The heartbreaker
Came within 4.5828 points of the Grand Championship at Shenandoah ShenDig BBQ (Jul 19, 2024).
Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 50 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 36 at the Shenandoah ShenDig BBQ (2024), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #2182 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #367 (536 pts) | #297 (771 pts) | #476 (461 pts) | #328 (651 pts) | #389 (531 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #309 (701 pts) | #310 (726 pts) | #315 (831 pts) | #319 (701 pts) | #197 (1,106 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #175 (1,124 pts) | #143 (1,254 pts) | #228 (1,019 pts) | #223 (984 pts) | #241 (904 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #424 (464 pts) | #367 (619 pts) | #632 (334 pts) | #357 (599 pts) | #304 (739 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #546 (367 pts) | #591 (352 pts) | #494 (497 pts) | #595 (337 pts) | #636 (307 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #988 (117 pts) | #1045 (117 pts) | #925 (147 pts) | #847 (157 pts) | #1020 (117 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #530 (180 pts) | #565 (180 pts) | #558 (190 pts) | #388 (295 pts) | #565 (180 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #616 (531 pts) | #711 (476 pts) | #512 (676 pts) | #381 (891 pts) | #608 (561 pts) |
The teams rated closest to Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
80 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-headThis is the highest they've ever been rated, 45 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careersFewer contests behind them than Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ has cooked, 34 to 50, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Compare careers28 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 25% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careersThey were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ's first contest.
⚔ Compare careers| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM CRAWFORD | 36 | 11 | 25 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| HOT DADDY'S BBQ | 27 | 3 | 24 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | 26 | 3 | 23 | 12% | ⚔ compare |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 25 | 4 | 21 | 16% | ⚔ compare |
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 22 | 3 | 19 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKEHOUSE 72 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 48% | ⚔ compare |
| Matty Macks | 21 | 8 | 13 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Bucknutz BBQ | 20 | 15 | 5 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| T-Rex BBQ | 19 | 6 | 13 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| MACHETE BOYS BBQ | 18 | 5 | 13 | 28% | ⚔ compare |
| GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | 18 | 5 | 13 | 28% | ⚔ compare |
| MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | 18 | 3 | 15 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| Darty-Q | 17 | 10 | 7 | 59% | ⚔ compare |
| HOME FARM BBQ | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| NEVER EASY BBQ | 17 | 6 | 11 | 35% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 45 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 180 🔥 | 152.5488 | 168.08 | top 56% |
| Pork Ribs | 45 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 180 🔥 | 150.8000 | 165.88 | top 58% |
| Pork | 45 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 178.2972 | 151.9428 | 168.00 | top 53% |
| Brisket | 45 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 178.8572 | 142.2288 | 164.09 | top 57% |
“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.
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 24 | 0 | top 55% |
| Large (40+) | 21 | 0 | top 61% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State BBQ Championship | 4 | 13 | 0 | top 48% | Apr 3, 2026 |
| Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) | 4 | 28 | 0 | top 78% | Nov 1, 2025 |
| King of the Corn | 3 | 5 | 0 | top 59% | May 17, 2024 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 3 | 36 | 0 | top 49% | Sep 27, 2023 |
| Shenandoah ShenDig | 2 | 17 | 0 | top 60% | Jul 17, 2026 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 160 | 0 | top 58% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Tri-City BBQ Fest | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 34% | Sep 19, 2025 |
| Ditmars Red, White & Blue BBQ | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 54% | Jul 5, 2024 |
| Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition | 2 | 15 | 0 | top 68% | Jun 18, 2021 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.9 | King of the Corn | May 17, 2024 |
| +16.8 | Shenandoah ShenDig BBQ | Jul 19, 2024 |
| +15.6 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST | Sep 16, 2021 |
| +15.3 | Tri City BBQ Fest | Sep 20, 2024 |
| +12.2 | Rose Festival's 25th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition | Jun 19, 2026 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15.8 | Iowa State BBQ Championship (Steak) | Apr 1, 2022 |
| -11.4 | King of the Corn | Oct 14, 2022 |
| -9 | Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition | Jun 18, 2021 |
| -8.9 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) | Oct 31, 2025 |
| -8.9 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) | Nov 1, 2025 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 40% | top 49% | 96.3% | 94.8% |
| 2025 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 40% | top 71% | 94.8% | 93% |
| 2024 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 60% | top 41% | 97.2% | 94.8% |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 50% | top 56% | 94.3% | 92.5% |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14% | top 68% | 94.8% | 90% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 48% | 93% | 90.3% |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 88% | 89.6% | 87.8% |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71% | top 55% | 93.2% | 90.7% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2026 | Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA | 21 / 28 (675.8512) | 14 (173.1084) | 25 (164.5256) | 23 (167.3828) | 11 (170.8344) |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Rose Festival's 25th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 6 / 20 (692.5376) | 5 (177.7144) | 12 (169.6916) | 8 (173.7144) | 10 (171.4172) |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Knox Co. 4-H/FFA Ring of Smoke 🏅 Edina, MO | 18 / 25 (670.1828) | 1 (180) | 12 (169.6800) | 25 (157.0856) | 18 (163.4172) |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Osage City, KS | 26 / 101 (693.0740) | 32 (175.4056) | 24 (174.8456) | 32 (173.7028) | 61 (169.1200) |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 17 / 42 (681.5884) | 17 (173.1200) | 27 (166.8112) | 11 (173.1200) | 21 (168.5372) |
| 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 | 319 / 401 (652.9592) | 322 (163.3712) | 334 (161.1200) | 299 (164.5140) | 278 (163.9540) |
| Nov 1, 2025 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 48 / 50 (663.2452) | 46 (166.2284) | 29 (171.4056) | 48 (158.2284) | 32 (167.3828) |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 50 / 53 (667.8400) | 52 (163.3828) | 52 (161.6572) | 48 (163.9428) | 1 (178.8572) |
| Oct 3, 2025 | La Belle MO Show Me BBQ Showdown 🏅 La Belle, MO | 30 / 39 (673.0168) | 32 (167.9656) | 37 (161.6684) | 22 (171.4172) | 11 (171.9656) |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Tri-City BBQ Fest 🏅 Denison, IA | 15 / 26 (679.8740) | 13 (172.5484) | 12 (168.5372) | 17 (166.2400) | 7 (172.5484) |
| Jun 20, 2025 | Rose Festival's 24th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 12 / 25 (681.0856) | 16 (168) | 6 (172.5600) | 21 (163.9428) | 3 (176.5828) |
| May 16, 2025 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 14 / 33 (682.8112) | 15 (173.7144) | 9 (172.0344) | 15 (170.2512) | 24 (166.8112) |
| Feb 21, 2025 | Fire on Ice BBQ Championship 🏅 Onamia, MN | 30 / 42 (665.6344) | 16 (171.4288) | 35 (159.9772) | 13 (171.4056) | 33 (162.8228) |
| Jan 24, 2025 | SJV Winter Rub 🏅 Omaha, NE | 22 / 32 (657.5544) | 23 (164.5372) | 15 (170.2860) | 25 (161.0856) | 23 (161.6456) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 160 / 444 (682.2400) | 206 (169.7372) | 149 (171.9772) | 295 (165.1200) | 40 (175.4056) |
| Oct 26, 2024 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 28 / 56 (683.2912) | 50 (165.0856) | 1 (180) | 18 (173.1200) | 44 (165.0856) |
| Oct 25, 2024 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 37 / 53 (678.7084) | 20 (174.2628) | 46 (163.9428) | 15 (174.2628) | 42 (166.2400) |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Tri City BBQ Fest 🏅 Denison, IA | 3 / 30 (694.7884) | 10 (172.5484) | 3 (173.7144) | 4 (176.5600) | 13 (171.9656) |
| Jul 19, 2024 | Shenandoah ShenDig BBQ 🏅 Shenandoah, IA | 2 / 36 (699.9428) | 1 (180) | 13 (173.1200) | 14 (172.5600) | 6 (174.2628) |
| Jul 5, 2024 | Ditmars Red, White & Blue BBQ 🏅 Council Bluffs, IA | 15 / 26 (662.1256) | 5 (174.8572) | 24 (156.5028) | 19 (165.0856) | 13 (165.6800) |
| Jun 28, 2024 | Happy Basset 4th Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS | 14 / 28 (689.0284) | 4 (177.7144) | 18 (169.6800) | 15 (170.8112) | 14 (170.8228) |
| May 17, 2024 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 5 / 36 (687.3484) | 11 (173.7028) | 27 (166.2284) | 8 (174.2628) | 8 (173.1544) |
| Mar 29, 2024 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 32 / 42 (665.6460) | 12 (173.1428) | 30 (162.8344) | 32 (166.2744) | 32 (163.3944) |
| 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 | 396 / 487 (641.5196) | 449 (153.6572) | 398 (159.3712) | 171 (170.8228) | 400 (157.6684) |
| Jul 21, 2023 | Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA | 17 / 37 (673.0860) | 3 (176.5600) | 28 (158.8572) | 3 (178.2972) | 24 (159.3716) |
| Jun 30, 2023 | Ditmars Red White & Blue BBQ 🏅 Council Bluffs, IA | 11 / 22 (667.9772) | 12 (168.0228) | 20 (158.8228) | 12 (169.1544) | 3 (171.9772) |
| Jun 16, 2023 | Rose Festival 22nd Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 10 / 27 (678.7544) | 15 (169.6800) | 19 (162.2516) | 17 (170.2628) | 1 (176.5600) |
| May 19, 2023 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 29 / 45 (669.6112) | 15 (172.5600) | 44 (154.7768) | 17 (172.5600) | 14 (169.7144) |
| Oct 14, 2022 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 35 / 36 (641.0060) | 27 (168.5716) | 25 (165.0972) | 36 (151.9428) | 33 (155.3944) |
| 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 | 296 / 505 (661.5656) | 381 (162.2284) | 87 (173.7028) | 235 (167.9772) | 401 (157.6572) |
| Jul 29, 2022 | Shenandoah "ShenDig" Barbeque Championship 🏅 Shenandoah, IA | 22 / 27 (646.6972) | 21 (162.8344) | 13 (169.7028) | 18 (164.5256) | 23 (149.6344) |
| Apr 22, 2022 | Smokin' in the Creek BBQ Contest (JUDGE'S FULL) 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO | 27 / 35 (646.1144) | 26 (162.2400) | 13 (170.8344) | 31 (161.0856) | 32 (151.9544) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 13 / 48 (682.2288) | 17 (171.9772) | 9 (173.7372) | 23 (169.1316) | 24 (167.3828) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | Iowa State BBQ Championship (Steak) Altoona, IA | 18 (153.0972) | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 16, 2021 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 36 / 467 (502.2284) | 337 (160.5140) | 312 (162.2972) | 107 (170.2744) | 66 (172.5600) |
| Jun 18, 2021 | Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 28 / 32 (630.1144) | 29 (157.6456) | 19 (163.3828) | 17 (166.8572) | 30 (142.2288) |
| Oct 2, 2020 | Ottumwa Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 61 / 66 (620.4460) | 63 (152.5488) | 38 (163.3944) | 59 (154.8456) | 63 (149.6572) |
| Jul 17, 2020 | Real Squeal BBQ Smoke Off 🏅 Marion, IA | 28 / 36 (631.8856) | 31 (154.8456) | 23 (159.9544) | 6 (170.2628) | 31 (146.8228) |
| Jun 27, 2020 | Back to Mayberry Day 2 🏅 Rodney, IA | 44 / 47 (645.0404) | 29 (165.7144) | 47 (150.8000) | 28 (167.9888) | 39 (160.5372) |
| Oct 4, 2019 | Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 30 / 49 (656.4688) | 36 (161.1544) | 7 (174.2744) | 24 (167.3828) | 38 (153.6572) |
| Sep 12, 2019 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 109 / 468 (465.0852) | 190 (167.9656) | 199 (166.8228) | 327 (160.5600) | 436 (145.1084) |
| Jul 19, 2019 | BBQ'Loo & Blues Too! 🏅 Waterloo, IA | 20 / 33 (663.3256) | 28 (162.8228) | 8 (170.2744) | 14 (169.1200) | 21 (161.1084) |
| Jun 22, 2019 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 🏅 Belvidere, IL | 29 / 45 (657.6344) | 28 (163.9656) | 24 (165.1660) | 31 (163.3828) | 21 (165.1200) |
| Jun 21, 2019 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 🏅 Belvidere, IL | 38 / 50 (631.8748) | 33 (162.8572) | 47 (150.8232) | 2 (175.4172) | 47 (142.7772) |
| Jun 14, 2019 | Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 15 / 31 (669.0856) | 20 (165.6684) | 16 (163.4516) | 2 (176.5600) | 18 (163.4056) |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Q for a Cause 🏅 Papillion, NE | 16 / 32 (671.3484) | 17 (167.9656) | 22 (163.9656) | 21 (167.4172) | 10 (172) |