STEELE FAMILY BBQ

STEELE FAMILY BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 30 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 10th of 28 at the Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off (2019). They are ranked #3656 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,656

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1490

peak 1522 · rated over 30 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 15, 2013

latest Sep 18, 2026 · 13.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#577

Master 2015 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

10% of 30 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

683.9888 / 720

Master · Boots & BBQ Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

657.59 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 654.79 (+2.80)

Walk rate

43%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7144

Pork Ribs · Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off

Consistency

±14.02

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 165.24 · weakest Brisket (161.11)

Road miles

1,661

across 30 mapped stops · furthest 92 mi

Schedule strength

57%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1573)

Purse competed for

$99K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 7 state-championship entries

Master avg

654.79 / 720

30 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

683.9888 career-best overall

95.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 683.9888 at Boots & BBQ Festival — 95.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 9, 2014

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

COOKSHACK has finished one call ahead of STEELE FAMILY BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

24–2 behind in the head-to-head

BUTCHER BBQ ahead in 92% of their meetings

BUTCHER BBQ has come out ahead in 24 of their 26 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.13 points below their pork, and turns into a call 17% of the time against 23%.

Brisket avg 161.11
Pork avg 165.24
5 calls in 30 entries

A strong matchup

10–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of TRIANGLE S BAR B Q in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (Sep 10, 2021).

last seen Sep 20, 2019
back Sep 10, 2021

Pork nemesis

20 of 26 shared pork entries lost

BUTCHER BBQ ahead 77% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BUTCHER BBQ has out-cooked them in 20 of 26 shared pork entries.

Show 4 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

GREAT PLAINS BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An April team

Top 39% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 39% across 4 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

4 April contests
top 60% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.95% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.95% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.9% of a perfect score
30 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off every year from 2021 to 2025 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 16th

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 ↗	Master	#1290 (55 pts)	#1337 (55 pts)	#1379 (55 pts)	#1292 (55 pts)	#1289 (55 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#1076 (80 pts)	#939 (125 pts)	#724 (250 pts)	#1148 (70 pts)	#1127 (75 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1164 (81 pts)	#1299 (66 pts)	#1247 (106 pts)	#1244 (71 pts)	#1162 (96 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1346 (75 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1263 (75 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#1111 (90 pts)	#978 (120 pts)	#1124 (110 pts)	#1231 (70 pts)	#1130 (90 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1432 (128 pts)	#1752 (108 pts)	#1834 (93 pts)	#1445 (148 pts)	#1148 (228 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1855 (79 pts)	#1938 (74 pts)	#2536 (54 pts)	#1836 (99 pts)	#1925 (74 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2140 (70 pts)	#1768 (125 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#1794 (120 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1511 (175 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1692 (155 pts)	#1345 (235 pts)	#1218 (260 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#577 (636 pts)	#579 (676 pts)	#518 (756 pts)	#596 (651 pts)	#635 (586 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#706 (505 pts)	#675 (560 pts)	#711 (530 pts)	#599 (650 pts)	#783 (460 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#759 (405 pts)	#578 (565 pts)	#689 (480 pts)	#629 (525 pts)	#969 (315 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

COOKSHACK

#3,670 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1531

8–9 in 17 shared contests (47% to STEELE FAMILY BBQ)

These two have cooked 17 of the same contests — COOKSHACK ahead 9–8 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Old Man Joes

#3,667 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1509

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to STEELE FAMILY BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than STEELE FAMILY BBQ has cooked, 12 to 30, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Jun 7, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

BBQR'S DELIGHT

#3,643 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 93
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1625

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to STEELE FAMILY BBQ)

They've been 1625 at their best, 135 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 93 contests
last seen Jul 16, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

BALDY'S BUTTS

#3,658 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1524

Their last contest in the data was back in 2020, 6 years before STEELE FAMILY BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 29 contests

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKING JOE'S BARBERQ

#3,672 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1525

28 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BALD BEAUTIES BBQ

#3,659 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 35
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1490

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

rated over 34 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BUTCHER BBQ	26	2	24	8%	⚔ compare
BUFFALO'S BBQ	24	0	24	0%	⚔ compare
DR. NORDY'S BBQ	19	0	19	0%	⚔ compare
COOKSHACK	17	8	9	47%	⚔ compare
BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
Three Hog Night Smokers	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
LITTLE PIG TOWN BBQ	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
MOOCHEWSOOEY	13	8	5	62%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
Rise N Swine	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
SIZZLIN' BONES BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
CLARK CREW BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
TRIANGLE S BAR B Q	10	10	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	30	6	0	176	151.3484	164.69	top 58%
Pork Ribs	30	4	1	177.7144	146.2744	163.75	top 54%
Pork	30	7	1	175.4056	154.2628	165.24	top 52%
Brisket	30	5	1	174.2628	136.5144	161.11	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)	20	0	top 60%
Large (40+)	10	0	top 59%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off	5	16	top 72%	Sep 19, 2025
Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off	4	10	top 60%	Sep 20, 2019
Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	3	10	top 32%	Apr 1, 2016
Grand Lake BBQ Festival	2	15	top 58%	May 16, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 8 contests

Contests a season 2.3 across 13 seasons in the data

Most contests held in OK 30 of 30 contests

Contests visited 20 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 452 finished ahead 470 times, behind 700

Longest layoff 2 yrs Sep 20, 2019 → Sep 10, 2021

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

20261 milestone

Sep 18 Most recent contest Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cookoff

20251 milestone

Sep 19 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.7144 Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off

20211 milestone

Sep 10 25th tracked contest Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off

20151 milestone

Apr 3 Peak power rating (1522) Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon

20143 milestones

May 9 First overall top-10 Boots & BBQ Festival
May 9 Career-best overall score683.9888 Boots & BBQ Festival
Jun 27 10th tracked contest Hog Wild BBQ & Chrome Fest

20133 milestones

Mar 15 First tracked contest Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
Mar 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score652.5710 Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
May 17 First call Grand Lake BBQ Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+8.9	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	Apr 3, 2015
+8.5	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off	Sep 20, 2019
+8.2	Boots & BBQ Festival	May 9, 2014
+7.6	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	Apr 1, 2016
+7	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	Apr 4, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.6	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cookoff	Sep 18, 2026
-7.7	Grand Lake BBQ Festival	May 15, 2015
-6.5	Smokin' At The Run Shootout	Mar 14, 2014
-5.8	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off	Sep 20, 2024
-5.4	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off	Sep 16, 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	1	0	0%	top 87%	88.5%	88.5%
2025	1	0	100%	top 76%	93.5%	93.5%
2024	1	0	0%	top 62%	92.2%	92.2%
2023	1	0	0%	top 73%	91.3%	91.3%
2022	1	0	0%	top 79%	91.2%	91.2%
2021	1	0	0%	top 68%	92%	92%
2019	1	1	100%	top 36%	92.9%	92.9%
2018	1	0	0%	top 69%	86.6%	86.6%
2017	1	0	0%	top 61%	90.8%	90.8%
2016	2	0	100%	top 53%	91.8%	90.3%
2015	8	1	25%	top 62%	93.4%	91%
2014	7	1	57%	top 55%	95%	90.7%
2013	4	0	75%	top 51%	92.7%	91.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 18, 2026	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cookoff 🏅 Ponca City, OK	26 / 30 (636.9488)	25 (163.9544)	26 (160.5144)	30 (154.2628)	25 (158.2172)
Sep 19, 2025	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	19 / 25 (673.0632)	10 (170.8572)	2 (177.7144)	21 (163.3828)	20 (161.1088)
Sep 20, 2024	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	16 / 26 (663.8744)	14 (167.3944)	13 (163.9660)	16 (166.8456)	16 (165.6684)
Sep 15, 2023	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	19 / 26 (657.6000)	22 (163.9544)	14 (167.9656)	21 (157.7028)	16 (167.9772)
Sep 16, 2022	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	31 / 39 (656.4688)	34 (158.8000)	22 (163.4172)	25 (167.9772)	22 (166.2744)
Sep 10, 2021	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	17 / 25 (662.7544)	11 (169.1200)	13 (171.4172)	21 (158.8000)	17 (163.4172)
Sep 20, 2019	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	10 / 28 (669.0512)	14 (165.7028)	17 (159.9772)	8 (169.1084)	3 (174.2628)
Sep 21, 2018	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	20 / 29 (623.3372)	21 (158.8116)	27 (146.2744)	16 (162.2972)	21 (155.9540)
Sep 15, 2017	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	23 / 38 (653.5772)	12 (168.5256)	28 (157.1316)	29 (158.2400)	13 (169.6800)
Sep 16, 2016	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	32 / 43 (638.6508)	39 (151.3484)	36 (154.2284)	28 (161.0740)	5 (172)
Apr 1, 2016	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon Stillwater, OK	14 / 44 (661.0628)	25 (158.8344)	18 (163.9656)	6 (175.4056)	22 (162.8572)
Oct 23, 2015	Smokin' the Fort - BBQ & Bluegrass Festival Fort Gibson, OK	17 / 26 (647.3028)	14 (164.5600)	15 (166.2516)	21 (154.8228)	17 (161.6684)
Sep 18, 2015	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cookoff Ponca City, OK	19 / 32 (642.8232)	24 (154.8116)	13 (163.9888)	11 (168.6056)	23 (155.4172)
May 15, 2015	Grand Lake BBQ Festival Langley, OK	30 / 35 (642.1484)	17 (170.2744)	25 (159.9428)	33 (154.8228)	28 (157.1084)
May 8, 2015	Boots & BBQ Festival Claremore, OK	19 / 29 (666.7312)	19 (169.6800)	21 (162.8228)	24 (165.1200)	10 (169.1084)
Apr 17, 2015	10th Annual Roberts Ranch Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK	46 / 75 (650.8800)	54 (157.1544)	15 (171.4284)	20 (171.4628)	63 (150.8344)
Apr 3, 2015	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon Stillwater, OK	10 / 34 (653.6228)	9 (167.4172)	6 (168.5828)	11 (165.7028)	26 (151.9200)
Mar 21, 2015	2nd Annual Smokin At The Run Shootout Miami, OK	58 / 82 (672.4572)	77 (165.6916)	58 (166.2400)	40 (169.7144)	35 (170.8112)
Mar 20, 2015	3rd Annual Smokin At The Run Miami, OK	50 / 87 (668.4912)	80 (163.4056)	42 (167.9772)	37 (169.7028)	31 (167.4056)
Sep 19, 2014	28th Annual Cherokee Strip Cookoff Ponca City, OK	21 / 41 (639.8284)	27 (159.4056)	20 (163.4172)	21 (163.3828)	26 (153.6228)
Jun 27, 2014	Hog Wild BBQ & Chrome Fest Chandler, OK	18 / 37 (654.7652)	23 (164.0228)	22 (163.4284)	15 (167.9540)	20 (159.3600)
May 16, 2014	Grand Lake BBQ Festival Langley, OK	22 / 33 (651.8628)	27 (159.9428)	8 (172)	24 (161.1200)	22 (158.8000)
May 9, 2014	Boots & BBQ Festival Claremore, OK	10 / 29 (683.9888)	8 (173.1772)	13 (166.8572)	8 (171.9772)	6 (171.9772)
Apr 4, 2014	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon Stillwater, OK	14 / 40 (621.1312)	4 (163.4856)	19 (156)	3 (165.1312)	35 (136.5144)
Mar 15, 2014	Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK	50 / 72 (667.9544)	39 (170.8572)	49 (165.7028)	40 (168.5600)	55 (162.8344)
Mar 14, 2014	Smokin' At The Run Shootout Miami, OK	32 / 41 (650.7544)	38 (158.2628)	36 (155.4288)	13 (167.3828)	9 (169.6800)
Sep 13, 2013	Cherokee Strip Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	16 / 33 (657.0288)	4 (173.7144)	11 (163.9660)	8 (170.8456)	28 (148.5028)
Jun 7, 2013	It's A Smokin Good Thang Tecumseh, OK	11 / 27 (655.4288)	11 (166.8570)	7 (165.1430)	6 (168.5718)	19 (154.8570)
May 17, 2013	Grand Lake BBQ Festival Langley, OK	15 / 30 (667.4284)	7 (176)	27 (155.9998)	10 (170.8572)	16 (164.5714)
Mar 15, 2013	Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK Miami, OK	36 / 55 (652.5710)	32 (164.5712)	12 (170.8572)	28 (166.2856)	49 (150.8570)

STEELE FAMILY 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 (11 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An April team

The metronome

A standing appointment

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

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)