Matt's Backyard BBQ CT
Rating
1490
peak 1490 · rated over 34 contests
Contests
41
in the data
First seen
2021-06-12
latest 2026-08-15
Best ToY finish
#220
Master 2023
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
4 podiums
Overall top-10s
5
of 41 contests
Avg finish
top 60%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
665.91 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 657.17 (+8.74)
Walk rate
56%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±19.67
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 165.03 · weakest Brisket (163.94)
Road miles
3867
mi across 41 mapped stops · furthest 302 mi
Schedule strength
43%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1537)
Purse competed for
$189K
listed at 35 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 31 state-championship entries
Master avg
657.17 / 720
33 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
685.66 / 360
1 Backyard contest · 0 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
Live Q or Die has finished one call ahead of Matt's Backyard BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Q42 has landed one call behind them 2 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
ELJEFE SMOKE has come out ahead in 27 of their 30 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of BBQ Bandits in 11 of their 12 shared contests.
😤 Chicken nemesis
Even in their strongest meat, ELJEFE SMOKE has out-cooked them in 24 of 30 shared chicken entries.
📅 A May team
Something about May: average finish in the top 35% across 3 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.
Teams like this (closest power rating, CT first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELJEFE SMOKE | 30 | 3 | 27 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY | 26 | 3 | 23 | 12% | ⚔ compare |
| PADDY MCQ'S | 26 | 2 | 24 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 26 | 1 | 25 | 4% | ⚔ compare |
| Mullen It Over BBQ | 24 | 15 | 9 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| Let It Smoke Barbecue | 23 | 10 | 13 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Up-2 BBQ | 19 | 2 | 17 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| CIDER BOYS BBQ | 18 | 7 | 11 | 39% | ⚔ compare |
| STICKS & STONES BBQ | 15 | 3 | 12 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| CycloneBBQ | 15 | 2 | 13 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| HOG WASH BBQ | 14 | 6 | 8 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Bobby's Q | 14 | 4 | 10 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| FOUR SMOKING GUYS | 14 | 4 | 10 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| Grandpa Val's BBQ | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Q42 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 69% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 34 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 176.5600 | 141.1888 | 165.03 | top 63% |
| Pork Ribs | 41 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 178.8572 | 146.2400 | 164.37 | top 59% |
| Pork | 34 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 177.7028 | 150.2172 | 164.59 | top 60% |
| Brisket | 34 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 177.7144 | 143.3256 | 163.94 | top 52% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CT | 8 | 0 | top 61% |
| MA | 6 | 0 | top 55% |
| ME | 4 | 0 | top 52% |
| NY | 4 | 0 | top 49% |
| NH | 4 | 0 | top 69% |
| VT | 3 | 0 | top 66% |
| QC | 2 | 0 | top 59% |
| NJ | 1 | 0 | top 62% |
| RI | 1 | 0 | top 72% |
| PA | 1 | 0 | top 89% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 0 | top 60% |
| Medium (20–39) | 23 | 0 | top 61% |
| Large (40+) | 8 | 0 | top 57% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) | 6 | 5 | 0 | top 57% | 2026-04-10 |
| Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY2) | 3 | 11 | 0 | top 66% | 2024-09-14 |
| Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) | 3 | 22 | 0 | top 68% | 2023-09-23 |
| Kora Kares for Kids | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 51% | 2026-08-15 |
| Connecticut Barbecue Challenge | 2 | 20 | 0 | top 72% | 2026-07-18 |
| La Classique BBQ Labonte | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 59% | 2024-08-02 |
| Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 48% | 2024-06-22 |
| Granite State BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES | 2 | 16 | 0 | top 57% | 2023-06-03 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2023 (13 contests)
- Cooks mostly in CT (9 of 41 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (41 entries)
- Average Master overall score: 657.17 / 720
- Average Backyard overall score: 685.66 / 360
Milestones
- 🚩 2021-06-12 — First tracked contest · Granite State BBQ Championship
- 📣 2021-09-25 — First call · Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown
- ⭐ 2023-06-24 — Career-best overall score (691.3828) · Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff
- 📈 2023-06-24 — Peak power rating (1500) · Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff
- 🎖️ 2024-06-22 — 25th tracked contest · Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +18.3 | Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) | 2026-05-02 |
| +15.7 | Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff | 2023-06-24 |
| +14.2 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) | 2024-04-12 |
| +11.7 | Kora Kares for Kids | 2026-08-15 |
| +10 | Somerset Sizzle | 2023-05-20 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -12.5 | Granite State BBQ Championship | 2021-06-12 |
| -11.4 | New Holland Summer Fest | 2021-08-27 |
| -10.2 | I Love Barbecue & Music Festival | 2023-09-01 |
| -7.1 | Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff | 2024-06-22 |
| -6.2 | Connecticut Barbecue Challenge | 2026-07-18 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60% | top 43% | 190.5% | 117.8% |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 61% | 93.7% | 91.2% |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 64% | top 62% | 94.4% | 92.1% |
| 2023 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46% | top 59% | 96% | 91.5% |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 57% | 93.4% | 90.9% |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 79% | 89.5% | 86.1% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-15 | Kora Kares for Kids 🏅 Hiram, ME | 13 / 51 (690.1940) | 38 (166.8228) | 5 (178.8572) | 18 (172.5484) | 18 (171.9656) |
| 2026-08-15 | Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME | — | — | 16 (170.2744) | — | — |
| 2026-07-18 | Connecticut Barbecue Challenge 🏅 Somers, CT | 28 / 36 (659.8628) | 8 (174.2628) | 30 (164.5256) | 16 (171.4172) | 33 (149.6572) |
| 2026-05-02 | Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 New Paltz, NY | 3 / 59 (685.6572) | 56 (163.4172) | 32 (169.6800) | 8 (174.8456) | 4 (177.7144) |
| 2026-04-10 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Bristol, CT | 21 / 33 (670.1716) | 15 (170.8344) | 12 (171.9656) | 30 (159.3828) | 16 (167.9888) |
| 2025-07-12 | New Jersey State Barbecue Championship 🏅 North Wildwood, NJ | 39 / 63 (634.6172) | 24 (168.5372) | 32 (163.3828) | 38 (159.3716) | 56 (143.3256) |
| 2025-04-12 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Bristol, CT | 18 / 35 (674.7200) | 9 (176.5600) | 29 (163.3944) | 16 (170.8228) | 20 (163.9428) |
| 2025-04-11 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Bristol, CT | 21 / 30 (659.8400) | 10 (171.9656) | 28 (159.9544) | 19 (167.3828) | 21 (160.5372) |
| 2024-10-26 | Weekend of Giving 🏅 Wrentham, MA | 10 / 25 (670.1600) | 11 (171.9656) | 15 (165.6800) | 8 (170.8344) | 16 (161.6800) |
| 2024-09-14 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY2) 🏅 Braintree, VT | 19 / 25 (662.7544) | 19 (166.2744) | 14 (164.5716) | 17 (167.9656) | 18 (163.9428) |
| 2024-09-13 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY1 ) 🏅 Braintree, VT | 20 / 25 (654.1600) | 24 (157.0972) | 21 (162.2400) | 18 (164.5484) | 7 (170.2744) |
| 2024-08-17 | Kora Kares for Kids 🏅 Hiram, ME | 30 / 39 (652.9828) | 29 (164.5256) | 19 (167.4172) | 34 (155.9428) | 21 (165.0972) |
| 2024-08-17 | Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME | — | — | 29 (160.5256) | — | — |
| 2024-08-02 | La Classique BBQ Labonte Sainte-Perpetue, QC | 14 / 26 (661.6568) | 15 (165.1428) | 4 (170.8456) | 24 (159.9312) | 9 (165.7372) |
| 2024-07-27 | Operation Up in Smoke 🏅 Epping, NH | 13 / 19 (668.5256) | 11 (169.1200) | 17 (163.4284) | 17 (159.9428) | 1 (176.0344) |
| 2024-07-12 | Connecticut Barbecue Challenge 🏅 Somers, CT | 20 / 30 (664.4456) | 19 (164.5372) | 25 (163.4056) | 20 (165.6800) | 10 (170.8228) |
| 2024-06-22 | Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff 🏅 Schenectady, NY | 17 / 21 (645.0404) | 12 (170.2972) | 16 (159.9544) | 20 (153.0744) | 12 (161.7144) |
| 2024-04-13 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Bristol, CT | 23 / 37 (672.4340) | 30 (162.2284) | 8 (173.7028) | 30 (165.0856) | 9 (171.4172) |
| 2024-04-12 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Bristol, CT | 5 / 29 (679.3372) | 2 (176.5600) | 16 (166.2400) | 15 (165.1316) | 7 (171.4056) |
| 2023-09-23 | Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Southwick, MA | 27 / 42 (665.5544) | 32 (166.2516) | 35 (159.9428) | 18 (171.9772) | 22 (167.3828) |
| 2023-09-23 | Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS) 🏅 Southwick, MA | — | — | 14 (158.8116) | — | — |
| 2023-09-22 | Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Southwick, MA | 23 / 31 (667.8856) | 27 (163.9544) | 16 (169.6800) | 17 (168.5256) | 20 (165.7256) |
| 2023-09-01 | I Love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY | 17 / 18 (638.0800) | 17 (157.6572) | 14 (158.2172) | 13 (163.3828) | 17 (158.8228) |
| 2023-08-19 | Kora Shriners BBQ Competition 🏅 Hiram, ME | 27 / 46 (665.0056) | 24 (167.4172) | 35 (162.8000) | 36 (161.6800) | 7 (173.1084) |
| 2023-08-19 | Kora Shriners BBQ Competition (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME | — | — | 23 (157.6456) | — | — |
| 2023-08-04 | La Classique BBQ Labonte Sainte-Perpetue, QC | 21 / 33 (624.4568) | 20 (157.1656) | 32 (146.2400) | 9 (165.1084) | 20 (155.9428) |
| 2023-06-24 | Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff Schenectady, NY | 3 / 19 (691.3828) | 7 (171.9772) | 6 (171.4172) | 2 (177.7028) | 8 (170.2856) |
| 2023-06-03 | Granite State BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Merrimack, NH | 16 / 39 (669.0972) | 24 (166.3084) | 26 (163.9656) | 7 (173.7144) | 18 (165.1088) |
| 2023-05-20 | Somerset Sizzle 🏅 Somerset, MA | 7 / 24 (673.5996) | 17 (163.9540) | 9 (166.8344) | 6 (171.9656) | 7 (170.8456) |
| 2023-05-06 | HOGS 4 HEROES 🏅 Jamestown, RI | 36 / 50 (639.8972) | 31 (163.3828) | 23 (166.2744) | 47 (150.8228) | 28 (159.4172) |
| 2023-04-15 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Bristol, CT | 33 / 43 (653.5996) | 20 (170.8572) | 28 (162.2284) | 34 (161.7028) | 34 (158.8112) |
| 2023-04-15 | Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS) Bristol, CT | — | — | 4 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2022-10-01 | Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Southwick, MA | 22 / 33 (649.5428) | 26 (159.3484) | 5 (172.5716) | 21 (159.9772) | 22 (157.6456) |
| 2022-09-17 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Braintree, VT | 11 / 26 (658.1260) | 12 (169.1200) | 14 (165.1088) | 10 (169.1084) | 22 (154.7888) |
| 2022-09-17 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship - Master of Ribs - Saturday Night (ONE MEAT RIBS) Braintree, VT | — | — | 16 (160.5144) | — | — |
| 2022-06-25 | Second Annual Central Maine BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Skowhegan, ME | 12 / 25 (672.4800) | 20 (164.5372) | 3 (173.1316) | 11 (170.8228) | 14 (163.9884) |
| 2022-06-25 | Central Maine BBQ Cook Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Skowhegan, ME | — | — | 6 (166.8572) | — | — |
| 2022-06-04 | Granite State BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Merrimack, NH | 27 / 37 (636.9712) | 32 (153.6684) | 17 (165.1200) | 24 (162.2628) | 27 (155.9200) |
| 2021-09-25 | Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown 🏅 Southwick, MA | 14 / 26 (644.4572) | 19 (157.1088) | 16 (159.3828) | 19 (155.3828) | 4 (172.5828) |
| 2021-08-27 | New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA | 39 / 44 (601.5888) | 44 (141.1888) | 37 (150.8112) | 36 (150.2172) | 25 (159.3716) |
| 2021-06-12 | Granite State BBQ Championship 🏅 Hancock, NH | 30 / 32 (614.1144) | 27 (157.0972) | 30 (148.5028) | 26 (157.7028) | 29 (150.8116) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #649 (230 pts) | #574 (340 pts) | #861 (175 pts) | #663 (250 pts) | #689 (220 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #222 (965 pts) | #209 (1040 pts) | #217 (1055 pts) | #263 (835 pts) | #115 (1365 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #220 (945 pts) | #287 (795 pts) | #221 (1043 pts) | #154 (1190 pts) | #205 (995 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #542 (369 pts) | #638 (309 pts) | #298 (856 pts) | #539 (389 pts) | #641 (304 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #674 (223 pts) | #767 (198 pts) | #754 (213 pts) | #743 (198 pts) | #578 (318 pts) |