Welcome to Best Yet BBQ
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My passion for BBQ began as a college student at Texas Tech in 1982. I took a part-time job with an upstart BBQ joint called Olde Tymers BBQ at 82nd & Quaker Street in Lubbock (then surrounded by cotton fields). Over the next two years, I learned everything from how to mop floors, chop wood and bus tables to the finer art of prepping, trimming and serving some of the finest BBQ ever available in west Texas. The owner/manager of the establishment learned his skills down in South Texas where he'd grown up. When he entered Tech as a student, he built up his Lubbock clientele by selling ribs right off his pit on a vacant lot (present day ABC Bank at Indiana Ave and 82nd Street). After graduating Tech, he decided to take a chance at opening a full-scale business.
Unfortunately, he was ahead of his time and the business lasted only a few years. My affection for the art of good BBQ, however, did not fade... Fast-forward to about 2012 when I was purveying the vast array of grills, pits, rubs, marinades, etc, at a Lubbock outdoor cooking store called The Outdoor Chef when I met a new friend, owner/operator, Ray Bonner and an equally amazing BBQ expert, Kirk Pittman. Ray is a straight-shooter. He steered me to a smoker commonly known as a "Jambo" (designed, patented and built by Jamie Geer in the Ft. Worth area). Ray delivered this new pit to my backyard where I began to expend long hours and months practicing my new-found hobby. Ray even invited me to stop by his next competition and simply observe the ins and outs of competitive cooking. Needless to say, I fell in love with the idea. Also, I got acquainted with an amazing young couple, Ryan & Karen Findley. Ryan now serves proudly in the U.S. Army. And to round out the group of cooking buddies, Nathan Lozano and his wife, Nikki. We'd "circle the wagons" by gathering each team's pits, RV's, etc. into one area where we could visit with (and harass) each other. It was healthy and friendly competition between friends. What fun!! We later decided to call our bunch "The Posse". More recently, I've cut back on competitions and am focusing simply on backyard BBQ cooking for family, friends and neighbors and most recently, the public by taking pre-orders as well as random cook dates when I post an announcement for anyone wanting smaller custom orders. . We love to hear our customers say, "wow Mike, that BBQ was your best yet". Thus our chosen team name. Check out our gallery page including a few family pics and some of the trophies & plaques we gathered during this time. The idea of starting a website was my kids' in late 2017 when, Cole, Kinsey and her husband, Thomas, gave me the gift of this website. With Kinsey's expertise in web building and maintenance, we put together our first attempt at an interactive and engaging website. We fully expect to continually make improvements as time goes by. We sincerely appreciate your interest in our products, our history/background in this fun and ever-immersive hobby and for giving our website a visit from time to time. Drop by our site anytime for updated information and upcoming cooks. Also, visit our "Contact" section if you'd care to visit more personally about your questions or order details. Best Yet BBQ wishes you a smokin' good day! Mike, Kema & Lucy (the pug) Speed |
