Dewey Smokem & Howe

Dewey Smokem & Howe is a competition barbecue team with 11 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 24th of 26 at the Kickin' It Route 66 BBQ (Day 1) (2023). They are ranked #5349 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “DEWEY, SMOKE'M & HOWE”, “Dewey Smokem Howe”, “Dewey Smoke'm & Howe” and “Dewey, Smok'em, & Howe”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,349

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1455

peak 1455 · rated over 11 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Sep 19, 2013

latest Sep 25, 2026 · 13 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1020

Master 2026 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 11 contests

Avg finish

top 77%

overall standings

Best overall

674.2056 / 720

Master · Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard

Perfect 180s

Current form

645.35 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 644.35 (+1.01)

Walk rate

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.1200

Chicken · Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff

Consistency

±15.27

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.68 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.86)

Road miles

310

across 11 mapped stops · furthest 155 mi

Schedule strength

74%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1595)

Purse competed for

$55K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

644.35 / 720

11 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (6 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

674.2056 career-best overall

93.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 674.2056 at Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard — 93.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 25, 2026

A tough matchup

10–0 behind in the head-to-head

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

A strong matchup

8–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Party Q in 8 of their 10 shared contests.

The comeback

3.5 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.5 years, then back at Kickin' It Route 66 BBQ (Day 1) (Mar 24, 2023).

last seen Sep 20, 2019
back Mar 24, 2023

Chicken nemesis

10 of 10 shared chicken entries lost

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 10 shared chicken entries.

The metronome

±2.12% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.12% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.5% of a perfect score
11 contests

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 ↗	Master	#1020 (60 pts)	#1093 (60 pts)	#1161 (60 pts)	#1067 (60 pts)	#1051 (60 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1582 (56 pts)	#1315 (61 pts)	#1710 (56 pts)	#1620 (51 pts)	#1589 (56 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1970 (75 pts)	#2073 (75 pts)	#2043 (75 pts)	#2080 (75 pts)	#2034 (75 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Dewey Smokem & Howe, each with one reason worth a look.

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

AUTO"BE"GRILLIN

#5,334 of the rated field

1455 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1506

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to Dewey Smokem & Howe)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Apr 26, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

Meat Your Maker

#5,356 of the rated field

1455 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1455

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Aug 7, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

TAILWIND BBQ

#5,350 of the rated field

1455 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1455

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before Dewey Smokem & Howe's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 11 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Boo Boo Bus BBQ

#5,351 of the rated field

1455 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1510

Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 11, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Jun 13, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BLIND SWINE BBQ

#5,364 of the rated field

1454 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1454

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Jul 11, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

HOGZILLA NORTH CAROLINA

#5,346 of the rated field

1455 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1455

Level with Dewey Smokem & Howe on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Nov 6, 2015

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Party Q	10	8	2	80%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
CARBONDALE PORK DISTRICT	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
QUAU	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
NUTHATCH HILL BBQ CO.	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' SAUCED	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
JANKY LEG BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
THE BBQ BUS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Serial Grillers	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
GILLY'S BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Get Your Grill On	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
Posey County Cookers	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	11	173.1200	150.2400	162.68	top 68%
Pork Ribs	11	168.5256	150.8572	159.86	top 77%
Pork	11	170.8800	149.0512	161.27	top 73%
Brisket	11	171.9656	150.8344	160.54	top 71%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	1	0	top 92%
Large (40+)	10	0	top 76%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IL	10	0	top 76%
MO	1	0	top 92%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard	3	41	top 82%	Sep 25, 2026
Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	3	37	top 74%	Sep 21, 2018
Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off	3	31	top 72%	Sep 25, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2023 2 contests

Contests a season 1.1 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 10 of 11 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 5 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 327 finished ahead 145 times, behind 469

Longest layoff 3.5 yrs Sep 20, 2019 → Mar 24, 2023

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

20262 milestones

Sep 25 Career-best overall score674.2056 Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard
Sep 25 Most recent contest Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard

20241 milestone

Sep 20 10th tracked contest Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard

20181 milestone

Sep 21 Career-best single call (Chicken)173.1200 Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff

20142 milestones

Sep 18 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.8228 Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off
Sep 18 Peak power rating (1492) Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off

20131 milestone

Sep 19 First tracked contest Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+1.4	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off	Sep 18, 2014
+1.3	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	Sep 21, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.8	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off	Sep 19, 2013
-9.4	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	Sep 23, 2016
-6.9	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard	Sep 20, 2024
-5.8	Kickin' It Route 66 BBQ (Day 1)	Mar 24, 2023
-5.3	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off	Sep 25, 2015

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	1	0%	top 75%	93.6%	93.6%
2024	1	0%	top 90%	88%	88%
2023	2	0%	top 87%	90.1%	88.6%
2019	1	0%	top 74%	89.3%	89.3%
2018	1	0%	top 63%	92.2%	92.2%
2017	1	0%	top 67%	90.7%	90.7%
2016	1	0%	top 91%	87.7%	87.7%
2015	1	0%	top 76%	88%	88%
2014	1	0%	top 54%	90.9%	90.9%
2013	1	0%	top 86%	86.7%	86.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 25, 2026	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	53 / 71 (674.2056)	52 (169.7028)	66 (161.6572)	33 (170.8800)	34 (171.9656)
Sep 20, 2024	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	52 / 58 (633.5772)	55 (150.2400)	55 (155.9428)	50 (163.3944)	38 (164)
Sep 21, 2023	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	41 / 50 (648.4228)	38 (160.5256)	42 (159.3944)	27 (169.7028)	37 (158.8000)
Mar 24, 2023	Kickin' It Route 66 BBQ (Day 1) 🏅 St. Robert, MO	24 / 26 (627.3376)	23 (161.1660)	24 (156.5144)	25 (152.5600)	24 (157.0972)
Sep 20, 2019	Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	40 / 54 (643.2228)	51 (151.3372)	23 (168.5256)	43 (161.1200)	34 (162.2400)
Sep 21, 2018	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	37 / 59 (663.8856)	13 (173.1200)	44 (161.1200)	39 (163.3828)	34 (166.2628)
Sep 22, 2017	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	37 / 55 (653.0628)	15 (171.4744)	36 (164.5256)	48 (158.2628)	40 (158.8000)
Sep 23, 2016	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	58 / 64 (631.2232)	49 (161.6916)	44 (162.2516)	64 (149.0512)	48 (158.2288)
Sep 25, 2015	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	42 / 55 (633.6000)	45 (159.4400)	43 (153.6800)	28 (165.1200)	44 (155.3600)
Sep 18, 2014	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	31 / 57 (654.8228)	26 (168)	33 (163.9656)	42 (160.5600)	35 (162.2972)
Sep 19, 2013	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off Murphysboro, IL	65 / 76 (624.4684)	49 (162.7884)	70 (150.8572)	46 (159.9884)	66 (150.8344)

Dewey Smokem & Howe

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

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (6 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

The metronome

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

By state / province (where the contests were held)

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)