Q & STEW BEST EVER BBQ

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#5456

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1451

peak 1451 · rated over 27 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2014-05-09

latest 2024-05-03

Best ToY finish

#851

Master 2019

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 27 contests

Avg finish

top 71%

overall standings

Best overall

669.0632 / 720

Master · Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off

Perfect 180s

Current form

662.59 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 643.93 (+18.66)

Walk rate

30%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7144

Pork Ribs · Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n BBQ Cook Off

Consistency

±18.42

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 162.54 · weakest Brisket (158.54)

Road miles

1,133

mi across 27 mapped stops · furthest 150 mi

Schedule strength

62%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1579)

Purse competed for

$110K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 9 state-championship entries

Master avg

643.93 / 720

27 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

High-water mark

669.0632 career-best overall

92.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 669.0632 at Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off — 92.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
2019-10-11

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BAYOU POKER SMOKERS has finished one call ahead of Q & STEW BEST EVER BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 54%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 54%

A tough matchup

19–0 behind in the head-to-head

HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY ahead in 100% of their meetings

HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY has come out ahead in 19 of their 19 shared contests.

A strong matchup

9–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 90% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of 2 GUYS AND A CHICK in 9 of their 10 shared contests.

The comeback

2.5 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.5 years, then back at Jiggy With The Piggy (2022-05-13).

last seen 2019-11-08
back 2022-05-13

Pork Ribs nemesis

17 of 18 shared pork ribs entries lost

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ ahead 94% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has out-cooked them in 17 of 18 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BAD MOTHER SMOKERS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An October team

Top 53% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 53% across 6 contests, versus top 71% the rest of the year.

6 October contests
top 71% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Jiggy With The Piggy every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 27th

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

JL CUSTOM SMOKERS

#5444 of the rated field

1452 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1452

5–1 in 6 shared contests (83% to Q & STEW BEST EVER BBQ)

These two have cooked 6 of the same contests — Q & STEW BEST EVER BBQ ahead 5–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2018-11-09

⚔ Head-to-head

BIG ORANGE SMOKERS

#5448 of the rated field

1452 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1512

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1512 at their best, 60 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 28 contests
last seen 2026-03-20

⚔ Head-to-head

SHIRTS ON FIRE BBQ

#5445 of the rated field

1452 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1452

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 23 contests to 27, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2026-03-20

⚔ Head-to-head

PIRATES OF PORKSCENTS

#5459 of the rated field

1451 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1512

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2020, 4 years before Q & STEW BEST EVER BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 36 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

PLUM CRAZY BBQ

#5476 of the rated field

1451 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1451

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2021-07-30

⚔ Head-to-head

Fowl Ballz

#5458 of the rated field

1451 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1451

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2014.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2022-10-07

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY	19	0	19	0%	⚔ compare
BAYOU POKER SMOKERS	18	0	18	0%	⚔ compare
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	18	0	18	0%	⚔ compare
EB'S BAR-B-QUE	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
SMOKE N BREW	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
CONTAGIOUS Q	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	17	0	17	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
BUTTS R US	15	8	7	53%	⚔ compare
TOO SAUCED	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
MIDNIGHT BURN	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
ELITE BBQ SMOKERS	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
WHO CARES BBQ	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	27	2	1	1	174.2856	142.3428	160.54	top 71%
Pork Ribs	27	2	0	0	177.7144	145.6800	162.54	top 58%
Pork	27	1	0	1	172.5600	148.4800	162.31	top 66%
Brisket	27	4	0	1	176.0000	134.2060	158.54	top 64%

“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	26	0	top 71%
SC	1	0	top 85%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	11	0	top 66%
Large (40+)	16	0	top 75%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Jiggy With The Piggy	5	27	top 68%	2022-05-13
Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	3	21	top 75%	2019-09-20
Pigs & Pedals	3	25	top 64%	2019-08-02
Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1	2	28	top 84%	2024-05-03
Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel A)	2	31	top 69%	2019-11-08
Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off	2	7	top 30%	2019-10-11
*Grillin & chillin BBQ cook-off	2	13	top 56%	2017-10-13
Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge	2	71	top 95%	2015-05-08

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 10 yrs 2014-05-09 → 2024-05-03

Busiest season 2019 5 contests

Contests a season 3 across 9 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NC 26 of 27 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 14 8 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 27 entries · 1 win · 2 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 162.54 · weakest Brisket (158.54)

Walk rate 30% a top-10 call in 8 of 27 contests

Overall top-10 rate 7% 2 of 27 contests

Master average 643.93 out of 720 · 27 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 390 323–925 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,133 27 mapped stops · furthest 150 mi

Schedule strength 1579 average field rating faced — tougher than 62% of rated contests

Purse competed for $109,750 listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 9 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 2.5 yrs 2019-11-08 → 2022-05-13

Power rating 1451 peak 1451 · #5456 of 6,413 rated

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

2014
May 9 First tracked contest Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
May 9 Peak power rating (1487) Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
2016
Oct 7 First call Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off
2017
May 5 10th tracked contest Jiggy With the Piggy
Sep 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.8628 Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic
2018
Oct 12 First overall top-10 Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off
2019
Oct 11 First category win (Chicken) Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off
Oct 11 Career-best overall score669.0632 Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off
2023
May 5 25th tracked contest Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1
Oct 13 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.7144 Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n BBQ Cook Off
2024
May 3 Most recent contest Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.3	Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off	2019-10-11
+10.7	Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off	2018-10-12
+8.1	*Grillin & chillin BBQ cook-off	2017-10-13
+6.1	Pigs & Pedals	2018-08-03
+4.2	Jiggy With the Piggy	2018-05-04

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.2	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge	2014-05-09
-11.9	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge	2015-05-08
-11.9	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally	2014-09-19
-7.7	Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1	2024-05-03
-7.3	Butts and Beans BBQ Challenge	2016-09-23

Category scores over time

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2024	1	0	0	0%	top 89%	91.3%	91.3%
2023	2	0	0	50%	top 76%	92.5%	92%
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 59%	92.9%	92.9%
2019	5	1	1	60%	top 65%	92.9%	90.4%
2018	4	1	0	50%	top 54%	92.3%	91.2%
2017	5	0	0	20%	top 64%	92.1%	89.5%
2016	4	0	0	25%	top 82%	90%	88.1%
2015	3	0	0	0%	top 85%	89.3%	87.1%
2014	2	0	0	0%	top 95%	85.6%	84.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2024-05-03	Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	40 / 45 (657.5312)	42 (157.6456)	14 (172.5600)	29 (168.5256)	40 (158.8000)
2023-10-13	Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Waxhaw, NC	18 / 25 (666.1260)	19 (163.9544)	5 (177.7144)	22 (162.8116)	20 (161.6456)
2023-05-05	Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	28 / 35 (658.7088)	27 (167.3828)	13 (172.5716)	26 (165.0972)	34 (153.6572)
2022-05-13	Jiggy With The Piggy 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	27 / 46 (668.9596)	26 (167.9772)	22 (168.5256)	26 (167.3712)	24 (165.0856)
2019-11-08	Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (Duel A) 🏅 Concord, NC	31 / 47 (661.6228)	45 (155.3828)	31 (163.4172)	27 (166.8228)	5 (176.0000)
2019-10-11	Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off 🏅 Waxhaw, NC	7 / 27 (669.0632)	1 (174.2856)	13 (165.7144)	18 (161.6572)	7 (167.4060)
2019-09-20	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic 🏅 Salisbury, NC	48 / 56 (634.6852)	54 (149.0856)	17 (169.1428)	32 (162.8112)	47 (153.6456)
2019-08-02	Pigs & Pedals 🏅 Asheboro, NC	30 / 40 (644.3884)	38 (146.8000)	21 (166.2400)	34 (157.0856)	6 (174.2628)
2019-05-03	Jiggy With The Piggy 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	43 / 60 (645.5084)	52 (157.0856)	17 (169.1084)	38 (161.6572)	47 (157.6572)
2018-10-12	Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off Waxhaw, NC	9 / 26 (664.4912)	20 (162.2744)	13 (165.1084)	14 (164.5484)	3 (172.5600)
2018-09-14	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	21 / 29 (646.6748)	23 (158.8116)	28 (149.0516)	3 (172.5600)	12 (166.2516)
2018-08-03	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	25 / 48 (656.5148)	13 (171.4288)	40 (155.9888)	20 (167.9656)	33 (161.1316)
2018-05-04	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	39 / 70 (657.5544)	32 (169.6684)	39 (162.8344)	66 (154.2172)	15 (170.8344)
2017-11-10	Polar Pig BBQ Cook-Off (JUDGES FULL) Concord, NC	34 / 47 (636.4456)	20 (169.1200)	45 (149.6572)	27 (161.1200)	29 (156.5484)
2017-10-13	*Grillin & chillin BBQ cook-off Waxhaw, NC	13 / 29 (662.7656)	7 (170.8572)	21 (158.8228)	17 (165.1200)	13 (167.9656)
2017-09-15	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	42 / 63 (651.8628)	27 (168.0000)	59 (153.6572)	45 (162.8228)	17 (167.3828)
2017-08-04	*Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	30 / 46 (633.0176)	34 (155.9544)	24 (159.4060)	14 (165.7144)	39 (151.9428)
2017-05-05	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	53 / 75 (637.5660)	52 (160.5372)	60 (157.0972)	53 (159.9656)	34 (159.9660)
2016-11-11	*Town of Mt. Pleasant Fall Festival & First Annual Polar Pig Cook-Off Mt. Pleasant, NC	20 / 25 (641.0060)	17 (163.3828)	14 (160.5372)	23 (157.1316)	19 (159.9544)
2016-10-07	Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off Waxhaw, NC	17 / 25 (647.9544)	18 (158.2516)	7 (169.7028)	21 (158.2856)	16 (161.7144)
2016-09-23	Butts and Beans BBQ Challenge Newton, NC	29 / 31 (623.8516)	27 (160.5600)	26 (160.5600)	17 (168.5256)	31 (134.2060)
2016-05-06	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	65 / 76 (624.4120)	64 (154.2516)	59 (158.2516)	39 (162.8000)	69 (149.1088)
2015-10-09	Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n Waxhaw, NC	21 / 28 (643.2916)	15 (166.2744)	13 (166.2628)	18 (164.5256)	27 (146.2288)
2015-09-04	Beach Boogie and BBQ Festival Myrtle Beach, SC	17 / 20 (630.2172)	18 (157.1656)	14 (160.0116)	16 (160.5256)	17 (152.5144)
2015-05-08	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	71 / 74 (607.8288)	69 (151.9544)	71 (145.6800)	49 (162.8228)	67 (147.3716)
2014-09-19	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally Salisbury, NC	61 / 64 (616.4116)	62 (154.2400)	26 (166.2972)	63 (148.4800)	60 (147.3944)
2014-05-09	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	75 / 80 (597.7144)	77 (142.3428)	29 (164.5256)	74 (151.4400)	77 (139.4060)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

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
2024 ↗	Master	#1182 (60 pts)	#1242 (60 pts)	#1105 (115 pts)	#1231 (60 pts)	#1204 (60 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#868 (145 pts)	#958 (140 pts)	#678 (295 pts)	#964 (125 pts)	#948 (135 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1346 (75 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1311 (65 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#554 (185 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#851 (337 pts)	#742 (457 pts)	#846 (372 pts)	#1038 (267 pts)	#724 (462 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1228 (194 pts)	#1142 (244 pts)	#1412 (174 pts)	#877 (374 pts)	#1030 (289 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#968 (354 pts)	#921 (424 pts)	#1092 (319 pts)	#957 (389 pts)	#927 (394 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1109 (281 pts)	#1150 (291 pts)	#971 (376 pts)	#1183 (286 pts)	#1132 (291 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1263 (218 pts)	#1243 (243 pts)	#1160 (273 pts)	#1302 (238 pts)	#1378 (198 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2084 (75 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#2161 (75 pts)	#2172 (75 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)