'Heat, smoke and meat': Beyond Q owner updates barbecue menu at Happy Basset Barrel House
In the middle of the ocean and from coast to coast, Tim Miller’s brand of barbeque leaves its mark everywhere it goes.
Along with his wife, Kristin, Miller owns Beyond Q located inside Happy Basset Barrel House at 510 S.W. 49th St. in Topeka.
He began serving his signature-style barbecue from that address in December 2022 and recently launched new menu items inspired by his chef-driven creative barbecue concepts.
“I’ve worked for many barbecue restaurants in Kansas, Colorado and Missouri,” said Miller, who managed Boss Hawg’s Barbeque & Catering before it closed in 2017. “I wanted to do my own twist on barbecue. Something beyond barbecue.”
New menu at Beyond Q includes pizza, sandwich and gourmet hot dogs
The new menu at Beyond Q has pizza options, including an Italian Pinsa crust topped with melty cheese, smoked brisket, house-pickled onions and jalapenos, and drizzled with Midnight Coffee barbecue sauce, and a Huli Huli pizza with pineapple, inspired by Miller’s time stationed in Hawaii.
He also added a Beyond Club Sandwich with smoked turkey, ham and housemade honey mustard on toasted sourdough bread and a ham and cheese melt, as well as gourmet hot dogs like The Charlie Dog, which is a quarter-pound hot dog topped with queso, pulled pork, and barbecue sauce.
“We do authentic barbecue. It’s not something you can learn overnight. It’s continually learning and improving,” said Miller.
He has been smoking barbecue for 20 years and has a storied history surrounding his craft.
Prior to bringing his barbequing talents to Kansas, Miller got his start in the Navy building a smoker on board the USS Wasp and smoking meat at sea for his fellow sailors. Guy Fieri, host of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," caught word of Miller's barbecue and flew a chopper on board the ship to feature his food on the show.
After retiring from Naval service, Miller served barbecue at events in New York, Florida and California before returning to Kansas. Beyond Q is his first experience operating a restaurant.
“We traveled a lot and checked out different places. We wanted something unique to Topeka,” he said.
Eric Craver owns Happy Basset Barrel House and is a friend of Miller’s. They expanded the dog-friendly brewery in southwest Topeka a year ago to accommodate a larger kitchen space and additional seating for Beyond Q.
“Eric is in to barbecue like I am,” said Miller. “We complement each other. The beer brings people in for the food, and the food brings people in for the beer.”
Miller uses infusions of bourbon, beer and tequila in his barbecue sauces, rubs and marinades, and Beyond Q and Happy Basset collaborate to offer pairings for diners who want to order a drink that best brings out the flavors in their meal.
Miller said his most popular menu items are the homemade jalapeno cheddar sausage and his Texas-style brisket.
“You’re not going to get brisket like it anywhere else in town,” said Miller. “It’s sliced to order and comes straight from the smoker to your plate, so it’s very fresh and very good.”
Beyond Q's secret to success: 'It’s just heat, smoke and meat'
Miller cooks his brisket over locally sourced oak and pecan for 22 hours before serving it to customers.
“We don’t use propane or charcoal. It’s cooked over an open flame using local wood. It’s just heat, smoke and meat. It’s very archaic, and there’s nothing like it.”
Along with barbecue options, Beyond Q makes all of its own desserts in house, including a smoked cheesecake and peach cobbler prepared in a cast iron Dutch oven. Wednesdays are Wings Night at Beyond Q, with wing flavors like raspberry jalapeno, buffalo and Caribbean jerk.
On Sundays, Miller serves a $14 all-you-can-eat brunch buffet with omelet station, French toast, Belgian waffles sprinkled with pearl sugar, bacon, fruit and his take on biscuits and gravy — briskets and gravy. There are also barbecue options and a charcuterie board available.
In addition to his role as chef, Miller believes in investing in the local community.
He partners with other small businesses, including Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters, by featuring their products in his barbecue creations and can frequently be found providing barbecue for grand openings and other events around Topeka, including fundraisers for the Veteran’s Administration and the YWCA.
“We try to do at least two fundraisers a year,” he said.
Miller has been the Stormont Vail Events Center BBQ Wing King Champion three years running.
He and Craver began their own barbecue contest a number of years ago, which takes place over Fourth of July weekend at Happy Basset Barrel House. Last year, the contest grew to 38 teams with 700-800 people in attendance. Throughout the year, Happy Basset also hosts cornhole tournaments, movie nights, murder mystery events and more.
What the hours for Beyond Q?
The next large event scheduled at Happy Basset is the Spring Vendor’s Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 11. Forty local vendors will be on site selling products, along with barbecue and family-friendly activities.
“There are always things going on,” said Miller. “We pretty much live here.”
Follow Beyond Q on Facebook for menu updates and a schedule of events.
Beyond Q's current business hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Beyond Q owner updates barbecue menu at Happy Basset Barrel House
