SMOKE MONSTER BBQ NC
Rating
1643
peak 1643
Contests
18
in the data
First seen
2019-03-22
latest 2020-10-23
Best ToY finish
#36
Master 2019
Grand champs
4
2 reserve
Category wins
9
18 podiums
Overall top-10s
14
of 18 contests
Avg finish
top 22%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
689.05 ▲
last 5 vs career avg 681.33 (+7.72)
Walk rate
100%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
8
best run (overall)
Consistency
±13.60
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 173.39 · weakest Chicken (167.94)
Road miles
2012
mi across 18 mapped stops · furthest 261 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE has finished one call ahead of SMOKE MONSTER BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Smoke Central BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS has come out ahead in 4 of their 4 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY in 9 of their 9 shared contests.
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 38-team field at Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest.
🍖 Signature meat
When brisket is on the table, watch out — they've won it in 28% of their entries (5 of 18).
📅 A September team
Something about September: average finish in the top 6% across 3 contests, versus top 22% the rest of the year.
Teams like this (closest power rating, NC first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 176.5600 | 153.6228 | 167.94 | top 46% |
| Pork Ribs | 18 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 178.8572 | 154.2056 | 169.63 | top 34% |
| Pork | 18 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 177.7028 | 158.7884 | 170.38 | top 25% |
| Brisket | 18 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 178.8800 | 167.3828 | 173.39 | top 17% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 11 | 4 | top 10% |
| VA | 5 | 0 | top 40% |
| SC | 2 | 0 | top 41% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 0 | top 17% |
| Medium (20–39) | 10 | 4 | top 20% |
| Large (40+) | 6 | 0 | top 26% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2019 (15 contests)
- Cooks mostly in NC (11 of 18 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (18 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Stills and Grills Fest (2019-05-17)
- Wins it all in 22% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 681.33
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 705.0856 | 686.56 |
| 2019 | 15 | 3 | 8 | 694.8344 | 680.29 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-23 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Galax Galax, VA | 5 / 25 (687.8856) | 7 (171.9656) | 6 (173.1200) | 2 (175.4172) | 16 (167.3828) |
| 2020-09-11 | Pigmaster's BBQ Challenge Connelly Springs, NC | 1 / 24 (705.0856) | 4 (176.5600) | 1 (178.8572) | 3 (175.4056) | 8 (174.2628) |
| 2020-03-13 | Speed & Feed BBQ Cook-Off & Car Show Darlington, SC | 19 / 29 (666.7200) | 23 (162.8344) | 28 (162.2400) | 10 (167.3828) | 3 (174.2628) |
| 2019-10-11 | Waxhaw Grillin & Chillin BBQ cook-off Waxhaw, NC | 1 / 27 (694.7768) | 8 (170.8228) | 2 (173.7028) | 1 (177.7028) | 4 (172.5484) |
| 2019-10-04 | Hops and Hogs Festival Huntersville, NC | 2 / 11 (690.7884) | 8 (166.8228) | 3 (171.9656) | 1 (173.7028) | 1 (178.2972) |
| 2019-09-27 | Butts and Beans BBQ Challenge Newton, NC | 2 / 37 (694.8344) | 9 (171.9772) | 8 (172.5600) | 9 (171.4172) | 1 (178.8800) |
| 2019-09-20 | Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC | 4 / 56 (689.0284) | 23 (168.5256) | 1 (178.8572) | 6 (173.1200) | 20 (168.5256) |
| 2019-08-30 | Blue Ridge BBQ & Brew Festival West Jefferson, NC | 5 / 24 (670.7428) | 22 (157.0856) | 12 (167.3828) | 3 (170.8228) | 2 (175.4516) |
| 2019-08-02 | Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC | 10 / 40 (676.4340) | 17 (167.3828) | 7 (172.5600) | 23 (165.0856) | 10 (171.4056) |
| 2019-07-19 | Chillin & Grillin in the Glades Wise, VA | 9 / 27 (677.6228) | 17 (167.9772) | 10 (169.1200) | 11 (168.5256) | 7 (172.0000) |
| 2019-06-28 | Saltwater BBQ Bash John's Island, SC | 3 / 18 (694.7888) | 4 (174.2860) | 6 (171.9772) | 6 (170.8228) | 1 (177.7028) |
| 2019-06-21 | 8th Annual Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA | 12 / 32 (664.4340) | 18 (163.3828) | 17 (163.4056) | 12 (167.3828) | 7 (170.2628) |
| 2019-06-14 | Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC | 1 / 38 (685.7028) | 4 (176.0116) | 17 (166.2400) | 5 (170.2856) | 1 (173.1656) |
| 2019-05-17 | Stills and Grills Fest North Wilkesboro, NC | 1 / 21 (685.1084) | 4 (173.1200) | 6 (170.8572) | 6 (166.2856) | 1 (174.8456) |
| 2019-05-03 | Jiggy With The Piggy Kannapolis, NC | 3 / 60 (688.4800) | 14 (170.8344) | 6 (173.1200) | 15 (169.6684) | 3 (174.8572) |
| 2019-04-26 | BBQ Capital Cook Off Lexington, NC | 5 / 43 (678.1712) | 21 (163.9656) | 13 (167.9772) | 3 (173.1200) | 4 (173.1084) |
| 2019-03-23 | BBQ Gives Back-IV (DAY 2) Urbanna, VA | 26 / 52 (662.7084) | 34 (165.6800) | 48 (154.2056) | 7 (171.9772) | 11 (170.8456) |
| 2019-03-22 | BBQ Gives Back-III (Day 1) Urbanna, VA | 37 / 63 (650.6628) | 57 (153.6228) | 20 (165.1088) | 52 (158.7884) | 7 (173.1428) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #251 (449 pts) | #347 (354 pts) | #291 (439 pts) | #267 (474 pts) | #486 (239 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #36 (2351 pts) | #162 (1421 pts) | #74 (1809 pts) | #55 (1986 pts) | #13 (2431 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #58 (2155 pts) | #73 (1890 pts) | #69 (1912 pts) | #45 (2110 pts) | #92 (1831 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #280 (1260 pts) | #461 (835 pts) | #323 (1115 pts) | #225 (1340 pts) | #144 (1620 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #1215 (240 pts) | #1274 (250 pts) | #1542 (180 pts) | #1305 (245 pts) | #876 (415 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #1828 (117 pts) | #1925 (112 pts) | #1661 (147 pts) | #1399 (212 pts) | #1753 (122 pts) |