NCOGNITO COOKERS

NCOGNITO COOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 41 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2020. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash (2016). They are ranked #558 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#558

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1668

peak 1668 · rated over 40 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 18, 2013

latest Oct 24, 2020 · 7 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#424

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 2% of the time

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

29% of 41 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 42%

overall standings

Best overall

694.2516 / 720

Master · Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 1

Perfect 180s

Current form

681.75 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 669.78 (+11.98)

Walk rate

68%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Pork Ribs · Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2

Consistency

±15.47

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 169.53 · weakest Brisket (165.03)

Road miles

7,658

across 41 mapped stops · furthest 547 mi

Schedule strength

75%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1596)

Purse competed for

$67K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

669.78 / 720

41 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (15 found in their record)

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

Among the elite

#558 of 6,491 rated teams

In the top 9% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1668 puts them #558 of 6,491 rated teams — the top 9% of the field.

rating 1668
peak 1668
40 rated contests

Against the odds

19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 81 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash (Sep 23, 2016) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 19-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, FIRE DANCER BBQ.

They almost always walk

68% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 28 of 41 contests

A top-10 category call in 68% of their 41 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

694.2516 career-best overall

96.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.2516 at Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 1 — 96.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Mar 23, 2018

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

OKIEQ has finished one call ahead of NCOGNITO COOKERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 1 Grand Championship

2016 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 13%.

5 contests
3 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 13%

A tough matchup

18–5 behind in the head-to-head

BUFFALO'S BBQ ahead in 78% of their meetings

BUFFALO'S BBQ has come out ahead in 18 of their 23 shared contests.

Show 8 more storylines

The weak link

−4.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.50 points below their pork, and turns into a call 22% of the time against 49%.

Brisket avg 165.03
Pork avg 169.53
9 calls in 41 entries

The drought

23 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash on Sep 23, 2016 — 23 contests and 10.1 years ago.

last GC Sep 23, 2016
10.1 years ago

A strong matchup

11–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 79% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN DAN in 11 of their 14 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

14 of 17 shared pork entries lost

THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ ahead 82% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ has out-cooked them in 14 of 17 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

DAD'S GRILLIN CREW has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A July team

Top 32% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 32% across 3 contests, versus top 42% the rest of the year.

3 July contests
top 42% the rest of the year

The long haul

7,658 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,658 miles across 41 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 547 miles to 'Que at the View.

41 mapped stops
furthest 547 mi

The metronome

±2.15% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.15% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.0% of a perfect score
41 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
2019 ↗	Master	#1920 (65 pts)	#1374 (165 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#1516 (125 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#424 (830 pts)	#550 (680 pts)	#501 (740 pts)	#498 (735 pts)	#445 (815 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#737 (512 pts)	#812 (487 pts)	#468 (837 pts)	#683 (607 pts)	#746 (527 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#450 (885 pts)	#538 (760 pts)	#542 (770 pts)	#511 (795 pts)	#682 (585 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#607 (601 pts)	#660 (581 pts)	#445 (851 pts)	#463 (846 pts)	#603 (626 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#630 (590 pts)	#631 (600 pts)	#821 (445 pts)	#581 (680 pts)	#626 (590 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#979 (295 pts)	#1220 (230 pts)	#854 (375 pts)	#1102 (275 pts)	#906 (340 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to NCOGNITO COOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.

HONKY-TONK SMOKERS

#557 of the rated field

1668 power rating

Contests: 58
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1697

2–8 in 10 shared contests (20% to NCOGNITO COOKERS)

These two have cooked 10 of the same contests — HONKY-TONK SMOKERS ahead 8–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 52 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

Mad Rocket Barbecue

#560 of the rated field

1667 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1676

Careers of much the same size, 30 contests to 41, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 29 contests
last seen Oct 18, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

LUNA SMOKE - Italy

#559 of the rated field

1667 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 81%
Peak: 1667

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 25 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Jun 20, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW

#556 of the rated field

1668 power rating

Contests: 108
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1697

108 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 42% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 105 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Pork Pullers

#552 of the rated field

1668 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 58
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1684

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to NCOGNITO COOKERS)

Level with NCOGNITO COOKERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 57 contests
last seen Oct 30, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

ACK-QUE

#547 of the rated field

1669 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 89
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1730

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to NCOGNITO COOKERS)

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

rated over 87 contests
last seen Jul 18, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BUFFALO'S BBQ	23	5	18	22%	⚔ compare
Three Hog Night Smokers	21	13	8	62%	⚔ compare
BUTCHER BBQ	21	4	17	19%	⚔ compare
BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO	19	10	9	53%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	19	8	11	42%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	19	4	15	21%	⚔ compare
FAT BOYS BBQ - TEMPLE, TX	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
BOOMERANG BBQ	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
LA PASADITA	16	8	8	50%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
CLARK CREW BBQ	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN DAN	14	11	3	79%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
Petie's Smokin Pits BBQ	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	41	8	1	2	176.5600	151.9772	167.13	top 51%
Pork Ribs	41	18	1	4	178.8572	149.6688	168.02	top 39%
Pork	39	19	0	2	177.7144	159.3944	169.53	top 36%
Brisket	41	9	0	2	175.4400	138.7772	165.03	top 46%

“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)	3	0	top 56%
Medium (20–39)	15	1	top 39%
Large (40+)	23	0	top 42%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
OK	15	0	top 37%
TX	6	0	top 34%
KS	6	0	top 46%
AR	6	1	top 40%
LA	3	0	top 43%
NE	2	0	top 65%
MO	2	0	top 55%
MS	1	0	top 78%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	2	13	top 29%	Aug 30, 2019
Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	2	11	top 34%	Feb 16, 2018
38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	113	top 74%	Sep 1, 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	13	top 55%	Mar 3, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 10 contests

Contests a season 5.1 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in OK 15 of 41 contests · 8 states in all

Contests visited 37 4 of them more than once

First title Sep 23, 2016 Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash

Opponents faced 1,657 finished ahead 1,783 times, behind 1,554

Longest layoff 1.1 yrs Aug 30, 2019 → Sep 18, 2020

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

20203 milestones

Oct 24 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.8572 Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2
Oct 24 Peak power rating (1668) Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2
Oct 24 Most recent contest Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2

20181 milestone

Mar 23 Career-best overall score694.2516 Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 1

20171 milestone

Aug 31 25th tracked contest 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL)

20163 milestones

Sep 23 First category win (Chicken) Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash
Sep 23 First overall podium Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash
Sep 23 First Grand Championship Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash

20151 milestone

Apr 3 10th tracked contest 'Que at the View

20134 milestones

Oct 18 First tracked contest Bikes Balloons & BBQ
Oct 18 First call Bikes Balloons & BBQ
Oct 18 First overall top-10 Bikes Balloons & BBQ
Oct 18 First overall past 90% of a perfect score666.7772 Bikes Balloons & BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16	15th Annual Bordertown Bash	Jul 8, 2016
+15.5	Mocklahoma Ribs & Roll BBQ Championship	Jun 10, 2016
+15.4	Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 1	Mar 23, 2018
+14.5	Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash	Sep 23, 2016
+12.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 7, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.4	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Sep 19, 2014
-9.6	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 1	Sep 18, 2020
-7.8	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open	Oct 3, 2015
-6.8	'Que at the View	Apr 3, 2015
-5.5	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -2	Aug 5, 2017

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)
2020	4	0	1	0	50%	top 44%	96.4%	94.9%
2019	1	0	0	0	100%	top 41%	94%	94%
2018	7	0	2	0	71%	top 26%	96.4%	94.6%
2017	10	0	3	1	50%	top 52%	94.9%	92.2%
2016	5	1	3	1	80%	top 13%	95.6%	94.6%
2015	7	0	0	0	71%	top 62%	93.6%	91.5%
2014	5	0	1	0	80%	top 47%	94.3%	91.2%
2013	2	0	2	0	100%	top 34%	94.1%	93.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 24, 2020	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2 🏅 Shawnee, OK	10 / 58 (694.2284)	41 (170.8112)	4 (178.8572)	—	15 (174.8456)
Oct 23, 2020	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 1 🏅 Shawnee, OK	28 / 64 (684.5028)	44 (168.5828)	14 (173.1200)	—	32 (170.8228)
Sep 19, 2020	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 2 🏅 Shawnee, OK	17 / 56 (686.1828)	19 (174.2628)	24 (169.6800)	2 (177.7144)	40 (164.5256)
Sep 18, 2020	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 1 🏅 Shawnee, OK	47 / 56 (667.3372)	46 (164.5256)	20 (171.4172)	24 (170.8344)	49 (160.5600)
Aug 30, 2019	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival 🏅 Bedford, TX	24 / 58 (676.5144)	7 (176.5600)	50 (159.3828)	30 (168.5716)	12 (172)
Aug 31, 2018	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX	13 / 74 (675.9312)	17 (171.9656)	40 (163.9772)	4 (175.4400)	35 (164.5484)
May 4, 2018	Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival Bixby, OK	9 / 68 (685.6340)	26 (168.5256)	13 (172.5600)	17 (173.1084)	8 (171.4400)
Mar 24, 2018	Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 2 Shawnee, OK	21 / 79 (687.9084)	11 (175.4056)	55 (167.3828)	24 (173.1200)	23 (172)
Mar 23, 2018	Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 1 Shawnee, OK	6 / 84 (694.2516)	30 (171.9772)	27 (170.2744)	7 (176.5600)	8 (175.4400)
Mar 3, 2018	Kansas BBQ Shootout Day 2 Cheney, KS	13 / 42 (679.9316)	26 (167.4172)	4 (175.4172)	32 (165.0972)	12 (172)
Mar 2, 2018	Kansas BBQ Shoot Out Day 1 Cheney, KS	27 / 47 (668.5260)	36 (165.1200)	15 (169.1544)	39 (162.8116)	12 (171.4400)
Feb 16, 2018	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX	11 / 38 (675.3600)	4 (174.2744)	13 (170.2856)	22 (164.5372)	12 (166.2628)
Oct 27, 2017	Smokin the Fort BBQ & Blue Grass Festival Fort Gibson, OK	9 / 32 (675.9084)	16 (164.5600)	6 (170.2628)	6 (173.1200)	10 (167.9656)
Oct 14, 2017	Bedouin Brew & Bar-B-Que (JUDGES FULL) (OKBS Qulifyer ) Muskogee, OK	5 / 18 (680.5256)	11 (166.2856)	10 (167.3944)	5 (171.4056)	2 (175.4400)
Sep 29, 2017	Smokin-in-Sapulpa 4th Annual BBQ Sapulpa, OK	9 / 30 (683.3140)	12 (169.6800)	5 (175.4056)	14 (170.2628)	13 (167.9656)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	246 / 407 (652.4688)	220 (165.6800)	189 (165.7144)	163 (167.9656)	330 (153.1088)
Aug 31, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	113 / 129 (664.4112)	106 (164.5372)	82 (168.5372)	104 (166.2512)	102 (165.0856)
Aug 5, 2017	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -2 Omaha, NE	39 / 50 (657.6000)	48 (161.6800)	31 (166.2744)	43 (159.3944)	19 (170.2512)
Aug 4, 2017	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -1 Omaha, NE	28 / 54 (663.3256)	43 (158.8228)	19 (168.5256)	25 (167.3828)	14 (168.5944)
Jun 2, 2017	Boots and BBQ Festival Claremore, OK	16 / 28 (662.1256)	24 (154.2172)	1 (178.2972)	6 (173.1084)	20 (156.5028)
Mar 3, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Shreveport, LA	13 / 29 (668.4572)	10 (171.4172)	3 (171.9772)	9 (168.5600)	23 (156.5028)
Feb 3, 2017	Humble Rodeo & BBQ ( WFC Qualifier) Humble, TX	69 / 136 (632.4912)	69 (157.7028)	32 (167.4628)	27 (168.5484)	126 (138.7772)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	123 / 557 (672.4916)	299 (163.9656)	178 (168.0116)	58 (173.1200)	166 (167.3944)
Sep 23, 2016	Bryant's Buzzin BBQ Bash Bryant, AR	1 / 25 (683.9772)	1 (175.4172)	4 (173.7600)	7 (167.9772)	8 (166.8228)
Jul 8, 2016	15th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	4 / 39 (687.4172)	4 (174.8572)	2 (174.8572)	15 (166.8572)	5 (170.8456)
Jun 10, 2016	Mocklahoma Ribs & Roll BBQ Championship Okmulgee, OK	4 / 41 (688.5600)	8 (173.7028)	10 (171.4400)	2 (175.4172)	12 (168)
Jun 3, 2016	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	11 / 55 (673.0400)	33 (163.9544)	14 (168.5600)	4 (176)	23 (164.5256)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	474 / 606 (625.6000)	532 (151.9772)	392 (160.5372)	405 (160)	459 (153.0856)
Aug 22, 2015	Bass & BBQ at the Forrest Wood Cup Day 2 Hot Springs, AR	13 / 18 (672.5032)	11 (171.4172)	9 (170.2628)	11 (166.2976)	15 (164.5256)
Aug 21, 2015	Bass & BBQ at the Forrest Wood Cup Day 1 Hot Springs, AR	13 / 19 (666.6968)	18 (159.9428)	16 (160.5256)	7 (170.8228)	4 (175.4056)
Jul 31, 2015	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	12 / 38 (674.1944)	30 (163.9428)	4 (173.1544)	5 (173.7144)	28 (163.3828)
Apr 3, 2015	'Que at the View Gulfport, MS	31 / 40 (652.9140)	26 (166.2284)	38 (150.1828)	19 (168.5256)	16 (167.9772)
Mar 6, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Shreveport, LA	19 / 29 (660.5144)	10 (169.7028)	7 (170.8228)	9 (170.2972)	27 (149.6916)
Feb 26, 2015	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX	24 / 61 (657.0860)	21 (165.7144)	9 (171.4172)	15 (168)	47 (151.9544)
Sep 19, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	28 / 29 (650.1376)	16 (169.7260)	27 (158.8116)	10 (170.2628)	28 (151.3372)
Jul 11, 2014	13th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	19 / 35 (649.5204)	21 (164.5372)	28 (153.6576)	14 (166.2400)	14 (165.0856)
Jun 6, 2014	Okfuskee Firefighters Wildfire Cookoff Okemah, OK	14 / 33 (660.4572)	22 (162.2628)	10 (165.6800)	10 (173.7028)	16 (158.8116)
Apr 4, 2014	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off (Teams Full) Cedar Park, TX	13 / 50 (645.5888)	15 (161.1200)	40 (149.6688)	7 (169.1200)	11 (165.6800)
Mar 7, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Baton Rouge, LA	4 / 23 (678.7656)	3 (174.2628)	10 (166.8572)	10 (168.5256)	5 (169.1200)
Oct 19, 2013	13th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	7 / 25 (677.6228)	12 (167.9772)	3 (172.5600)	7 (171.4172)	11 (165.6684)
Oct 18, 2013	Bikes Balloons & BBQ Poteau, OK	8 / 20 (666.7772)	11 (167.4172)	7 (166.8228)	10 (161.6800)	3 (170.8572)

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

NCOGNITO COOKERS

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 (15 found in their record)

Among the elite

Against the odds

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

The drought

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A July team

The long haul

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, 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)