229 (163.9772)
Aug 17, 2018	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	27 / 40 (657.0976)	33 (162.2860)	32 (163.3828)	5 (173.7028)	28 (157.7260)
Jun 22, 2018	Rotary Rockn Ribs LaCrosse, WI	26 / 41 (652.5484)	24 (167.4172)	35 (153.7028)	21 (163.4056)	11 (168.0228)
Jun 1, 2018	Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN	27 / 45 (657.0860)	18 (169.1200)	36 (159.4516)	16 (170.8228)	30 (157.6916)
May 11, 2018	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	8 / 70 (678.8344)	18 (170.2628)	4 (173.7488)	15 (171.9656)	32 (162.8572)
Mar 2, 2018	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	40 / 57 (649.5884)	33 (164.5372)	53 (153.0856)	25 (167.9656)	35 (164)
Sep 15, 2017	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	25 / 27 (643.4060)	8 (172.0344)	19 (161.7144)	17 (163.4284)	26 (146.2288)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	252 / 407 (652.1028)	317 (158.2856)	284 (160.0344)	13 (177.2000)	301 (156.5828)
Aug 18, 2017	SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN	31 / 41 (645.0860)	30 (160.5716)	26 (163.4172)	20 (164.5600)	30 (156.5372)
Jul 21, 2017	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	33 / 49 (650.8340)	20 (166.2856)	34 (159.9884)	34 (163.4400)	30 (161.1200)
May 12, 2017	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	47 / 71 (635.9544)	58 (153.6800)	33 (164.5600)	67 (150.8344)	20 (166.8800)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	341 / 557 (646.9256)	523 (145.7256)	469 (152.5828)	128 (169.7372)	4 (178.8800)
Sep 16, 2016	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	24 / 29 (641.7600)	15 (168)	27 (156.5600)	18 (163.4628)	24 (153.7372)
Aug 26, 2016	9th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	30 / 48 (643.8172)	45 (154.7656)	3 (174.8916)	24 (166.8228)	40 (147.3372)
Aug 12, 2016	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full) Tonka Bay, MN	23 / 35 (657.7260)	27 (161.6800)	22 (165.1544)	25 (162.8456)	11 (168.0460)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	45 / 53 (622.6516)	42 (157.6800)	45 (154.2516)	45 (155.3600)	40 (155.3600)
May 13, 2016	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	61 / 71 (627.3832)	67 (154.2172)	53 (157.1088)	66 (152)	31 (164.0572)
Sep 12, 2014	King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	31 / 36 (626.7196)	5 (171.9656)	31 (151.3828)	34 (152.5368)	32 (150.8344)

MARBURG BROTHERS 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

Storylines (12 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork 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)