An Interview with YSB BBQ

In Episode 2 of the BBQ321 Pit Master Interview series, veteran pitmasters Kyle Matuszewski and Justin Coffini share their journey into the competitive BBQ world and discuss their upcoming appearance on the Barbecue USA show. The pair met during a barbecue contest amid the pandemic and quickly formed a "Super Team" YSB BBQ. The pair share their BBQ techniques and gear preferences, which include drum smokers, Fogo charcoal, and custom rubs and sauces, notably their Green Chili Bacon Rub, which they distribute under their YOUR BEHIND BBQ label. They also offer advice for aspiring pitmasters, such as relying on feel rather than temperature and trimming meats to optimize smoking time. Finally, they announce their upcoming appearance on Food Network and promote their brand, YOUR BEHIND BBQ, highlighting the immersive nature of the BBQ world.

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity]

In the high-stakes, smoke-filled world of competitive barbecue, two names stand out: Kyle Majewski and Justin Kini. As part of the super team YSB Barbecue, they've charred their way into the spotlight, culminating in their recent appearance on the second season premiere of "Barbecue USA".

BBQ321: "Tell us a little bit about your experience with 'Barbecue USA', from the casting to the shooting?"

KYLE: "It was awesome, man. We met a lot of cool people, including Michael Symon. He's very, very, very down to earth. He's a very cool dude. He's been in the trenches. He's one of us, literally."

JUSTIN: "Yeah, I echo everything Kyle says. I did find out that Michael was from Cleveland, which was a little disappointing considering I'm from Pittsburgh. We had a bit of a back-and-forth over our football team choices. But other than that... [laughs] It was great."

BBQ321: "Having the film crew there, was it an added stress? Did it affect your cooking?"

KYLE: "No, I don't think it affected the cook. They got our whole process and were never in our way. But when things didn't go perfectly, like the chicken not coming up to temperature, they were quick to zoom in and follow."

JUSTIN: "Having cameras on you makes you feel a little hot under the gun. It adds a bit of stress to the situation, but it was also kind of fun to show the world what we do in this competitive arena."

BBQ321: "Let's talk about your entry into the barbecue competition world."

KYLE: "My entry was a result of a football injury. I had to replace that competitive edge with something, and my dad and I found that in cooking. We found a contest that was close to Phoenix, about 45 minutes away, and we decided to sign up. We came out of there with seventh-place chicken overall. That was it for us."

JUSTIN: "My background's a bit different. I was a drummer in a band for many years. But once I met all the people at a barbecue competition and saw how nice everybody was, I decided to give it a shot. I got one call, a third-place pork. That was it, I was hooked."

Don't miss out on the full episode to get a deeper insight into their journey, the bond they share, and their love for the art of barbecue. Tune in to the BBQ321 Pitmaster interview podcast to listen to the full episode.