KEN'S BURNT ENDS

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

Power ranking

#5657

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1446

peak 1501 · rated over 18 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-03

latest 2015-08-28

Best ToY finish

#641

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 18 contests

Avg finish

top 66%

overall standings

Best overall

652.5256 / 720

Master · 9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q

Perfect 180s

Current form

624.87 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 627.41 (-2.54)

Walk rate

39%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

170.8800

Chicken · The Masters in May

Consistency

±14.45

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 159.26 · weakest Brisket (153.44)

Road miles

1,592

mi across 18 mapped stops · furthest 187 mi

Schedule strength

19%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1526)

Master avg

627.41 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (8 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.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 7 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 52%.

7 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 52%

A tough matchup

13–0 behind in the head-to-head

THE SMOKE HUNTERS ahead in 100% of their meetings

THE SMOKE HUNTERS has come out ahead in 13 of their 13 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.8 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.83 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 22%.

Brisket avg 153.44
Chicken avg 159.26
1 calls in 18 entries

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Q-N WITH ATTITUDE in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

11 of 12 shared chicken entries lost

MUD'S BBQ ahead 92% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MUD'S BBQ has out-cooked them in 11 of 12 shared chicken entries.

Going the wrong way

-29 rating points in a year

The rating has slipped 29 points across 5 contests since 2014-10-17 — from 1476 down to 1446.

5 contests since 2014-10-17
now 1446

An August team

Top 58% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 58% across 3 contests, versus top 66% the rest of the year.

3 August contests
top 66% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.01% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.01% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 87.1% of a perfect score
18 contests

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.

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

Porkmafia

#5658 of the rated field

1446 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1446

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to KEN'S BURNT ENDS)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team KEN'S BURNT ENDS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2026-05-15

⚔ Head-to-head

UNCLE BUTCH BBQ

#5654 of the rated field

1446 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2019-07-26

⚔ Head-to-head

DESPERADO

#5661 of the rated field

1446 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1446

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 18 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2017-06-02

⚔ Head-to-head

Splitlog Smokers

#5667 of the rated field

1446 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

No shared contest yet.

17 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN BARRELS

#5670 of the rated field

1446 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2025-09-20

⚔ Head-to-head

BoomBoomQue

#5671 of the rated field

1446 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

No shared contest yet.

Level with KEN'S BURNT ENDS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2019-08-23

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
THE SMOKE HUNTERS	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
MUD'S BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
QUAU	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
JH OLD SCHOOL	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
DESIGNATED SMOKIN' AREA	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
CANCERSUCKSCHICAGO.COM	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
Mac Attack BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
KAVE DWELLERS	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
2 SKINNY COOKS	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
SMOKY LINCS	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	4	170.8800	136.5712	159.26	top 55%
Pork Ribs	18	2	166.2858	134.7884	155.52	top 63%
Pork	18	1	169.1428	152.5714	159.20	top 55%
Brisket	18	1	164.0002	126.2400	153.44	top 63%

“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
IL	11	0	top 68%
WI	7	0	top 61%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	3	0	top 68%
Large (40+)	15	0	top 65%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	4	32	top 80%	2015-05-23
Grill Games	3	11	top 58%	2015-08-28
Morton BBQ Throwdown	2	21	top 56%	2014-07-25
The Masters in May	2	23	top 63%	2014-05-02

The story so far (14 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 2.3 yrs 2013-05-03 → 2015-08-28

Busiest season 2014 7 contests

Contests a season 6 across 3 seasons in the data

Cooks most in IL 11 of 18 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 11 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 18 entries · 0 wins · 4 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 159.26 · weakest Brisket (153.44)

Walk rate 39% a top-10 call in 7 of 18 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 18 contests

Master average 627.41 out of 720 · 18 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 346 287–556 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,592 18 mapped stops · furthest 187 mi

Schedule strength 1526 average field rating faced — tougher than 19% of rated contests

Power rating 1446 peak 1501 · #5657 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 3 First tracked contest The Masters in May
May 3 First call The Masters in May
Aug 23 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.3088 Grill Games
Oct 18 Peak power rating (1501) 8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL)
2014
May 2 Career-best single call (Chicken)170.8800 The Masters in May
May 24 10th tracked contest Red, White, And BBQ
Oct 17 Career-best overall score652.5256 9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q
2015
Aug 28 Most recent contest Grill Games

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+8.8	Grill Games	2013-08-23
+3.2	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q	2014-10-17
+2.5	Morton BBQ Throwdown (TEAMS & JUDGES FULL - May email to be put on waitlist)	2013-07-26
+1.4	Grill Games	2014-08-22
+1.1	The Masters in May	2013-05-03

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.4	Grill Games	2015-08-28
-9.5	Red, White, And BBQ	2014-05-24
-8.4	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2013-07-05
-8.4	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown	2015-07-24
-7.3	The Masters in May	2014-05-02

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2015	4	0%	top 85%	87.8%	85.8%
2014	7	29%	top 68%	90.6%	87.2%
2013	7	71%	top 52%	90.3%	87.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2015-08-28	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	46 / 49 (592.5484)	47 (146.8112)	24 (160.6172)	29 (158.8800)	48 (126.2400)
2015-07-24	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	41 / 47 (615.9200)	45 (147.9428)	38 (153.0972)	34 (156.0000)	26 (158.8800)
2015-05-23	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	46 / 58 (632.4908)	19 (168.0228)	47 (154.8456)	49 (156.5140)	48 (153.1084)
2015-05-22	Red, White and BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	32 / 41 (630.8572)	20 (165.1772)	27 (157.1544)	21 (163.4056)	39 (145.1200)
2014-10-17	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	20 / 42 (652.5256)	9 (169.7028)	20 (165.1544)	16 (165.1656)	31 (152.5028)
2014-08-22	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	25 / 47 (639.4284)	31 (159.4172)	19 (161.1312)	12 (166.3316)	35 (152.5484)
2014-07-25	Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	31 / 48 (637.1088)	37 (157.1316)	36 (154.8688)	18 (164.0000)	15 (161.1084)
2014-07-11	Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest St. Charles, IL	25 / 34 (620.3768)	14 (162.8228)	33 (147.3600)	25 (153.6684)	23 (156.5256)
2014-05-24	Red, White, And BBQ Westmont, IL	62 / 72 (609.6116)	64 (150.8344)	65 (149.1200)	60 (153.1316)	47 (156.5256)
2014-05-23	Red, White, and BBQ Westmont, IL	33 / 43 (618.7084)	34 (153.1200)	23 (158.2744)	33 (154.8112)	32 (152.5028)
2014-05-02	The Masters in May Fremont, WI	48 / 62 (615.2800)	6 (170.8800)	62 (134.7884)	17 (163.3828)	57 (146.2288)
2013-10-18	8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL) Libertyville, IL	27 / 54 (623.4744)	19 (160.5828)	33 (153.7372)	26 (155.4284)	29 (153.7260)
2013-08-23	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	11 / 43 (650.3088)	12 (166.2972)	9 (165.1544)	25 (155.4400)	13 (163.4172)
2013-07-26	Morton BBQ Throwdown (TEAMS & JUDGES FULL - May email to be put on waitlist) Morton, IL	21 / 45 (642.2288)	29 (155.9656)	31 (154.2860)	11 (169.1428)	17 (162.8344)
2013-07-05	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Madison, WI	24 / 30 (626.2856)	23 (155.4284)	22 (154.2856)	27 (152.5714)	7 (164.0002)
2013-06-14	Pig in the Park Whitewater, WI	15 / 29 (629.1428)	4 (169.1430)	18 (153.1426)	13 (156.0000)	16 (150.8572)
2013-05-24	Westmont Red, White & BBQ Westmont, IL	44 / 70 (637.1430)	8 (170.8572)	47 (156.0000)	55 (156.0000)	45 (154.2858)
2013-05-03	The Masters in May Fremont, WI	23 / 48 (619.9998)	46 (136.5712)	4 (166.2858)	6 (165.7142)	31 (151.4286)

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
2015 ↗	Master	#1167 (240 pts)	#1082 (295 pts)	#1246 (245 pts)	#1215 (260 pts)	#1219 (240 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#696 (514 pts)	#519 (744 pts)	#681 (554 pts)	#582 (674 pts)	#676 (549 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#641 (487 pts)	#465 (687 pts)	#548 (602 pts)	#504 (647 pts)	#533 (592 pts)