ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ

ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 61 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2022. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Smoking in the Woods (2016), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #312 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#312

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1722

peak 1730 · rated over 56 contests5 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Feb 22, 2013

latest Sep 23, 2022 · 9.6 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#178

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 3% of the time

Category wins

32 podiums

Overall top-10s

48% of 61 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 29%

overall standings

Best overall

695.9656 / 720

Master · Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off

Perfect 180s

2 🔥

Current form

680.87 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 669.94 (+10.92)

Walk rate

79%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off

Consistency

±25.00

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.74 · weakest Brisket (167.61)

Road miles

8,892

across 61 mapped stops · furthest 324 mi

Schedule strength

50%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1565)

Purse competed for

$98K

listed at 10 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 12 state-championship entries

Master avg

669.94 / 720

61 Master contests · 2 GCs

Storylines (17 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

0.5372 points from the title

Came within 0.5372 points of the Grand Championship at Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off (Sep 20, 2019).

Among the elite

#312 of 6,477 rated teams

In the top 5% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1722 puts them #312 of 6,477 rated teams — the top 5% of the field.

rating 1722
peak 1730
56 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

2 perfect 180s

2 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×2

Against the odds

30-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 70 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Up In Smoke On The Square (Jun 5, 2015) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 30-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, One2BBQ.

Giant slayer

40 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 40-team field at Up In Smoke On The Square.

Jun 5, 2015

Happy hunting ground

Top 15% average finish here

Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest is their spot: an average finish in the top 15% across 4 visits.

4 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 15%

A multi-meat day

1 contest with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Smoking in the Woods (Jul 22, 2016).

Pork Ribs 1st
Pork 1st

Show 10 more storylines

They almost always walk

79% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 48 of 61 contests

A top-10 category call in 79% of their 61 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

695.9656 career-best overall

96.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 695.9656 at Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off — 96.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 20, 2019

The one to beat

6× one call ahead of them

GILLY'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ 6 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

25–8 behind in the head-to-head

SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ ahead in 76% of their meetings

SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ has come out ahead in 25 of their 33 shared contests.

The drought

20 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Smoking in the Woods on Jul 22, 2016 — 20 contests and 10.2 years ago.

last GC Jul 22, 2016
10.2 years ago

A strong matchup

18–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BOSS HAWG BBQ in 18 of their 21 shared contests.

Looking over their shoulder

4× one call behind them

OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.

A May team

Top 19% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 19% across 7 contests, versus top 29% the rest of the year.

7 May contests
top 29% the rest of the year

The long haul

8,892 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 8,892 miles across 61 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 324 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour.

61 mapped stops
furthest 324 mi

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Up In smoke on the Square every year from 2013 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 1st

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
2022 ↗	Master	#854 (169 pts)	#800 (214 pts)	#715 (284 pts)	#751 (234 pts)	#942 (144 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#378 (505 pts)	#398 (505 pts)	#398 (515 pts)	#535 (335 pts)	#591 (305 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#368 (871 pts)	#493 (691 pts)	#355 (911 pts)	#328 (966 pts)	#355 (911 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1954 (60 pts)	#2012 (60 pts)	—	#2030 (60 pts)	#1565 (125 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#715 (527 pts)	#801 (492 pts)	#874 (447 pts)	#868 (452 pts)	#591 (667 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#483 (836 pts)	#647 (636 pts)	#376 (1,011 pts)	#542 (756 pts)	#477 (861 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#284 (1,210 pts)	#352 (1,035 pts)	#400 (925 pts)	#253 (1,220 pts)	#295 (1,170 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#217 (1,460 pts)	#176 (1,511 pts)	#146 (1,654 pts)	#381 (966 pts)	#237 (1,385 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#178 (1,498 pts)	#140 (1,518 pts)	#107 (1,700 pts)	#178 (1,376 pts)	#228 (1,219 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

TRUE SMOKE BBQ

#313 of the rated field

1722 power rating

Contests: 127
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1757

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ)

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

rated over 126 contests
last seen Sep 13, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Sailor Nicks BBQ

#311 of the rated field

1722 power rating

Contests: 55
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 51%
Peak: 1722

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 51 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 51 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2026
on a 7-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

RURAL ROUTE BBQ

#307 of the rated field

1723 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 58
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 59%
Peak: 1739

4–9 in 13 shared contests (31% to ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ)

Careers of much the same size, 58 contests to 61, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 56 contests
last seen Sep 9, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

BREWMASTERS BAR-B-QUE

#308 of the rated field

1723 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 50
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1741

5–4 in 9 shared contests (56% to ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ)

Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 50 contests, alongside a 50% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 47 contests
last seen Apr 17, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

EAT MOR BUTT BBQ

#310 of the rated field

1722 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 64%
Peak: 1722

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 5 years before ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 45 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

STUBBORN BULL BBQ

#309 of the rated field

1723 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 62
GCs: 6
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1754

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

rated over 61 contests
last seen Aug 20, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	33	8	25	24%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	30	9	21	30%	⚔ compare
PITMASTERIQ BBQ	28	13	15	46%	⚔ compare
GILLY'S BBQ	28	4	24	14%	⚔ compare
OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ	24	15	9	63%	⚔ compare
QUAU	23	7	16	30%	⚔ compare
BLAZIN' BLUES BBQ	22	12	10	55%	⚔ compare
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	22	11	11	50%	⚔ compare
BOSS HAWG BBQ	21	18	3	86%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	21	11	10	52%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	20	10	10	50%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' BUTTS	19	13	6	68%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
MONSTER-QUE	17	4	13	24%	⚔ compare
POLITICAL PORK	16	13	3	81%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	61	23	1	7	177.7144	154.2856	168.74	top 37%
Pork Ribs	60	31	3	12	179.4400	156.5600	168.62	top 31%
Pork	60	23	4	5	180 🔥	153.6340	167.72	top 39%
Brisket	61	23	4	8	178.8572	151.9084	167.61	top 36%

“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
Small (<20 teams)	1	1	top 6%
Medium (20–39)	23	0	top 31%
Large (40+)	37	1	top 29%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MO	34	1	top 28%
IL	23	1	top 32%
KS	1	0	top 16%
MS	1	0	top 23%
KY	1	0	top 24%
IN	1	0	top 27%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Up In smoke on the Square	5	1	1	top 22%	Jun 2, 2017
Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest	4	2	0	top 15%	May 6, 2016
Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	3	24	0	top 64%	Sep 21, 2018
Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off	3	12	0	top 30%	Sep 25, 2015
WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest	2	5	0	top 30%	Apr 22, 2022
Main Street BBQ & Blues Fest	2	5	0	top 19%	Apr 20, 2018
Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest	2	5	0	top 26%	Apr 15, 2016
Smoke on the River	2	9	0	top 45%	Sep 5, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 14 contests

Contests a season 6.1 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 34 of 61 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 46 8 of them more than once

First title Jun 5, 2015 Up In Smoke On The Square

Opponents faced 1,801 finished ahead 3,371 times, behind 1,137

Longest layoff 1.2 yrs Sep 20, 2019 → Nov 13, 2020

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

20221 milestone

Sep 23 Most recent contest Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard

20211 milestone

Sep 24 Peak power rating (1730) Praise the Lard Murphysboro BBQ Cook-Off

20193 milestones

Apr 26 50th tracked contest BBQ, Bikes and Blues
Jun 21 10th category win Ribs on the River
Sep 20 Career-best overall score695.9656 Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off

20162 milestones

Jul 22 First multi-meat day Smoking in the Woods
Jul 22 First perfect 180 (Pork) Smoking in the Woods

20154 milestones

May 1 First overall podium Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest
May 1 First Reserve Championship Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest
Jun 5 First Grand Championship Up In Smoke On The Square
Jun 5 Biggest field won (40 teams) Up In Smoke On The Square

20141 milestone

Oct 2 25th tracked contest 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational

20136 milestones

Feb 22 First tracked contest Polar Bear Challenge
Feb 22 First call Polar Bear Challenge
Feb 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.9994 Polar Bear Challenge
Apr 19 First category win (Pork) Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest
Apr 19 First overall top-10 Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest
Sep 13 10th tracked contest Q the Lou

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.7	Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest	Apr 19, 2013
+12.1	Up In Smoke on the Square	Aug 23, 2013
+11.8	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest	May 1, 2015
+11.6	6th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest	Apr 11, 2014
+11.4	Up In Smoke On The Square	Jun 5, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-17.3	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	Sep 21, 2018
-7.3	1st Annual BBQ BIVOUAC	Nov 8, 2013
-6.2	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	Sep 23, 2016
-5.6	Smoke on the River	Sep 5, 2014
-5.3	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard	Sep 23, 2022

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	2	0	0	0	100%	top 52%	94.5%	93.9%
2021	3	0	3	0	100%	top 15%	95.5%	95%
2020	1	0	0	0	0%	top 16%	96.5%	96.5%
2019	6	0	4	3	100%	top 25%	96.7%	94.8%
2018	2	0	1	1	50%	top 53%	94.7%	82.3%
2017	5	0	3	1	80%	top 31%	94.9%	93.5%
2016	6	1	2	3	83%	top 32%	96.1%	93.5%
2015	10	1	4	1	60%	top 27%	96.2%	94%
2014	12	0	4	2	83%	top 26%	95.6%	93.3%
2013	14	0	8	1	79%	top 31%	94.4%	91.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 23, 2022	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	26 / 46 (680.5140)	22 (171.9656)	10 (174.2744)	18 (172.5484)	31 (161.7256)
Apr 22, 2022	WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest 🏅 Washington, MO	14 / 29 (671.3028)	9 (170.8228)	8 (169.1200)	9 (169.6800)	19 (161.6800)
Sep 24, 2021	Praise the Lard Murphysboro BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	8 / 39 (685.0744)	11 (170.8572)	14 (169.1200)	11 (170.8228)	5 (174.2744)
Apr 23, 2021	WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest 🏅 Washington, MO	5 / 45 (680.0116)	4 (174.8572)	7 (173.1200)	9 (170.8572)	27 (161.1772)
Mar 26, 2021	Kickin It Route 66 Barbeque Challenge 🏅 St. Roberts, MO	7 / 52 (687.4284)	7 (176)	3 (177.1428)	25 (170.2856)	39 (164)
Nov 13, 2020	Second Annual KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Competition 🏅 unrated Mayetta, KS	15 / 94 (694.8228)	19 (175.4172)	19 (174.8800)	—	17 (175.4056)
Sep 20, 2019	Murphysboro BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	2 / 54 (695.9656)	12 (171.9884)	17 (171.4172)	1 (180)	11 (172.5600)
Aug 16, 2019	Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest 🏅 Cape Girardeau, MO	9 / 45 (686.2628)	37 (157.0856)	6 (175.4628)	2 (174.8572)	1 (178.8572)
Jul 19, 2019	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Peoria, IL	12 / 40 (670.7428)	10 (169.6800)	2 (173.1316)	5 (176.0228)	38 (151.9084)
Jun 21, 2019	Ribs on the River 🏅 Louisiana, MO	6 / 26 (683.9428)	2 (176.5600)	10 (169.1544)	21 (161.0856)	1 (177.1428)
May 3, 2019	38th Annual Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Kennett, MO	5 / 25 (685.0400)	11 (168.5372)	2 (175.4056)	6 (171.9772)	6 (169.1200)
Apr 26, 2019	BBQ, Bikes and Blues 🏅 Washington, MO	21 / 39 (671.3140)	20 (166.8228)	10 (169.7028)	17 (168.5256)	21 (166.2628)
Sep 21, 2018	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	55 / 59 (502.7540)	25 (170.2512)	—	49 (159.3828)	12 (173.1200)
Apr 20, 2018	Main Street BBQ & Blues Fest Washington, MO	5 / 40 (681.6460)	20 (165.0972)	3 (174.8572)	22 (163.3944)	1 (178.2972)
Sep 22, 2017	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	24 / 55 (671.9200)	37 (164.5372)	19 (170.2856)	6 (172.5600)	27 (164.5372)
Jul 7, 2017	10th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	5 / 25 (683.3484)	3 (171.9656)	18 (163.9656)	10 (169.1200)	1 (178.2972)
Jun 2, 2017	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	10 / 32 (671.3600)	20 (164.5256)	18 (162.2744)	4 (174.2972)	6 (170.2628)
Apr 21, 2017	Main Street BBQ & Blues Fest Washington, MO	10 / 40 (674.7544)	24 (165.0856)	4 (174.2972)	27 (163.3944)	10 (171.9772)
Mar 31, 2017	Smokin On Big Creek BBQ Contest Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Pleasant Hill, MO	20 / 59 (664.4572)	13 (171.9772)	36 (162.2628)	27 (165.1200)	20 (165.0972)
Sep 23, 2016	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	35 / 64 (665.6000)	28 (169.6800)	42 (163.3944)	43 (165.1200)	28 (167.4056)
Jul 22, 2016	Smoking in the Woods Kingdom City, MO	1 / 18 (691.9316)	5 (169.6800)	1 (177.1544)	1 (180)	10 (165.0972)
Jul 8, 2016	9th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	12 / 26 (670.7884)	20 (162.8228)	7 (167.4400)	6 (171.9656)	10 (168.5600)
Jun 3, 2016	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	15 / 52 (666.7200)	14 (169.7144)	5 (168.5372)	15 (166.8112)	24 (161.6572)
May 6, 2016	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO	4 / 32 (685.0396)	13 (169.6684)	1 (175.4400)	18 (168.5256)	2 (171.4056)
Apr 15, 2016	Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	22 / 53 (659.9424)	17 (168.0112)	38 (157.1428)	37 (159.3828)	3 (175.4056)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	76 / 606 (677.6916)	215 (166.8572)	83 (171.4516)	195 (167.4056)	77 (171.9772)
Oct 2, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	79 / 187 (677.6228)	87 (170.2628)	135 (163.9772)	75 (169.6800)	39 (173.7028)
Sep 25, 2015	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	20 / 55 (669.6456)	15 (171.4172)	40 (156.5600)	12 (171.9656)	16 (169.7028)
Sep 18, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Southaven, MS	7 / 30 (690.7540)	3 (177.7028)	12 (171.9772)	8 (172.5484)	24 (168.5256)
Jul 24, 2015	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	13 / 47 (665.6228)	18 (165.0856)	24 (161.0972)	16 (166.8456)	4 (172.5944)
Jul 10, 2015	8th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	16 / 31 (661.6224)	21 (165.1084)	3 (175.4400)	15 (167.4056)	26 (153.6684)
Jun 19, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Bowling Green, KY	7 / 29 (685.0168)	6 (174.2628)	19 (164.5372)	4 (175.4056)	11 (170.8112)
Jun 5, 2015	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	1 / 40 (689.0740)	2 (176.5600)	18 (166.2628)	4 (171.9884)	2 (174.2628)
May 1, 2015	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO	2 / 37 (692.5604)	9 (171.4172)	4 (172.5716)	1 (177.1544)	7 (171.4172)
Apr 17, 2015	7th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	21 / 49 (655.9084)	33 (162.2628)	29 (160.5600)	24 (162.2400)	11 (170.8456)
Oct 17, 2014	Casino Queen BBQ Competition Greater St. Louis, IL	13 / 44 (670.7312)	30 (162.8112)	1 (179.4400)	23 (163.3828)	22 (165.0972)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	19 / 165 (688.5260)	39 (173.1200)	54 (170.8344)	22 (173.7028)	53 (170.8688)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	169 / 552 (666.2056)	125 (170.2972)	197 (167.3828)	275 (163.9772)	221 (164.5484)
Sep 18, 2014	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	21 / 57 (669.6112)	7 (173.1200)	25 (166.2628)	38 (161.7028)	24 (168.5256)
Sep 5, 2014	Smoke on the River Quincy, IL	12 / 21 (658.7084)	18 (155.9428)	12 (164.5372)	10 (166.8112)	6 (171.4172)
Aug 22, 2014	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	16 / 50 (667.3372)	23 (163.9656)	16 (167.9888)	27 (161.6800)	5 (173.7028)
Jul 25, 2014	Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	10 / 48 (663.2796)	4 (173.1200)	8 (169.1428)	43 (153.6340)	6 (167.3828)
Jul 11, 2014	7th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	14 / 41 (671.8972)	18 (170.8456)	31 (159.3944)	8 (171.9656)	11 (169.6916)
May 9, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour St. Charles, MO	5 / 30 (685.7032)	1 (177.7144)	7 (169.6800)	15 (167.9772)	8 (170.3316)
May 2, 2014	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO	4 / 35 (680.4684)	7 (173.1200)	8 (169.6800)	15 (166.8456)	7 (170.8228)
Apr 11, 2014	6th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	4 / 46 (681.6112)	3 (174.2628)	4 (175.4172)	28 (161.0856)	10 (170.8456)
Apr 3, 2014	2nd Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	17 / 64 (659.2800)	48 (159.9428)	2 (176.5716)	43 (161.1084)	32 (161.6572)
Nov 8, 2013	1st Annual BBQ BIVOUAC St. James, MO	24 / 33 (646.0684)	26 (161.0856)	20 (163.9544)	20 (163.9428)	25 (157.0856)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	79 / 174 (664.4684)	138 (161.6684)	21 (172.5600)	113 (162.2400)	62 (168)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	60 / 535 (667.3828)	37 (172.5600)	212 (161.6800)	38 (172)	212 (161.1428)
Sep 19, 2013	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off Murphysboro, IL	12 / 76 (677.0744)	18 (170.8344)	45 (161.1316)	24 (167.3940)	2 (177.7144)
Sep 13, 2013	Q the Lou Litchfield, IL	4 / 25 (669.6800)	7 (166.2972)	3 (168.5828)	8 (166.2628)	5 (168.5372)
Sep 6, 2013	Smoke On The River Quincy, IL	9 / 28 (661.0628)	12 (166.2744)	5 (167.4056)	10 (167.4056)	14 (159.9772)
Aug 23, 2013	Up In Smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	6 / 46 (680.0228)	10 (170.8456)	6 (172.0344)	7 (172.5828)	19 (164.5600)
Jul 12, 2013	6th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	15 / 42 (667.3828)	8 (170.8800)	32 (158.2400)	8 (172.5600)	22 (165.7028)
Jun 21, 2013	Knights of Columbus Quincy, IL	7 / 32 (649.7140)	5 (165.7142)	3 (169.7142)	16 (159.4284)	17 (154.8572)
Jun 14, 2013	Southern Pride Invitational (Competitor's Series) unrated Marion, IL	10 / 29 (637.7136)	23 (154.2856)	7 (163.9998)	6 (165.7140)	17 (153.7142)
May 10, 2013	2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off Florissant, MO	9 / 25 (647.9998)	8 (166.2856)	12 (161.7142)	14 (160)	14 (160)
May 3, 2013	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO	8 / 25 (664.5710)	5 (170.8572)	9 (166.2858)	16 (162.2854)	15 (165.1426)
Apr 19, 2013	Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	5 / 50 (669.7142)	3 (172)	3 (169.1428)	1 (175.4286)	33 (153.1428)
Feb 22, 2013	Polar Bear Challenge Columbia, MO	27 / 46 (651.9994)	33 (160.5712)	4 (170.8572)	44 (153.7140)	19 (166.8570)

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

ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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 (17 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

The long haul

A standing appointment

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)