HOT EMBERS BBQ

HOT EMBERS BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 10 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2018 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 4th of 17 at the Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) (2023). They are ranked #3976 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,976

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1484

peak 1484 · rated over 6 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 30, 2018

latest Jun 19, 2026 · 8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#312

Backyard 2026 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

10% of 10 contests

Avg finish

top 67%

overall standings

Best overall

683.9088 / 720

Competitor Series · Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)

Perfect 180s

Walk rate

30%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.8572

Pork Ribs · Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)

Consistency

±11.89

spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 160.10 · weakest Pork (145.70)

Road miles

137

across 8 mapped stops · furthest 53 mi

Schedule strength

24%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1533)

Purse competed for

$27K

listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings

Master avg

557.59 / 720

1 Master contest · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

325.66 / 360

4 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

Backyard (3-meat) avg

473.05 / 540

2 Backyard (3-meat) contests · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (6 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

683.9088 career-best overall

95.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 683.9088 at Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) — 95.0% of a perfect 720.

Competitor Series
Sep 15, 2023

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Big Hogs BBQ has finished one call ahead of HOT EMBERS BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

5–0 behind in the head-to-head

BBQ MIKE ahead in 100% of their meetings

BBQ MIKE has come out ahead in 5 of their 5 shared contests.

A strong matchup

3–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of 2 Sauced 2 Pork in 3 of their 3 shared contests.

The comeback

3.4 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.4 years, then back at Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) (Nov 5, 2021).

last seen Jun 30, 2018
back Nov 5, 2021

Pork Ribs nemesis

5 of 6 shared pork ribs entries lost

RUBY CREEK BBQ ahead 83% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, RUBY CREEK BBQ has out-cooked them in 5 of 6 shared pork ribs entries.

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	#312 (65 pts)	#320 (60 pts)	#254 (135 pts)	—	—
2025 ↗	Backyard	#341 (85 pts)	#371 (60 pts)	#275 (155 pts)	—	—
2024 ↗	Backyard	#362 (75 pts)	#377 (60 pts)	#281 (145 pts)	—	—
2023 ↗	Backyard	—	#269 (119 pts)	#340 (69 pts)	—	—
2022 ↗	Backyard	—	#349 (58 pts)	#252 (123 pts)	—	—
2018 ↗	Master	#2548 (54 pts)	#1973 (69 pts)	#2536 (54 pts)	#2547 (54 pts)	#2488 (59 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

THERMAL CHAOS BBQ

#3,985 of the rated field

1484 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1501

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to HOT EMBERS BBQ)

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

rated over 7 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Pit Snipe BBQ

#3,978 of the rated field

1484 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1484

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to HOT EMBERS BBQ)

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

rated over 7 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Monsters of the Ribway

#3,993 of the rated field

1483 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1546

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to HOT EMBERS BBQ)

They've been 1546 at their best, 62 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 37 contests
last seen Jul 14, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

SWEETFIRE QUE

#3,972 of the rated field

1484 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1484

Fewer contests behind them than HOT EMBERS BBQ has cooked, 6 to 10, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 6 contests
last seen May 3, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

THE SMOKIN O'S

#3,964 of the rated field

1484 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1484

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2018.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Apr 6, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

NO BRAINER BBQ TEAM

#3,968 of the rated field

1484 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1484

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

rated over 7 contests
last seen Aug 22, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
RUBY CREEK BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Shmack Q	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Plumber Q	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
Too Sauced Guys Bar-B-Que	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
Stone Cold Grillers	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
BBQ MIKE	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	10	0	166.2744	143.3484	157.38	top 77%
Pork Ribs	10	3	174.8572	126.2400	160.10	top 55%
Pork	3	0	158.2856	125.0972	145.70	top 75%
Brisket	1	0	147.3828	147.3828	147.38	top 83%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	top 48%
Medium (20–39)	6	top 77%
Large (40+)	2	top 57%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)	2	20	0	top 57%	Jun 19, 2026
Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)	2	4	0	top 48%	Sep 15, 2023

More numbers

Busiest season — 2 contests

Contests a season 1.3 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 10 of 10 contests

Contests visited 8 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 188 finished ahead 98 times, behind 195

Longest layoff 3.4 yrs Jun 30, 2018 → Nov 5, 2021

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

20262 milestones

Jun 19 10th tracked contest Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
Jun 19 Most recent contest Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)

20251 milestone

Jun 20 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)174.8572 Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)

20241 milestone

Jun 14 First call Morris Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)

20233 milestones

Sep 15 First overall top-10 Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)
Sep 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score683.9088 Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)
Sep 15 Career-best overall score683.9088 Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)

20181 milestone

Jun 30 Peak power rating (1486) I-39 Smokin Car Show

—1 milestone

First tracked contest Decatur's Smokin BBQ Festival Backyard Competition Presented by Kenney's Ace Hardware (BACKYARD ONLY)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+1.6	Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)	Jun 20, 2025
+0.9	Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)	Jun 19, 2026
+0.8	Morris Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)	Jun 14, 2024
+0.3	Westmont Red White & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY)	May 27, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.2	I-39 Smokin Car Show	Jun 30, 2018
-5.7	Westmont Red White & BBQ Backyard BBQ Cook-Off 2022 (BACKYARD ONLY)	May 28, 2022

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
—	2	0	0%	top 88%	86%	85.8%
2026	1	0	100%	top 59%	93.2%	93.2%
2025	1	0	100%	top 56%	93.2%	93.2%
2024	1	0	100%	top 55%	90.5%	90.5%
2023	2	1	0%	top 40%	95%	92.3%
2022	1	0	0%	top 71%	85.1%	85.1%
2021	1	0	0%	top 72%	89.7%	89.7%
2018	1	0	0%	top 100%	77.4%	77.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 19, 2026	Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Morris, IL	24 / 41 (335.3716)	33 (161.6572)	10 (173.7144)	—	—
Jun 20, 2025	Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Morris, IL	20 / 36 (335.3716)	29 (160.5144)	8 (174.8572)	—	—
Jun 14, 2024	Morris Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Morris, IL	22 / 40 (325.6568)	36 (155.9312)	9 (169.7256)	—	—
Sep 15, 2023	Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) unrated Yorkville, IL	4 / 17 (683.9088)	13 (165.0856)	12 (164.5488)	—	—
May 27, 2023	Westmont Red White & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) Westmont, IL	19 / 34 (483.3828)	13 (166.2744)	23 (158.8228)	18 (158.2856)	—
May 28, 2022	Westmont Red White & BBQ Backyard BBQ Cook-Off 2022 (BACKYARD ONLY) Westmont, IL	20 / 28 (306.2512)	24 (145.1084)	11 (161.1428)	—	—
Nov 5, 2021	Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) unrated Yorkville, IL	13 / 18 (646.1712)	12 (160.5256)	13 (160.6060)	—	—
Jun 30, 2018	I-39 Smokin Car Show Minonk, IL	29 / 29 (557.5888)	22 (158.8688)	29 (126.2400)	29 (125.0972)	24 (147.3828)
—	Saluting With Smoke (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Yorkville, IL	36 / 38 (464.4456)	38 (143.3484)	22 (158.8344)	—	—
—	Decatur's Smokin BBQ Festival Backyard Competition Presented by Kenney's Ace Hardware (BACKYARD ONLY) Decatur, IL	18 / 22 (462.7084)	17 (156.4912)	17 (152.5144)	16 (153.7028)	—

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

HOT EMBERS 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

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

Master avg

Backyard avg

Backyard (3-meat) avg

Storylines (6 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork Ribs nemesis

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 — 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)