SWEET & SAVORY BBQ VA
Rating
1650
peak 1685 · rated over 38 contests
Best runs
23
straight top-10s · 2 straight GCs
Contests
39
in the data
First seen
2019-03-22
latest 2023-10-27
Best ToY finish
#368
Master 2023
Grand champs
7
4 reserve
Category wins
9
27 podiums
Overall top-10s
29
of 39 contests
Avg finish
top 27%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
2 🔥
Current form
407.16 ▲
last 5 Backyard vs avg 382.63 (+24.53)
Walk rate
87%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
23
best run (overall)
Consistency
±76.67
std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 169.88 · weakest Brisket (167.93)
Road miles
8818
mi across 39 mapped stops · furthest 1077 mi
Schedule strength
62%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1556)
Purse competed for
$193K
listed at 28 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
5 🏅
GCs in 29 state-championship entries
Master avg
674.73 / 720
11 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
382.63 / 360
27 Backyard contests · 7 GCs
Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
D’Qued Barbeque has finished one call ahead of SWEET & SAVORY BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Kane's BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
SMOKIN SKULLIES has come out ahead in 7 of their 10 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of Gold-N-Blue Barbecue in 19 of their 27 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Smoke in the Grove is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 0.5716 points of the Grand Championship at Dirty Boots BBQ and Meat Contest - Day 1 (2021-08-27).
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 53-team field at Smoke in the Grove.
📅 A April team
Something about April: average finish in the top 9% across 5 contests, versus top 27% the rest of the year.
Teams like this (closest power rating, VA first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold-N-Blue Barbecue | 27 | 19 | 8 | 70% | ⚔ compare |
| GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | 27 | 18 | 9 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | 26 | 13 | 13 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| CHUNKY BBQ | 25 | 15 | 9 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| Optimus Swine | 24 | 14 | 10 | 58% | ⚔ compare |
| D’Qued Barbeque | 23 | 12 | 11 | 52% | ⚔ compare |
| WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | 23 | 10 | 11 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit | 23 | 10 | 13 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Ham Squad | 21 | 12 | 9 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| Off The Rack BBQ | 20 | 9 | 11 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| Kane's BBQ | 19 | 14 | 5 | 74% | ⚔ compare |
| Zoni-Q | 19 | 13 | 6 | 68% | ⚔ compare |
| BAD AZZ MULE BBQ | 19 | 12 | 6 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| Bowmans Butt & BBQ | 18 | 11 | 7 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| Rogue Hog BBQ | 18 | 10 | 6 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 38 | 22 | 3 | 8 | 178.8572 | 157.0856 | 169.26 | top 36% |
| Pork Ribs | 38 | 25 | 3 | 11 | 177.7144 | 151.9432 | 168.82 | top 28% |
| Pork | 21 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 180.0000 🔥 | 160.5144 | 169.88 | top 36% |
| Brisket | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 179.4400 | 155.9656 | 167.93 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| VA | 13 | 2 | top 32% |
| PA | 6 | 1 | top 19% |
| WV | 6 | 1 | top 36% |
| MD | 6 | 2 | top 18% |
| NC | 2 | 0 | top 47% |
| OK | 2 | 1 | top 29% |
| NJ | 1 | 0 | top 18% |
| AL | 1 | 0 | top 8% |
| KS | 1 | 0 | top 10% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 12 | 2 | top 36% |
| Medium (20–39) | 8 | 2 | top 20% |
| Large (40+) | 18 | 3 | top 25% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) | 4 | 1 | 1 | top 10% | 2023-03-25 |
| Smoke in the Grove | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 8% | 2021-07-30 |
| BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) | 2 | 28 | 0 | top 55% | 2022-03-26 |
| York County BBQ Festival | 2 | 10 | 0 | top 26% | 2021-06-18 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2021 (21 contests)
- Cooks mostly in VA (14 of 39 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (38 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Smoke in the Grove (2019-07-26)
- Wins it all in 18% of contests
- Average Master overall score: 674.73 / 720
- Average Backyard overall score: 382.63 / 360
- 2 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Milestones
- 🚩 2019-03-22 — First tracked contest · BBQ Gives Back-III (Day 1)
- 📣 2019-04-19 — First call · Interstate BBQ Festival
- 🏆 2019-07-26 — First Grand Championship · Smoke in the Grove
- 🔥 2021-05-15 — First perfect 180 (Pork) · Smokin' on the Buffalo BBQ Brawl - Day 2
- 🎖️ 2021-09-24 — 25th tracked contest · Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown at Americamps - Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 📈 2021-09-25 — Peak power rating (1685) · Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown at Americamps - Day 2 (BACKYARD ONLY)
- ⭐ 2023-03-25 — Career-best overall score (699.4516) · BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.9 | Smoke in the Grove | 2019-07-26 |
| +15.7 | BBQ WYTHE US DAY 2 | 2020-08-08 |
| +15.7 | The Nightmare Before Zom-B-Q | 2020-10-29 |
| +14.2 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) | 2021-03-26 |
| +13.5 | Second Annual KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Competition | 2020-11-13 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -14.6 | Almost Heaven's Spooktacular Backyard BBQ | 2021-10-29 |
| -11.6 | Nightmare before Zom-B-Q (Day 1) | 2023-10-27 |
| -10.7 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) | 2022-03-25 |
| -10.5 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) | 2022-03-26 |
| -10.2 | BBQ Gives Back-III (Day 1) | 2019-03-22 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 38% | 97.1% | 95.3% |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 57% | top 49% | 94.8% | 93.8% |
| 2021 | 21 | 5 | 20 | 7 | 95% | top 22% | 144.4% | 107.9% |
| 2020 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 100% | top 13% | 141.4% | 102.5% |
| 2019 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 67% | top 34% | 94.8% | 90.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-27 | Nightmare before Zom-B-Q (Day 1) 🏅 Galax, VA | 15 / 19 (671.8740) | 18 (165.0856) | 11 (170.2972) | 4 (175.4056) | 19 (161.0856) |
| 2023-03-25 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 3 / 46 (699.4516) | 12 (176.5600) | 22 (171.4516) | 1 (180.0000) | 15 (171.4400) |
| 2023-03-24 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 15 / 53 (687.9656) | 19 (173.7028) | 15 (174.2972) | 46 (160.5256) | 4 (179.4400) |
| 2022-11-04 | Currituck Bulls & BBQ 🏅 Powells Point, NC | 12 / 22 (679.3600) | 8 (174.2628) | 14 (168.5828) | 22 (160.5144) | 3 (176.0000) |
| 2022-10-07 | Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA | 10 / 26 (662.1712) | 13 (165.7028) | 2 (172.5600) | 14 (166.2400) | 19 (157.6684) |
| 2022-09-09 | 18th Annual Recovery Fest and 12th Annual KCBS BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Hanover, VA | 9 / 17 (675.3484) | 14 (168.0000) | 4 (172.5484) | 15 (166.2400) | 7 (168.5600) |
| 2022-05-13 | Jiggy With The Piggy 🏅 Kannapolis, NC | 18 / 46 (676.4804) | 17 (173.1316) | 19 (169.1316) | 30 (165.6800) | 16 (168.5372) |
| 2022-03-26 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 28 / 50 (682.7888) | 44 (162.8000) | 7 (176.5716) | 17 (174.8572) | 30 (168.5600) |
| 2022-03-25 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 29 / 53 (677.6688) | 45 (163.9544) | 28 (169.1428) | 24 (171.4172) | 11 (173.1544) |
| 2022-03-25 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) (One Meat Chicken) Urbanna, VA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021-11-12 | 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Backyard Shawnee, OK | 1 / 33 (347.4172) | 2 (177.7028) | 6 (169.7144) | — | — |
| 2021-11-11 | 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Open Shawnee, OK | 61 / 111 (677.0400) | 75 (166.8228) | 27 (171.9772) | 52 (171.4172) | 72 (166.8228) |
| 2021-10-29 | Almost Heaven's Spooktacular Backyard BBQ Buckhannon, WV | 10 / 12 (338.2400) | 12 (161.0972) | 1 (177.1428) | — | — |
| 2021-09-25 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown at Americamps - Day 2 (BACKYARD ONLY) Ashland, VA | 2 / 18 (518.2516) | 1 (178.8572) | 6 (172.0116) | 8 (167.3828) | — |
| 2021-09-24 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown at Americamps - Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) Ashland, VA | 5 / 19 (501.0632) | 10 (167.9772) | 10 (162.2516) | 2 (170.8344) | — |
| 2021-08-28 | Dirty Boots BBQ and Meat Contest - Day 2 Boonsboro, MD | 7 / 20 (330.8116) | 5 (166.8228) | 10 (163.9888) | — | — |
| 2021-08-27 | Dirty Boots BBQ and Meat Contest - Day 1 Boonsboro, MD | 2 / 24 (350.8572) | 2 (176.5600) | 2 (174.2972) | — | — |
| 2021-08-20 | Pig Out in the Park (BACKYARD ONLY) Frostburg, MD | 8 / 18 (330.8004) | 11 (161.6688) | 4 (169.1316) | — | — |
| 2021-07-30 | Smoke in the Grove 🏅 Spring Grove, PA | 4 / 54 (340.5488) | 1 (178.8572) | 19 (161.6916) | 3 (168.5600) | — |
| 2021-07-17 | Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 2 🏅 Morgantown, WV | 4 / 15 (335.4744) | 8 (162.2744) | 1 (173.2000) | — | — |
| 2021-07-16 | Country Roads BBQ Clash Day 1 🏅 Morgantown, WV | 5 / 18 (341.1200) | 4 (172.5600) | 7 (168.5600) | — | — |
| 2021-06-18 | York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA | 10 / 41 (331.9084) | 5 (170.8228) | 15 (161.0856) | — | — |
| 2021-06-11 | City of Welch Coalfields Cook-off 🏅 Welch, WV | 7 / 15 (338.2400) | 12 (166.8344) | 4 (171.4056) | 2 (176.5600) | — |
| 2021-05-15 | Smokin' on the Buffalo BBQ Brawl - Day 2 Mannington, WV | 1 / 15 (519.9660) | 7 (167.9772) | 3 (171.9888) | 1 (180.0000) | — |
| 2021-05-14 | Smokin' on the Buffalo BBQ Brawl - Day 1 🏅 Mannington, WV | 4 / 18 (507.8972) | 6 (168.5256) | 6 (169.6800) | 5 (169.6916) | — |
| 2021-04-23 | New Jersey KnoQ-out: Day 1-CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 7 / 40 (327.3600) | 4 (165.6800) | 9 (161.6800) | — | — |
| 2021-04-17 | Interstate BBQ Festival - Day 2 🏅 Hagerstown, MD | 1 / 34 (346.8344) | 3 (175.4172) | 3 (171.4172) | — | — |
| 2021-04-16 | Interstate BBQ Festival - Day 1 🏅 Hagerstown, MD | 1 / 47 (346.2516) | 13 (168.5372) | 1 (177.7144) | — | — |
| 2021-04-09 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 3 / 38 (344.5256) | 4 (173.7028) | 12 (170.8228) | — | — |
| 2021-03-27 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 2 / 40 (514.1940) | 7 (168.5256) | 9 (167.9656) | 1 (177.7028) | — |
| 2021-03-26 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 1 / 46 (510.2172) | 4 (170.2628) | 3 (170.8344) | 4 (169.1200) | — |
| 2020-11-13 | Second Annual KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Competition 🏅 Mayetta, KS | 9 / 94 (340.5600) | 3 (176.5600) | 20 (164.0000) | — | — |
| 2020-10-29 | The Nightmare Before Zom-B-Q 🏅 Wytheville, VA | 2 / 33 (509.0628) | 2 (172.5600) | 9 (167.9656) | 3 (168.5372) | — |
| 2020-08-08 | BBQ WYTHE US DAY 2 🏅 WYTHE, VA | 1 / 17 (346.8688) | 4 (173.1200) | 2 (173.7488) | — | — |
| 2020-07-24 | Smoke in the Grove 🏅 Spring Grove, PA | 9 / 59 (329.0972) | 20 (157.0856) | 3 (172.0116) | 13 (163.3828) | — |
| 2020-06-26 | York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA | 15 / 53 (319.4172) | 9 (165.7144) | 17 (153.7028) | — | — |
| 2019-07-26 | Smoke in the Grove 🏅 Spring Grove, PA | 1 / 53 (341.1888) | 1 (173.7372) | 2 (167.4516) | — | — |
| 2019-04-19 | Interstate BBQ Festival 🏅 Hagerstown, MD | 9 / 54 (322.7888) | 14 (161.6916) | 9 (161.0972) | — | — |
| 2019-03-22 | BBQ Gives Back-III (Day 1) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 52 / 63 (631.8744) | 48 (160.5600) | 57 (151.9432) | 33 (163.4056) | 51 (155.9656) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #368 (551 pts) | #489 (436 pts) | #549 (401 pts) | #351 (601 pts) | #349 (616 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Backyard | — | #147 (258 pts) | #206 (173 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #416 (528 pts) | #460 (488 pts) | #317 (818 pts) | #462 (483 pts) | #400 (583 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Backyard | — | #8 (1229 pts) | #5 (1273 pts) | — | — |
| 2020 ↗ | Backyard | — | #17 (642 pts) | #13 (682 pts) | — | — |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1957 (60 pts) | #2049 (60 pts) | #2028 (60 pts) | #2032 (60 pts) | #2012 (60 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #2212 (60 pts) | #2286 (60 pts) | #2271 (65 pts) | #2260 (60 pts) | #2266 (60 pts) |