Budget BBQ

Budget BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2024 and 2026. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Smoke on the Falls (2026). They are ranked #2227 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,227

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1530

peak 1530 · rated over 11 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2024

latest Sep 18, 2026 · 2.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#52

Backyard 2026 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 8% of the time

Category wins

5 podiums

Overall top-10s

23% of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 55%

overall standings

Best overall

506.7428 / 540

Competitor Series · Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES)

Perfect 180s

Current form

343.39 ▲

last 5 Backyard vs avg 339.01 (+4.38)

Walk rate

77%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Pork Ribs · Smoke on the Falls

Consistency

±6.65

spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 172.95 · weakest Pork (157.67)

Road miles

826

across 13 mapped stops · furthest 127 mi

Schedule strength

60%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1576)

Purse competed for

$68K

listed at 13 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

1 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Backyard avg

339.01 / 360

11 Backyard contests · 1 GC

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.

On the rise

+37 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 37 points across 6 contests since Mar 27, 2026 — from 1492 up to 1530.

6 contests since Mar 27, 2026
now 1530

Giant slayer

36 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 36-team field at Smoke on the Falls.

Apr 3, 2026

They almost always walk

77% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 10 of 13 contests

A top-10 category call in 77% of their 13 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

506.7428 career-best overall

93.8% of a perfect 540

Their best day on record: 506.7428 at Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES) — 93.8% of a perfect 540.

Competitor Series
Apr 25, 2025

State champions

1 state championship won

They've taken 1 state championship from 2 entries at contests carrying the title.

2 state-championship entries

Their season

2026 1 Grand Championship

2026 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 3 category wins, at an average finish in the top 41%.

6 contests
3 overall top-10s
3 category wins
average top 41%

A tough matchup

9–1 behind in the head-to-head

LEE LA Q ahead in 90% of their meetings

LEE LA Q has come out ahead in 9 of their 10 shared contests.

Show 5 more storylines

A strong matchup

6–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of LWS Smokin Aces in 6 of their 8 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

6 of 7 shared pork ribs entries lost

Smokey Bees BBQ - MS ahead 86% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Smokey Bees BBQ - MS has out-cooked them in 6 of 7 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

Gustoso BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

An April team

Top 42% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 42% across 3 contests, versus top 55% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 55% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.73% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.73% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.0% of a perfect score
13 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	#52 (840 pts)	#73 (691 pts)	#16 (1,167 pts)	—	—
2025 ↗	Backyard	#190 (241 pts)	#214 (206 pts)	#171 (326 pts)	—	—

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

MOODSWING BBQ

#2,215 of the rated field

1530 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1531

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Apr 8, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Big Baker's BBQ

#2,235 of the rated field

1530 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1530

Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Nov 14, 2025

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SMOKIN BARRELS BBQ VT

#2,237 of the rated field

1530 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1534

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

rated over 10 contests

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TACO TUESDAY

#2,224 of the rated field

1530 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1530

They were already cooking in 2016, 8 years before Budget BBQ's first contest.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2017

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COOTERS COUNTRY CATERING

#2,232 of the rated field

1530 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1532

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 14% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Sep 9, 2016

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No Worries BBQ

#2,233 of the rated field

1530 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1537

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

rated over 9 contests
last seen Aug 28, 2021

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Pork Life	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
Rollin Smoke BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
LEE LA Q	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
Wee Daddy's BBQ	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
Modest Meats	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
LWS Smokin Aces	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKIN!!!	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
Deviant Smoke	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
PUDDLEDUCK BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Bentley Que	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
Smokey Bees BBQ - MS	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
Southern Swine	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
Small Batch BBQ - TN	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Bonnie Blue BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
Mind if I Smoke?	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	2	1	1	177.7144	158.8000	166.52	top 65%
Pork Ribs	13	9	2	4	179.4400	161.6572	172.95	top 31%
Pork	2	0	0	0	166.2856	149.0516	157.67	top 80%

“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
Small (<20 teams)	3	0	top 45%
Medium (20–39)	8	1	top 60%
Large (40+)	2	0	top 48%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
AL	10	1	top 53%
TN	3	0	top 59%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY)	2	18	0	top 48%	Mar 27, 2026
O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1	2	21	0	top 78%	May 2, 2025

More numbers

Busiest season 2026 6 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 4.3 across 3 seasons in the data

Most contests held in AL 10 of 13 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 11 2 of them more than once

First title Apr 3, 2026 Smoke on the Falls

Opponents faced 208 finished ahead 221 times, behind 190

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

202610 milestones

Apr 3 First category win (Pork Ribs) Smoke on the Falls
Apr 3 First overall top-10 Smoke on the Falls
Apr 3 First overall podium Smoke on the Falls
Apr 3 First Grand Championship Smoke on the Falls
Apr 3 First state championship Smoke on the Falls
Apr 3 Biggest field won (36 teams) Smoke on the Falls
Apr 3 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)179.4400 Smoke on the Falls
May 1 10th tracked contest O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1
Sep 18 Peak power rating (1530) Mike Gannon BBQ Cookoff
Sep 18 Most recent contest Mike Gannon BBQ Cookoff

20251 milestone

Apr 25 Career-best overall score506.7428 Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES)

20243 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
Apr 19 First call Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score501.6116 Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+18.7	Smoke on the Falls	Apr 3, 2026
+11.6	Mike Gannon BBQ Cookoff	Sep 18, 2026
+9.3	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2	May 2, 2026
+5.8	Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY)	Mar 21, 2025
+2.6	Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY)	Mar 27, 2026

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-6	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1	May 3, 2024
-5.4	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2	May 3, 2025
-5.3	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1	May 2, 2025
-2.2	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1	May 1, 2026
-0.1	High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)	May 15, 2026

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	6	1	3	3	100%	top 41%	98.3%	95.1%
2025	4	0	0	0	50%	top 65%	94.4%	93.4%
2024	3	0	0	0	67%	top 67%	93.6%	92.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 18, 2026	Mike Gannon BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Columbiana, AL	4 / 16 (339.3716)	1 (177.7144)	13 (161.6572)	—	—
May 15, 2026	High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Winchester, TN	16 / 29 (336.5144)	25 (160.5144)	3 (176)	—	—
May 2, 2026	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 Cleveland, AL	6 / 15 (349.6916)	12 (171.9772)	1 (177.7144)	—	—
May 1, 2026	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1 Cleveland, AL	12 / 17 (337.6572)	15 (163.3944)	6 (174.2628)	—	—
Apr 3, 2026	Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL	1 / 36 (353.7144)	7 (174.2744)	1 (179.4400)	—	—
Mar 27, 2026	Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) Athens, AL	23 / 43 (337.6572)	34 (159.9544)	3 (177.7028)	—	—
May 3, 2025	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 Oneonta, AL	19 / 23 (335.3600)	23 (158.8000)	7 (176.5600)	23 (149.0516)	—
May 2, 2025	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1 Oneonta, AL	22 / 28 (331.9200)	23 (164.5372)	20 (167.3828)	17 (166.2856)	—
Apr 25, 2025	Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN	18 / 31 (506.7428)	17 (168.5256)	9 (171.9772)	—	—
Mar 21, 2025	Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) Athens, AL	18 / 43 (339.9656)	20 (169.7028)	18 (170.2628)	—	—
Sep 6, 2024	Bernard Blues and BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Cullman, AL	16 / 27 (337.1204)	24 (161.6916)	4 (175.4288)	—	—
May 3, 2024	O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1 Oneonta, AL	21 / 27 (330.1828)	20 (163.9428)	16 (166.2400)	—	—
Apr 19, 2024	Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN	24 / 37 (501.6116)	13 (169.6916)	4 (173.7144)	—	—

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

Budget 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

Backyard avg

Storylines (12 found in their record)

On the rise

Giant slayer

They almost always walk

High-water mark

State champions

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Pork Ribs nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An April team

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 — 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)