From Backyard Smoker to Smokehouse CEO: How Nate's BBQ Blends Was Born

You know how some of the best things in life happen by accident? Well, my BBQ blend business wasn't exactly planned either. Back in 2020, when the world hit the pause button and we all found ourselves with a lot more time on our hands, I did what a lot of folks did – I picked up a new hobby. Mine happened to involve firing up my first smoker and diving headfirst into the world of backyard BBQ.

The Grocery Store Letdown

Here's the thing that got me started on this whole journey: I couldn't find the flavors I actually wanted at the grocery store. I'd walk down those spice aisles, picking up bottle after bottle of BBQ rubs, reading the ingredients, and thinking "This just isn't it." Everything seemed so... ordinary. Same old combinations, same predictable heat levels, same boring results on my brisket.

I'm not knocking the big brands entirely, but when you're spending hours smoking a perfect piece of meat, you want something special to go with it. Something that makes your neighbors stop what they're doing and ask "What the heck is that amazing smell coming from your backyard?"

My Kitchen Became My Laboratory

So I did what any reasonable person would do – I started experimenting. My kitchen counter turned into a spice laboratory, with little bowls everywhere, measuring spoons scattered around, and me mixing combinations like some kind of backyard BBQ scientist. My wife used to joke that I looked like I was conducting chemistry experiments instead of cooking (turns out, she wasn't wrong, and that joke would later inspire the name of my business).

I'd spend hours tweaking ratios, testing different base ingredients, and trying out combinations that probably sounded crazy to anyone watching. But that's how you discover something special – by being willing to try what others won't.

The Chipotle Game-Changer

Here's where I discovered something that completely changed my approach to BBQ rubs: chipotle peppers. Now, if you've been around the BBQ scene for a while, you know that most companies reach for cayenne pepper when they want to add heat. It's cheap, it's available, and it definitely brings the fire. But here's my problem with cayenne – it's just heat. One-dimensional, straightforward heat that hits you and that's it.

Chipotle? That's a whole different story. These are jalapeño peppers that have been smoked and dried, which means they bring both heat AND that deep, smoky flavor that makes your taste buds actually pay attention. When I started using chipotle in my blends instead of cayenne, everything changed. Suddenly, my rubs weren't just adding spice – they were adding layers of flavor that complemented the smokiness from my cooker.

The depth you get from chipotle is something you can't replicate with regular hot peppers. It's like the difference between a campfire and a cigarette lighter – both create fire, but only one gives you that rich, complex experience that sticks with you.

From Personal Use to Gift Giving

Initially, these blends were just for me and my family. I'd season our weekend ribs, throw some on chicken thighs, maybe dust a little on some vegetables before they hit the grill. But then holidays started rolling around, and I found myself making little mason jars of my favorite combinations to give as gifts to friends and family.

You know how it is – you spend time creating something you're proud of, and you want to share it with the people you care about. I figured, worst case scenario, they'd use it once and stick it in the back of their spice cabinet. Best case, they'd actually enjoy it.

Well, let me tell you, the response was way better than I expected.

The Encouragement That Changed Everything

My brother-in-law was the first one to say it: "Nate, you need to sell this stuff." Then my neighbor mentioned it after trying my Lone Star Smoke blend on some beef potatoes. Then my wife's coworker asked if I could make her a few jars to give as gifts herself.

Pretty soon, I was getting calls and texts from people asking if I could make them more of "that amazing rub you gave us last Christmas." Friends were telling their friends, and before I knew it, I had a little waiting list of people who wanted my blends.

The turning point came when my wife (remember the chemistry experiment joke?) suggested I actually look into selling them for real. "What's the worst that could happen?" she said. "Either it works out, or you have a lot of BBQ rubs for the next ten years."

Starting a Business in My 50s (With Zero Experience)

Here's where this story gets interesting – or crazy, depending on how you look at it. I was in my 50s when I decided to start Nate's Smokehouse BBQ Blends. No business experience. No idea how to set up an LLC, create a website, or figure out packaging regulations. Heck, I didn't even know what a UPC code was until I had to get one.

But you know what? So what if I had zero experience starting or running a business, right? I had something better – I had products that people actually wanted, and I knew they were good because I'd been perfecting them for months in my own kitchen.

Sure, there was a learning curve. I had to figure out sourcing, scaling up my small-batch mixing process, packaging, labeling, shipping, taxes, licensing – all the stuff they don't teach you when you're just a guy who likes to smoke meat on the weekends. But every challenge was also kind of exciting, because I was building something from scratch that started with my own hands and my own recipes.

Small-Batch Philosophy

One thing I decided early on was that I wasn't going to compromise on the small-batch approach, even as the business grew. These blends started in my kitchen, mixed by hand in small quantities, and that's how they stay. Each batch of Sweet Amber Fire or All-Purpose Rub gets the same attention I gave to those first experimental jars.

Why? Because when you're mixing huge industrial batches, it's easy to lose that personal touch that made people fall in love with your product in the first place. I wanted every jar that left my facility to have the same care and quality that I put into the gifts I gave my family.

The Blends That Started It All

My original lineup focused on versatility and that signature smoky depth I couldn't find anywhere else. The Blue Ridge Honey blend brings sweetness that caramelizes beautifully under heat. Smoky Orchard adds fruit notes that work amazing on pork. And that chipotle-forward blend that started it all? That became my signature all-purpose rub that people use on everything from brisket to vegetables.

Each one tells the story of those late nights in my kitchen, trying to create something that didn't exist in the stores but absolutely should have.

Looking Back

Sometimes I think about how different things would be if I'd just settled for whatever was available at the grocery store. Or if I'd never started giving my blends as gifts. Or if I'd let the idea of starting a business in my 50s with no experience scare me off.

But here's what I've learned: the best adventures in life happen when you decide to create what you wish existed instead of settling for what's already there. My BBQ blends started because I wanted flavors that matched the care I was putting into my smoking, and it turns out a lot of other backyard pitmasters felt the same way.

Now, every time someone tells me they've switched from store-bought to my blends, or when I see photos of meals people have tagged me in, I remember why this whole thing started – it was never really about starting a business. It was about sharing something I was passionate about with people who appreciate the difference that real, thoughtful seasoning can make.

And if you're sitting there thinking about your own "what if" moment, whether it's BBQ-related or something completely different, maybe this is your sign to fire up that first experiment. You never know where it might lead.