BIG CITY BBQ

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#1235

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1583

peak 1585 · rated over 49 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-19

latest 2019-08-30

Best ToY finish

#375

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

16 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 50 contests

Avg finish

top 50%

overall standings

Best overall

686.2172 / 720

Master · Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

661.79 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 655.88 (+5.91)

Walk rate

60%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Chicken · *Mankato Cookout Day 2

Consistency

±16.33

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.28 · weakest Pork (161.92)

Road miles

12,037

mi across 50 mapped stops · furthest 959 mi

Schedule strength

43%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1556)

Purse competed for

$7K

listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

655.88 / 720

49 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (12 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in chicken.

Chicken ×1

They almost always walk

60% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 30 of 50 contests

A top-10 category call in 60% of their 50 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.2172 career-best overall

95.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.2172 at Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship — 95.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2017-03-03

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

RUB MY RACK has finished one call ahead of BIG CITY BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

32–3 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 91% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 32 of their 35 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.4 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.36 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 42%.

Pork avg 161.92
Chicken avg 168.28
4 calls in 50 entries

A strong matchup

11–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 79% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of GRUMPY OLD MEN BBQ in 11 of their 14 shared contests.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

TRUE SMOKE BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A March team

Top 32% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 32% across 3 contests, versus top 50% the rest of the year.

3 March contests
top 50% the rest of the year

The long haul

12,037 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 12,037 miles across 50 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 959 miles to Grill'n & Chill'n BBQ Cook-Off.

50 mapped stops
furthest 959 mi

The metronome

±2.27% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.27% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.1% of a perfect score
50 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sam's Club National BBQ Tour every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 11th

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

Chick Hooven Swine BBQ

#1240 of the rated field

1583 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1646

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to BIG CITY BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BIG CITY BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 25 contests
last seen 2021-04-09

⚔ Head-to-head

FIREWISE BBQ

#1237 of the rated field

1583 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1591

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BIG CITY BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than BIG CITY BBQ has cooked, 19 to 50, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2017-07-14

⚔ Head-to-head

HOT GRILL ON GRILL ACTION

#1236 of the rated field

1583 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 47
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1632

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1632 at their best, 50 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 46 contests
last seen 2026-01-30

⚔ Head-to-head

ULTIMATE TAILGATERS BBQ

#1245 of the rated field

1582 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 59
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1638

No shared contest yet.

59 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 17% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 55 contests
last seen 2026-07-09

⚔ Head-to-head

Casual Smokers

#1241 of the rated field

1582 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 67
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1582

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 63 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

BAILEY'S SMOKERS

#1244 of the rated field

1582 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1585

No shared contest yet.

Level with BIG CITY BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 38 contests
last seen 2020-09-18

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	35	3	32	9%	⚔ compare
Hogline	27	4	23	15%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	21	9	12	43%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	20	11	9	55%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	19	10	9	53%	⚔ compare
CASE OF RIBS	19	7	12	37%	⚔ compare
CITY SLICKERS BBQ	18	1	17	6%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
PIG APPROVED BBQ	16	10	6	63%	⚔ compare
MONKEYS' UNCLES BBQ	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
MYASSIS SMOKIN	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
Totally Sauced	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
T-MAC SMOKIN	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	50	21	4	9	180.0000 🔥	143.9998	168.28	top 36%
Pork Ribs	50	7	0	3	174.2858	147.9660	162.60	top 52%
Pork	50	4	1	2	178.8572	142.1712	161.92	top 61%
Brisket	49	11	0	2	176.0000	141.1656	162.66	top 49%

“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	Avg finish
MN	24	top 50%
WI	15	top 37%
NC	6	top 76%
IA	4	top 55%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 16%
Medium (20–39)	25	top 51%
Large (40+)	23	top 50%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	4	11	top 59%	2016-07-22
Minnesota in May	3	17	top 45%	2018-05-11
Smokin in the Bogs	2	12	top 49%	2019-08-30
*7th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 2)	2	6	top 39%	2018-08-24
Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	2	3	top 28%	2018-03-02
6th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 2)	2	7	top 24%	2017-08-25
Minnesota in May	2	22	top 58%	2016-05-13
Central Iowa Expo BBQ (Day 2) (Judges Full)	2	19	top 69%	2016-04-23
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	2	23	top 41%	2014-07-25

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 6.4 yrs 2013-04-19 → 2019-08-30

Busiest season 2013 12 contests

Contests a season 7.1 across 7 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MN 25 of 50 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 37 9 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 50 entries · 4 wins · 21 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.28 · weakest Pork (161.92)

Walk rate 60% a top-10 call in 30 of 50 contests

Overall top-10 rate 14% 7 of 50 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 655.88 out of 720 · 49 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 780 1,062–1,009 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 12,037 50 mapped stops · furthest 959 mi

Schedule strength 1556 average field rating faced — tougher than 43% of rated contests

Purse competed for $7,150 listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Power rating 1583 peak 1585 · #1235 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 19 First tracked contest Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.1432 Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
May 17 First call Minnesota in May
Jun 21 First overall top-10 Smoking Knights BBQ Competition
Jun 21 First overall podium Smoking Knights BBQ Competition
Aug 23 10th tracked contest 6th Annual Big Island BBQ
Aug 30 First category win (Pork) 3rd Annual Smokin' In The Bogs
2015
Sep 4 25th tracked contest 5th Annual Smokin In the Bogs
2017
Mar 3 Career-best overall score686.2172 Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship
Jun 10 First perfect 180 (Chicken) *Mankato Cookout Day 2
2018
Aug 31 Peak power rating (1585) Smokin in the Bogs
2019
Aug 30 50th tracked contest Smokin in the Bogs
Aug 30 Most recent contest Smokin in the Bogs

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.8	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	2017-03-03
+14	6th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 2)	2017-08-25
+13.7	Smoking Knights BBQ Competition	2013-06-21
+11.6	*7th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 1)	2018-08-23
+10.9	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay	2015-07-10

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.9	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2014-07-18
-11.5	Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n	2015-10-09
-10.9	Minnesota in May	2014-05-16
-10.5	Bend of the River CookOut	2014-06-27
-10.2	Grill'n & Chill'n BBQ Cook-Off	2014-10-10

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	1	0	0	100%	top 50%	92.1%	92.1%
2018	5	1	3	60%	top 45%	94%	91.9%
2017	8	2	0	75%	top 42%	95.3%	92.2%
2016	10	1	1	60%	top 49%	93.2%	91.9%
2015	7	0	0	57%	top 52%	92.8%	90.9%
2014	7	1	0	57%	top 67%	92.8%	89.2%
2013	12	2	1	50%	top 47%	93.7%	90.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-08-30	Smokin in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI	19 / 38 (663.3260)	4 (175.4172)	35 (147.9660)	16 (167.9656)	11 (171.9772)
2018-08-31	Smokin in the Bogs Warrens, WI	12 / 25 (655.8288)	1 (175.4288)	20 (152.4916)	14 (163.9428)	10 (163.9656)
2018-08-24	*7th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 2) Washington Island, WI	15 / 27 (652.9488)	1 (178.8572)	23 (155.9432)	19 (159.9428)	20 (158.2056)
2018-08-23	*7th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 1) Washington Island, WI	6 / 26 (677.0172)	1 (177.1544)	12 (169.6916)	20 (162.7884)	13 (167.3828)
2018-05-11	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	34 / 70 (659.8516)	38 (163.9888)	48 (160.5028)	23 (167.9772)	17 (167.3828)
2018-03-02	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	28 / 57 (661.6116)	12 (169.6800)	33 (162.8344)	20 (168.5372)	41 (160.5600)
2017-09-15	KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN	16 / 27 (662.1712)	16 (167.3828)	14 (166.2744)	25 (155.4056)	4 (173.1084)
2017-09-01	7th Annual Smokin' In The Bogs Warrens, WI	20 / 29 (635.7484)	19 (163.9428)	15 (161.0972)	29 (142.1712)	5 (168.5372)
2017-08-25	6th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 2) Washington Island, WI	7 / 39 (673.6576)	10 (170.8228)	10 (169.1660)	11 (168.5600)	12 (165.1088)
2017-08-24	6th Annual Death Door Barbeque(DAY 1) Washington Island, WI	12 / 40 (667.2912)	10 (170.8228)	21 (162.8344)	18 (162.7884)	6 (170.8456)
2017-07-21	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Eagan, MN	16 / 30 (657.6456)	13 (167.4172)	16 (162.8228)	18 (163.9884)	16 (163.4172)
2017-06-10	*Mankato Cookout Day 2 Mankato, MN	25 / 33 (659.2688)	2 (180.0000)	30 (158.2288)	28 (162.2284)	28 (158.8116)
2017-05-12	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	17 / 71 (667.3600)	15 (169.6800)	11 (170.2972)	21 (166.8228)	39 (160.5600)
2017-03-03	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Onamia, MN	3 / 47 (686.2172)	14 (169.6800)	2 (174.2628)	15 (167.4172)	3 (174.8572)
2016-09-02	6th Annual Smokin' In the Bogs Warrens, WI	9 / 32 (666.1944)	1 (174.2628)	17 (159.3716)	2 (173.7372)	17 (158.8228)
2016-08-26	5th Annual Deaths Door Barbeque Washington Island, WI	18 / 42 (656.9940)	15 (169.6684)	12 (167.9772)	31 (157.7028)	22 (161.6456)
2016-08-12	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full) Tonka Bay, MN	17 / 35 (668.4800)	2 (174.8572)	33 (155.3600)	24 (163.4056)	4 (174.8572)
2016-07-22	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	12 / 30 (662.2172)	15 (166.8228)	14 (163.4516)	13 (168.5600)	14 (163.3828)
2016-06-11	*Mankato Cookout Day 2 and( Back Yard) Mankato, MN	19 / 32 (665.6572)	6 (175.4172)	23 (164.5600)	23 (163.3828)	21 (162.2972)
2016-06-10	*Mankato Cookout Day 1 Mankato, MN	20 / 33 (665.6688)	2 (177.7144)	25 (165.1088)	14 (167.4400)	27 (155.4056)
2016-05-13	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	22 / 71 (665.0972)	18 (169.6800)	3 (173.7260)	49 (159.3940)	37 (162.2972)
2016-04-23	Central Iowa Expo BBQ (Day 2) (Judges Full) Boone, IA	19 / 36 (670.7200)	13 (170.8228)	19 (166.8460)	18 (167.9656)	22 (165.0856)
2016-04-22	Central Iowa Expo BBQ (Day 1) (Judges Full) Boone, IA	36 / 42 (644.4916)	8 (171.9888)	35 (155.9772)	40 (155.3712)	31 (161.1544)
2016-03-04	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Isle, MN	24 / 59 (653.0168)	15 (168.5256)	14 (167.4056)	49 (155.3600)	27 (161.7256)
2015-10-09	Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n Waxhaw, NC	24 / 28 (640.9028)	3 (173.1084)	25 (152.4916)	20 (162.2400)	25 (153.0628)
2015-09-04	5th Annual Smokin In the Bogs Warrens, WI	11 / 27 (668.4112)	10 (170.8228)	22 (154.2056)	7 (171.4172)	8 (171.9656)
2015-08-28	4th Annual Deaths Door Barbecue Washington Island, WI	13 / 35 (654.1372)	6 (170.8228)	13 (161.7032)	8 (167.4056)	25 (154.2056)
2015-07-24	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	19 / 30 (648.9368)	22 (161.6684)	16 (162.8116)	19 (159.9312)	12 (164.5256)
2015-07-10	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay Green Bay, WI	19 / 80 (666.2516)	6 (175.4172)	35 (161.7144)	53 (158.2628)	13 (170.8572)
2015-05-15	Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN	37 / 60 (647.8744)	28 (163.9772)	41 (159.3828)	46 (160.5372)	30 (163.9772)
2015-02-27	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship (Competitor's Series) Isle, MN	—	15 (165.1428)	25 (159.9544)	44 (146.8572)	—
2014-10-10	Grill'n & Chill'n BBQ Cook-Off Waxhaw, NC	23 / 27 (619.2112)	20 (157.1084)	7 (168.5600)	25 (151.9428)	26 (141.6000)
2014-08-29	4th Annual Smokin In the Bogs Warrens, WI	12 / 34 (663.4172)	13 (167.4172)	24 (160.5716)	13 (167.9884)	11 (167.4400)
2014-08-22	Deaths Door Barbecue Washington Island, WI	10 / 27 (665.1656)	2 (177.1428)	18 (158.2972)	19 (162.2628)	9 (167.4628)
2014-07-25	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	23 / 52 (668.5144)	8 (174.2972)	9 (171.4172)	26 (166.2284)	40 (156.5716)
2014-07-18	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	29 / 30 (624.4112)	26 (158.2400)	27 (153.0628)	29 (149.7028)	12 (163.4056)
2014-06-27	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	43 / 50 (634.7312)	45 (159.9428)	32 (160.5256)	46 (157.1428)	38 (157.1200)
2014-05-16	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	49 / 58 (618.2856)	8 (169.7144)	35 (156.5600)	54 (150.8456)	55 (141.1656)
2013-09-20	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	55 / 72 (637.6000)	62 (154.8228)	7 (172.5828)	33 (166.8228)	69 (143.3716)
2013-08-30	3rd Annual Smokin' In The Bogs Warrens, WI	7 / 37 (668.4688)	12 (164.5372)	14 (162.8344)	1 (178.8572)	17 (162.2400)
2013-08-23	6th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	14 / 50 (671.8968)	6 (174.2628)	18 (167.4056)	26 (165.6800)	15 (164.5484)
2013-08-09	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	20 / 50 (655.2680)	13 (170.8228)	19 (163.9428)	42 (155.9196)	17 (164.5828)
2013-07-26	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	25 / 66 (663.3832)	22 (167.9772)	29 (165.1316)	35 (163.4400)	19 (166.8344)
2013-07-12	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN	11 / 29 (657.1196)	22 (157.7144)	11 (166.8112)	16 (162.8684)	9 (169.7256)
2013-06-21	Smoking Knights BBQ Competition Hutchinson, MN	3 / 19 (674.2856)	5 (170.8570)	2 (174.2858)	17 (158.8570)	3 (170.2858)
2013-05-31	Smokin' in Steele Owatonna, MN	34 / 51 (637.1418)	17 (168.5712)	42 (150.2854)	32 (158.2854)	26 (159.9998)
2013-05-17	Minnesota in May Faribault, MN	15 / 49 (668.0000)	38 (160.0000)	18 (164.5714)	20 (167.4286)	4 (176.0000)
2013-05-10	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	45 / 58 (614.8566)	56 (143.9998)	32 (159.9998)	49 (155.4286)	40 (155.4284)
2013-04-26	BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC	52 / 71 (622.2858)	60 (150.8570)	34 (160.0000)	39 (162.2858)	53 (149.1430)
2013-04-19	Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off Kings Mountain, NC	31 / 55 (649.1432)	27 (164.5716)	19 (166.8572)	50 (154.2858)	27 (163.4286)

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1754 (90 pts)	#1195 (210 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#1761 (105 pts)	#1485 (130 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#673 (503 pts)	#328 (1013 pts)	#900 (373 pts)	#820 (418 pts)	#748 (473 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#385 (959 pts)	#353 (1049 pts)	#393 (974 pts)	#605 (669 pts)	#328 (1134 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#431 (917 pts)	#138 (1667 pts)	#373 (1017 pts)	#429 (952 pts)	#466 (882 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#740 (477 pts)	#636 (607 pts)	#879 (407 pts)	#725 (517 pts)	#727 (507 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#678 (541 pts)	#452 (841 pts)	#727 (516 pts)	#774 (481 pts)	#599 (611 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#375 (810 pts)	#444 (710 pts)	#387 (800 pts)	#421 (770 pts)	#372 (845 pts)