HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY NC
Rating
1580
peak 1584
Contests
66
in the data
First seen
2019-04-26
latest 2026-05-29
Best ToY finish
#109
Master 2017
Grand champs
2
2 reserve
Category wins
11
24 podiums
Overall top-10s
25
of 66 contests
Avg finish
top 50%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
2 🔥
Current form
695.36 ▲
last 5 vs career avg 676.13 (+19.23)
Walk rate
74%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
5
best run (overall)
Consistency
±13.48
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 171.00 · weakest Pork (167.75)
Road miles
16840
mi across 66 mapped stops · furthest 3420 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has finished one call ahead of HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of BIG DOG BBQ VA in 17 of their 21 shared contests.
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 32-team field at The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival.
📅 A November team
Something about November: average finish in the top 39% across 3 contests, versus top 50% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at WV Coalfields Cookoff WV KCBS State Championship (2025-06-06) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 16-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, CHUNKY BBQ.
Teams like this (closest power rating, NC first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 66 | 28 | 5 | 6 | 180.0000 🔥 | 153.1200 | 171.00 | top 45% |
| Pork Ribs | 65 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 178.8572 | 153.0856 | 168.59 | top 50% |
| Pork | 65 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 177.7144 | 153.0744 | 167.75 | top 55% |
| Brisket | 65 | 23 | 4 | 10 | 180.0000 🔥 | 151.9772 | 168.72 | top 48% |
“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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 27 | 0 | top 39% |
| VA | 12 | 0 | top 57% |
| SC | 12 | 0 | top 67% |
| GA | 10 | 1 | top 53% |
| WV | 3 | 1 | top 33% |
| AK | 1 | 0 | top 63% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 11 | 1 | top 48% |
| Medium (20–39) | 42 | 1 | top 55% |
| Large (40+) | 12 | 0 | top 35% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2019 (17 contests)
- Cooks mostly in NC (27 of 66 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (66 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: WV Coalfields Cookoff WV KCBS State Championship (2025-06-06)
- Wins it all in 3% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 676.13
- 2 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 702.2516 | 693.63 |
| 2025 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 707.4404 | 682.88 |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 695.3828 | 680.47 |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 692.5144 | 682.52 |
| 2021 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 683.3600 | 666.37 |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 691.9428 | 664.11 |
| 2019 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 690.7656 | 673.22 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-29 | Honeybee BBQ Competition Lafayette, GA | 12 / 19 (684.4340) | 11 (171.9656) | 16 (167.3828) | 4 (177.7028) | 14 (167.3828) |
| 2026-05-08 | 20th Annual Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off Waynesboro, GA | 8 / 42 (694.2172) | 18 (172.5600) | 21 (169.6800) | 5 (177.7144) | 12 (174.2628) |
| 2026-05-01 | Bear-B-Q New Bern, NC | 3 / 26 (702.2516) | 5 (175.4172) | 8 (173.1316) | 6 (175.4056) | 2 (178.2972) |
| 2025-10-24 | Eastern Carolina BBQ Throwdown Rocky Mount, NC | 10 / 45 (691.9312) | 18 (171.9656) | 20 (171.4172) | 3 (176.5600) | 12 (171.9884) |
| 2025-10-03 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival Lyons, GA | 1 / 32 (703.9428) | 5 (175.4172) | 12 (173.1200) | 8 (175.4056) | 2 (180.0000) |
| 2025-09-26 | Fire in the Foothills King, NC | 17 / 25 (674.1484) | 13 (170.8228) | 20 (161.6456) | 16 (165.6800) | 3 (176.0000) |
| 2025-09-19 | Pigmaster's BBQ Challenge Rutherford College, NC | 29 / 36 (664.4804) | 26 (167.3944) | 28 (163.3944) | 14 (171.9772) | 30 (161.7144) |
| 2025-08-22 | Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff Edinburg, VA | 7 / 16 (679.8856) | 11 (170.8228) | 8 (166.8344) | 11 (169.6800) | 6 (172.5484) |
| 2025-07-25 | Smoke on the Mountain Galax, VA | 10 / 37 (686.7772) | 16 (172.0000) | 5 (174.2744) | 30 (167.3828) | 14 (173.1200) |
| 2025-07-18 | Chillin & Grillin in the Glades Wise, VA | 27 / 34 (667.2800) | 26 (167.3828) | 30 (162.8344) | 21 (167.3828) | 22 (169.6800) |
| 2025-06-21 | Last Frontier BBQ Throwdown Eagle River, AK | 5 / 8 (689.0744) | 5 (170.8344) | 7 (168.5372) | 4 (171.4056) | 1 (178.2972) |
| 2025-06-06 | WV Coalfields Cookoff WV KCBS State Championship Welch, WV | 1 / 11 (707.4404) | 1 (176.5716) | 2 (177.1544) | 2 (174.8572) | 1 (178.8572) |
| 2025-05-30 | Honeybee BBQ Competition Lafayette, GA | 21 / 26 (663.8856) | 4 (177.7144) | 26 (153.0856) | 21 (167.3828) | 15 (165.7028) |
| 2024-10-11 | Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC | 12 / 26 (681.0400) | 9 (173.7028) | 20 (163.3944) | 6 (174.2628) | 14 (169.6800) |
| 2024-08-30 | Fire in the Foothills BBQ Festival King, NC | 22 / 28 (663.2800) | 18 (168.5600) | 21 (160.5144) | 21 (165.0856) | 14 (169.1200) |
| 2024-08-10 | Americamps BBQ Throwdown (Day 2) Ashland, VA | 23 / 28 (675.3028) | 20 (169.6800) | 20 (170.2628) | 17 (168.5372) | 20 (166.8228) |
| 2024-08-09 | Americamps BBQ Throwdown (Day 1) Ashland, VA | 19 / 27 (680.5028) | 10 (173.1200) | 12 (170.8688) | 19 (169.6912) | 23 (166.8228) |
| 2024-08-09 | Americamps BBQ Throwdown (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Ashland, VA | — | 20 (165.6800) | — | — | — |
| 2024-07-26 | Smoke on the Mountain Galax, VA | 8 / 32 (692.5140) | 13 (170.8112) | 5 (176.0344) | 8 (176.0000) | 17 (169.6684) |
| 2024-07-19 | Chillin & Grillin in the Glades Wise, VA | 20 / 31 (678.8000) | 10 (175.4172) | 12 (171.9772) | 25 (166.2628) | 25 (165.1428) |
| 2024-06-14 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Buckhannon, WV | 22 / 30 (661.6112) | 30 (153.1200) | 11 (171.4056) | 25 (159.3828) | 3 (177.7028) |
| 2024-06-07 | WV Coalfields Cookoff Welch, WV | 2 / 13 (695.3828) | 5 (172.5600) | 3 (175.4056) | 7 (169.7028) | 1 (177.7144) |
| 2024-05-31 | Honeybee BBQ Competition Lafayette, GA | 4 / 25 (691.3256) | 6 (171.9772) | 4 (173.1200) | 14 (169.6684) | 3 (176.5600) |
| 2024-05-17 | Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival Ayden, NC | 11 / 18 (667.8512) | 14 (166.2284) | 11 (166.8228) | 7 (169.1200) | 10 (165.6800) |
| 2024-05-04 | Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 2 Kannapolis, NC | 14 / 35 (691.3484) | 29 (168.5256) | 14 (173.1428) | 18 (173.1084) | 4 (176.5716) |
| 2024-05-03 | Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 Kannapolis, NC | 15 / 45 (686.7312) | 31 (167.3828) | 24 (169.6800) | 6 (176.5600) | 16 (173.1084) |
| 2023-10-13 | Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC | 6 / 27 (688.5372) | 1 (179.4400) | 7 (172.0000) | 12 (167.3828) | 13 (169.7144) |
| 2023-10-06 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival Lyons, GA | 12 / 29 (681.0288) | 7 (173.1200) | 8 (174.2744) | 10 (173.1200) | 22 (160.5144) |
| 2023-09-01 | Fire in the Foothills BBQ Festival King, NC | 11 / 21 (674.7428) | 10 (170.8228) | 9 (169.7144) | 13 (167.3828) | 14 (166.8228) |
| 2023-08-12 | Americamps BBQ Masters Throwdown Day 2 Ashland, VA | 16 / 26 (685.0168) | 22 (168.5256) | 23 (167.9656) | 6 (174.2628) | 8 (174.2628) |
| 2023-08-11 | Americamps BBQ Masters Throwdown Day 1 Ashland, VA | 21 / 28 (679.8856) | 13 (173.7028) | 7 (174.8572) | 25 (165.0856) | 24 (166.2400) |
| 2023-07-21 | Smoke on the Mountain Galax, VA | 7 / 38 (692.5144) | 9 (176.5600) | 10 (171.4172) | 25 (167.3944) | 4 (177.1428) |
| 2023-07-14 | Chillin & Grillin in the Glades Wise, VA | 23 / 36 (675.9084) | 6 (174.2628) | 31 (165.0856) | 21 (169.6800) | 22 (166.8800) |
| 2021-09-24 | Pigmaster's BBQ Challenge Rutherford College, NC | 23 / 27 (647.8972) | 12 (169.6800) | 25 (157.6800) | 12 (168.5600) | 26 (151.9772) |
| 2021-09-04 | Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que Day 2 Augusta, GA | 41 / 43 (656.9368) | 37 (167.3712) | 42 (159.3600) | 42 (157.0856) | 21 (173.1200) |
| 2021-09-03 | Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que Day 1 Augusta, GA | 33 / 37 (658.1256) | 32 (167.3712) | 24 (169.1316) | 29 (168.5256) | 36 (153.0972) |
| 2021-07-30 | GBC Summer Showdown Cumming, GA | 25 / 39 (665.6112) | 19 (170.2628) | 24 (166.2512) | 17 (167.9888) | 33 (161.1084) |
| 2021-07-23 | Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC | 17 / 30 (667.3260) | 6 (176.5600) | 21 (162.8344) | 25 (163.3944) | 20 (164.5372) |
| 2021-07-16 | Chillin & Grillin In the Glades Wise, VA | 17 / 25 (665.6112) | 16 (167.9656) | 9 (171.4172) | 17 (163.3828) | 20 (162.8456) |
| 2021-07-09 | SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC | 22 / 81 (683.3600) | 35 (169.6684) | 14 (173.7144) | 18 (171.4172) | 32 (168.5600) |
| 2021-06-11 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Roebuck Roebuck, SC | 23 / 28 (666.6740) | 13 (173.1084) | 13 (169.6800) | 28 (153.0744) | 15 (170.8112) |
| 2021-06-04 | GrillBillies BBQ Shootout Wendell, NC | 11 / 18 (670.7656) | 7 (171.4172) | 10 (170.2628) | 3 (173.1428) | 17 (155.9428) |
| 2021-04-16 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pine Ridge Roebuck, SC | 24 / 27 (665.6000) | 5 (176.0000) | 27 (155.9544) | 19 (167.3828) | 21 (166.2628) |
| 2021-03-12 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pirateland Myrtle Beach, SC | 16 / 39 (682.2056) | 13 (174.2628) | 28 (164.5372) | 16 (170.8228) | 9 (172.5828) |
| 2020-10-16 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Dorchester Shrine Club Summerville, SC | 24 / 24 (647.9428) | 21 (159.9656) | 22 (163.4288) | 15 (166.8228) | 23 (157.7256) |
| 2020-09-11 | Pigmaster's BBQ Challenge Connelly Springs, NC | 3 / 24 (691.9428) | 1 (180.0000) | 9 (173.1200) | 13 (168.5600) | 12 (170.2628) |
| 2020-08-28 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Roebuck Roebuck, SC | 29 / 34 (656.9368) | 28 (163.9428) | 31 (162.7884) | 31 (156.5028) | 9 (173.7028) |
| 2020-08-14 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Aiken Aiken, SC | 25 / 34 (664.4228) | 22 (167.9656) | 15 (170.8344) | 28 (163.3828) | 28 (162.2400) |
| 2020-06-26 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pineridge Roebuck, SC | 18 / 25 (659.2912) | 13 (166.2400) | 16 (165.6912) | 14 (166.8344) | 21 (160.5256) |
| 2019-11-09 | Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel B) Concord, NC | 10 / 33 (683.3600) | 13 (173.1316) | 9 (172.5828) | 11 (170.8228) | 18 (166.8228) |
| 2019-11-08 | Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel A) Concord, NC | 9 / 47 (685.0628) | 15 (172.5600) | 2 (176.5716) | 31 (165.6684) | 15 (170.2628) |
| 2019-11-01 | Brew & Que on the Shrine Lake Summerville, SC | 10 / 15 (670.7656) | 14 (163.9428) | 1 (178.8572) | 13 (163.9656) | 10 (164.0000) |
| 2019-10-18 | Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition and Festival B Lenoir, NC | 7 / 22 (677.0740) | 3 (172.5484) | 6 (172.5944) | 12 (165.0856) | 8 (166.8456) |
| 2019-10-17 | Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition and Festival A Lenoir, NC | 2 / 15 (690.7656) | 6 (170.8228) | 1 (175.4172) | 9 (167.3828) | 2 (177.1428) |
| 2019-10-04 | Squealin on the Square Laurens, SC | 13 / 19 (652.3772) | 13 (163.3828) | 8 (168.5372) | 15 (154.7772) | 8 (165.6800) |
| 2019-09-20 | Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC | 5 / 56 (688.5832) | 9 (171.9772) | 7 (173.7144) | 19 (168.5944) | 5 (174.2972) |
| 2019-08-30 | Blue Ridge BBQ & Brew Festival West Jefferson, NC | 9 / 24 (667.2800) | 5 (174.2628) | 6 (170.8572) | 21 (159.3484) | 14 (162.8116) |
| 2019-08-09 | Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show Franklin, NC | 14 / 29 (675.3028) | 5 (174.2628) | 25 (161.6688) | 26 (161.6684) | 1 (177.7028) |
| 2019-08-02 | Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC | 27 / 40 (656.9712) | 26 (161.6800) | 8 (172.0000) | 30 (161.6456) | 27 (161.6456) |
| 2019-07-12 | SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC | 31 / 83 (667.3028) | 23 (170.8228) | 33 (166.8228) | 38 (166.2400) | 33 (163.4172) |
| 2019-06-28 | Saltwater BBQ Bash John's Island, SC | 12 / 18 (667.3488) | 9 (171.4172) | 8 (169.7028) | 14 (161.1088) | 12 (165.1200) |
| 2019-06-14 | Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC | 7 / 38 (667.3484) | 1 (178.8572) | 26 (158.2400) | 18 (161.7028) | 5 (168.5484) |
| 2019-05-24 | Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival Evans, GA | 45 / 72 (667.2684) | 23 (171.9656) | 65 (158.8116) | 32 (167.9656) | 37 (168.5256) |
| 2019-05-17 | Stills and Grills Fest North Wilkesboro, NC | 6 / 21 (672.0000) | 7 (170.8344) | 9 (167.4400) | 13 (162.2628) | 5 (171.4628) |
| 2019-05-03 | Jiggy With The Piggy Kannapolis, NC | 6 / 60 (678.2400) | 13 (171.4056) | 19 (168.0000) | 13 (169.6916) | 15 (169.1428) |
| 2019-04-26 | BBQ Capital Cook Off Lexington, NC | 6 / 43 (677.6568) | 1 (176.0000) | 10 (169.1312) | 12 (168.5600) | 18 (163.9656) |
Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #228 (490 pts) | #335 (385 pts) | #422 (315 pts) | #203 (545 pts) | #244 (475 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #134 (1397 pts) | #151 (1342 pts) | #207 (1147 pts) | #139 (1337 pts) | #82 (1632 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #140 (1277 pts) | #164 (1175 pts) | #133 (1340 pts) | #142 (1232 pts) | #87 (1540 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #267 (806 pts) | #188 (1056 pts) | #285 (851 pts) | #302 (711 pts) | #289 (771 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #247 (783 pts) | #153 (1150 pts) | #244 (858 pts) | #193 (982 pts) | #239 (818 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #121 (874 pts) | #113 (909 pts) | #81 (1129 pts) | #158 (719 pts) | #153 (764 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #128 (1665 pts) | #75 (1844 pts) | #68 (1856 pts) | #261 (1103 pts) | #106 (1676 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #131 (1704 pts) | #68 (1928 pts) | #87 (1791 pts) | #227 (1264 pts) | #166 (1519 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #109 (1875 pts) | #107 (1786 pts) | #153 (1610 pts) | #267 (1235 pts) | #60 (2040 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #275 (1266 pts) | #149 (1626 pts) | #344 (1076 pts) | #226 (1361 pts) | #283 (1211 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #468 (827 pts) | #402 (942 pts) | #288 (1181 pts) | #436 (871 pts) | #427 (887 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #688 (523 pts) | #685 (553 pts) | #507 (783 pts) | #661 (578 pts) | #800 (448 pts) |