Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto [A Cookbook]

by Aaron Franklin, Jordan Mackay

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER •  A complete meat and brisket-cooking education from the country's most celebrated pitmaster and owner of the wildly popular Austin restaurant Franklin Barbecue.

When Aaron Franklin and his wife, Stacy, opened up a small barbecue trailer on the side of an Austin, Texas, interstate in 2009, they had no idea what they’d gotten themselves into. Today, Franklin Barbecue has grown into the most popular, critically lauded, and obsessed-over barbecue joint in the country (if not the world)—and Franklin is the winner of every major barbecue award there is.
 
In this much-anticipated debut, Franklin and coauthor Jordan Mackay unlock the secrets behind truly great barbecue, and share years’ worth of hard-won knowledge. Franklin Barbecue is a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, with chapters dedicated to building or customizing your own smoker; finding and curing the right wood; creating and tending perfect fires; sourcing top-quality meat; and of course, cooking mind-blowing, ridiculously delicious barbecue, better than you ever thought possible.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Culinary, Reference, Food and Drink

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2015

Reviews

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

DEAR VEGANS – PLEASE BACK AWAY FROM THIS REVIEW. I PROMISE YOU THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU TO SEE HERE.

If you know nothing about/are a beginner at cooking on a smoker, Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Smoking Manifesto is the cookbook for you. My husband was kind enough to volunteer his services in order to make this a legit review, but like I do with most everything else in my life, I’m going to take his contributions and make a complete mockery out of them. Ready? Me too!

First step, if you don’t enjoy the process of outdoor cooking (bees? skeeters? ugh. pass.) you will need to find yourself a servant boy husband who is willing to tend to his meat all day. That shouldn’t be hard to do, right? Ha! I’m hilarious. Here’s a picture of my husband tending the grill . . .



I don’t know who those bitches are in the background, but they better get the f*&^ out of my yard!

Once you’ve found your sucker ahem, I mean soulmate, have them go rustle up a nice big slab of meat for cooking . . .



I keed, I keed. I would never murder Booker T. Django, on the other hand? Perhaps. However, for this review we’re using a hunk of pork butt . . .



Hold on tight, those suckers are slippery! Once you’ve caught your pig, you’ll need to slaughter it . . .

[IMAGE DELETED DUE TO ITS EXTREME GRAPHIC NATURE]

The next step is seasoning the meat to your liking (FYI – I have zero originality so I have totally stolen and modified Paula Deen’s recipe for rub, which contains the same ingredients this book will tell you about - my husband cheats and uses this - he also likes to slather the whole thing in mustard first) until you get a little something like this . . .



Once all that is done it's time for the boring stuff actual cooking. The husband begins with a charcoal stack and then adds his expertly prepared wood (*that’s what she said*) . . .




which results in what is apparently professionally known as “clean smoke” – probably since it’s so clear you can’t even see it (aren’t I a genius????) . . .



You then let that little piggy who went wee wee wee all the way home cook for infinity until the handy-dandy meat thermometer says it’s done, while continually checking on/tending to the needs of the smoker (this is the part where you noobs realize you need to buy the book in order to make sure you don’t f*&^ everything up). Note: If your pig can still do this . . .



it needs to cook longer.

At the end of infinity the day, you should end up with something that looks a little like this . . .




That will satisfy not only your gluttonous teenager, but also the pickiest of child, and which will obtain a reaction from your wife something kinda along these lines . . .



It’s up to personal taste whether you want your pulled pork sammiches Southern style with a big ol’ dollop of coleslaw, or topped with a little bbq sauce . . .



No matter what, if you did it right (or married the right fella) it should be delicious and have you retrieving your “Thanksgiving Pants” before you sit down to eat. Bon appétit!



Endless thanks to the hubs for all of the hard labor he put forth in order for me to post this review. Luckily I get paid zeroes of dollars for reviewing so I’m totally willing to split the profits 50/50 with him ; )

ARC provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review

[Janel Gradowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbecue is an art form and Aaron Franklin is a superstar pitmaster. He went from cooking brisket for his friends, to opening a food truck, to owning a now world-renowned restaurant that has sold out of meat every single day since it has opened. People travel from all over the world to sample his barbecue. This book is a detailed chronicle of how he produces his spectacular barbecue.

The first chapter explains how Aaron and his wife, Stacy, came to be the owners of a restaurant where people wait for hours to get a taste of the food. It’s a story of humble beginnings, chasing a dream, and dogged determination. Then, the manifesto begins. Everything about the techniques Franklin uses is detailed. If you are handy with a welder, there are instructions on how to build a smoker from scratch, just like the ones they use at the restaurant, but on a smaller scale. Diagrams explain the mechanics of the smoker while photos show the building process. From there the book goes on to what kind of wood to use, how to build fires and how to prepare meats – from the famous brisket to turkey breast.

This is not a cookbook full of recipes, although there are a few for things like beans and espresso barbecue sauce. Instead, this is a step-by-step guide on how to reproduce barbecue similar to what is served at Franklin Barbecue. There is a lot of information, from how to start a proper fire in the smoker to tips on concocting your own rubs. Glimpses of what it’s like to run what is probably the most popular barbecue joint in the world right now are offered in between the barbecue-making wisdom. I love that there is an espresso maker in the kitchen for employees, since there are workers there literally around the clock to prepare the thousands of pounds of meat every day. For anybody that is interested in making truly great barbecue, this is a wonderful resource.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book of 2018!

Got a smoker for Christmas so grabbed this book based on reccomendations. Great book! The author is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about not just smoking meat but the culture and taste surrounding good BBQ. He went in-depth about everything from wood selection to slicing meat well, without being inaccessible or annoying. Also, the photography in this book is excellent and will make you hungry the entire time you read.

Note his smoking techniques are mostly for offset smokers, which I didn't realize until partway into the book. However if you're wanting to learn on a bullet smoker (like me) it is still very worth your time and energy to read this/

[Clay · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two general points that are made clear throughout the book: (1) Aaron Franklin knows what he's talking about and (2) he seems like one of the nicest guys in the world. The restaurant is truly unbelievably awesome and this book shows you how it's done. One day I will have a smoker, and on that day I will have this book at my side.

[Stephen Fogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franklin's Barbecue was the finest meal I've consumed in my 27 years on earth. I am not exaggerating when I describe the brisket as world-shatteringly good and truly life-altering. Every meal from here on out will inevitably been compared to Franklin's.

When I returned from Austin, I immediately started researching smokers and barbeque and now have my own set up at my house. While I don't have an off-set smoker like Aaron (yet), I do try to channel his positivity, charm, and skill anytime I'm cooking.

I was so excited to get this book and it did not disappoint. While most of the advice is tailored to how he cooks (off-set smokers), it includes plenty of information that is applicable to other ways of smoking meat. He makes a wildly intimidating skill seem accessible and fun. Also, Wyatt McSpadden's photos throughout painted a vibrant and beautiful picture of the artform that goes back millennia.

I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in cooking/smoking meat.

[Vanessa Devotta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be right back, going to stand in line for some delicious brisket and maybe some pork or sausages too.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last night, I smoked first rack of ribs since reading this book. They were markedly better then I've done any time recently. Enough little tips across this book made for a much better result.

[Michael Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas, is as famous for its mind-blowing array of smoked meats as it is the hours-long line of customers hoping to get barbecue before they sell out. In pitmaster Aaron Franklin's first book on barbecue, he readily admits he's still learning his craft. Co-author Jordan Mackay, credits Franklin's success to being able to "think like smoke." Franklin admits that a barbecue book is daunting because of all the variables that go into the process, and while recipes might look like magic, there is no "just one way" or "black and white" magical method of barbecue. So much of it depends on things like time, temperature, the kind of wood, the placement of the wood, the smoker, the choice of meat, and on and on. Rather than focus on recipes, Franklin focuses on the process of barbecue, including how to build your own smoker. He doesn't even get to the actual cooking of meat until chapter six because he's so focused on all the other things that go into the loosey-goosey it-all-just-depends craft of being a pitmaster. This book is barbecue nerd nirvana, especially considering the detailed science Franklin goes into regarding how barbecue works. Franklin spends the first 37 pages telling the story of how he built Franklin barbecue, more than anything because he wants to show that one of the world's most famous barbecue restaurants started less than a decade ago from absolutely nothing. He had a few dollars of savings, a strong work ethic, and he loved cooking barbecue for people. After one party where the lines stretched down the block (an omen of what was to come), he began thinking he might be able to open a restaurant. Clearly, things worked out. His point, though, is that he started from little more than the average home barbecue fan had. There is plenty of DIY here. Franklin shows how to build your own smoker and modify store-bought smokers, how to split wood and the various properties of different kinds of wood. There are tips on how to build a fire and cheats for the home cook starting out on a tiny grill (like he did). He rhapsodizes for pages on smoke, as that is the heart of his craft, and he also goes in depth with how to buy a brisket, select short ribs and spare ribs, even how to inspect sausage casings. After a long chapter on various meats, he hilariously offers just a single paragraph on turkey. There are a handful of recipes in the book, mostly sauces and sides, things that aren’t as impacted by all the other variables involved in creating a perfectly smoked piece of meat. Give this book to anyone with a dream of doing more with barbecue than just tossing some burgers on the propane grill. As the title suggests, this is a meat-smoking manifesto designed to elevate everyone’s barbecue game -- with plenty of knowledge from one of the barbecue world’s biggest stars.

[Nand · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of reference book on great barbecuing and grilling, I spot check my methods and recipes with the great advice in this book. Really breaks down the understanding of such terminology as "smoke ring" and "stall". I've tweeked my approach (and even my homemade barbecue sauce!) because of what is in these pages. This is definitely one of those books that I will see eventually fray at the binding, its pages stained with seasoning - Own It! Use It! :)

[Rochelle Saldaña · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m hungry now! I have recently started smoking meat and wanted a book that not only told me what I was doing, but why I was doing it. I enjoyed the geeky science aspects and learning what’s happening to the meat and the smoker while cooking. As a Traeger owner, I definitely feel like I’m cheating! That being said, I’ve learned so much and maybe one day I’ll be brave enough to cook like Franklin!

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read on how Franklin BBQ became the thing we know of today. Easy to read, fun, and some great recipes on the backend. Gorgeous photography. 5 of 5 from a cookbook standpoint.

The potato salad continues to be my go-to Americanized version.

[William Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. It’s a cookbook, a guidebook, along with good stories from the author.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm, fun, informational, and inspirational for anyone with a food dream or a love of BBQ.

[Noodly Soup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic knowledge booster!

I'm very new to BBQ, but I felt like this book gave me a lot of information to think on, as well as some very solid guidelines.

[Tyler Eason · Rating 5 out of 5]

What kind of a weirdo reads a “cookbook” from cover to cover? First, me! Second, this isn’t really a cookbook at all. It’s a guide to smoking meat with helpful details for each part of the process. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and look forward to putting into practice soon.

[Eric Moote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall: a repository of Central Texas Barbecue history and methods of turning the toughest, cheapest piece of meat and turning it into the most delicious, tender and awe-inspiring bite of your life. A true miracle.

Aaron Franklin has gone from regular guy to world renown BBQ rockstar for a reason: his meat is good. People ask me, "was waking up at 7 am to stand in line for 5 hours worth it?" If you have ever eaten at Franklin Barbecue, then you know my answer: "A resounding Yes!" I cannot think of a better way to spend a morning than taking part in this Austin (albeit quickly becoming American) ritual. It's as worthy a cause as watching the sunrise over the Grand Canyon, watching a baseball game at a historic field, or driving across Route 66. And it may be more rewarding.

I digress. "Franklin Barbecue" puts all of Aaron Franklin's secrets out there in printed form. All of this information is already out there on YouTube and PBS, but having it in a handy coffee table book with pretty pictures makes it that much more real. Why would a man who has found fame in smoking meat give all his secrets away? Because he knows that you can try to replicate, but you will never duplicate what he does? Because smoking meat is an art and a fickle mistress? I like to think it's because he knows what the people like and he loves to give it to them (see: cutting brisket for all of his customers, taking pictures with fans, doing a show on PBS!).

Aaron Franklin is the rare breed of celebrity who is just like the next guy. He drinks beer, loves food and is willing to show you what, how and why he does the things he does. I love a man who is humbled by his notoriety and you will too. His Texas roots and southern charm will have you wanting a copy of his book for your coffee table, not only for reference, but for the connection you feel you have made to the BBQ Royalty who is as knowable as the dude next door.

I would recommend this to: you. Everyone. Don't like BBQ? Read this book and discover how it should be / could be / is being done by the right people.

[Britney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is an excellent meat-smoking resource!

Aaron Franklin, an award-winning pitmaster, shares his knowledge and secrets of success in this meat-smoking manifesto. His love and enthusiasm for Central Texas barbecue is evident and he shares his passion in these pages.

Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is a book my husband and I both use and enjoy. From building or modifying a smoker to serving and eating, this book is brimming with detailed information and includes step-by-step instructions, beautiful pictures, and mouth-watering recipes. This meat-smoking manifesto is exceptional, and we look forward to using it again and again! Whether you are a beginner looking for direction or a seasoned pitmaster looking to perfect your method, Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is the book for you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Blogging for Books and appreciate the opportunity to offer my honest opinion.

[Michael Vetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very detailed explanation into how Aaron Franklin creates his barbecue. There are some areas where he is a little too detailed, but he likes to understand why certain things are doing what they're doing. The one downside to the book is that he focuses only on an offset smoker and primarily to cooking brisket, but it is understandable as to why he only focuses on these things since that is what he uses the most.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone with interest in good barbecue, done right, will love this book but so will people who just like reading food stories. Aaron starts with the back story of his restaurant and how he got into smoking meats, so the book reads more like a story. Then he gets into smoker design, wood selection, and finally the cooking techniques/recipes. I've already adjusted the way I smoked meats and I have a strong desire to build my own smoker.

[Russell Branca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tome on the art and theory of smoking meat, and it contains a wealth of wisdom and know how. As a geek interested in the details and technique of barbecue, this book is truly a diamond in the rough and one I cannot recommend highly enough.

[Aaron Cochrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for recipes, this isn't the book for you. But if you are looking for insight about the passion and techniques in genuine BBQ, Aaron Franklin offers insightful advice and direction for the novice enthusiast! I loved this book.

[David King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what a cookbook ought to be: 130+ pages of explanation before about 50 pages of recipes, which are also mostly explanation. Oh, and the pictures are glorious too.

We must go to Austin.

[Gerardo Vales C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is obviously made for a specific audience, but it's soooo well written. Very easy to digest (no point intended)

[Katie Jacoby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent for advanced smokers. Not for newbies. It’s the basic parameters to build skills to become an expert. I loved that it was giving you the basic tools to start your own grilling journey.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in the '90s, while living in West Virginia, I mentioned to a neighbor--a woman who had quite a reputation as an accomplished home chef--that I was going to barbecue a brisket. She seemed puzzled, but allowed that barbecuing a brisket seemed ... "interesting." I think she was just being nice. To her, brisket was for corned beef or New England boiled dinners. Period.
I've been back in Texas for 21 years, and it's hard to imagine anyone anywhere who has not by now heard of Texas style smoked brisket. These days Texas barbecue is having a day in the sun, a Golden Age. Thanks to Texas Monthly's Daniel Vaughn and his incredibly popular coverage of the Texas smoked meat scene and the proliferation of TV shows such as Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives that frequently feature Texas barbecue joints, smoked brisket has never been more popular, even far beyond the state's borders.
While the old joints like Smitty's, Kreuz Market, and Black's in Lockhart, TX, have been elevated to near saintly status, new places continue to emerge. Aaron Franklin started selling brisket out of a trailer in 2009 and moved his operation into its current brick and mortar location about a year later. Recognitions, awards, media coverage, and long lines of customers have characterized his life ever since.
This book is not just recipes; in fact, the recipes are few and basic. But Franklin’s deep explorations of smokers, wood, fire, smoke, meat, and cooking should be required reading for anyone who’s ever hauled a brisket home from the store with visions of succulent slices of perfectly smoked beef. While obviously a barbecue authority of the highest order, Franklin imbues his writing with an engaging humility and the underlying message that if he can do it, so can you. And throughout the book Franklin pays his respects to the Texas legends who came before and continue to serve their customers some of the best smoked meat anywhere.
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto is a pleasure to read. Franklin, with the help of writer Jordan Mackay, has turned out a volume that informs and inspires. If you read it cover to cover, don’t be surprised if you suddenly want to weld together your own custom smoker and dive in deep.

[Bram Cecilius · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, you've heard of Aaron Franklin and his award winning Franklin's BBQ. But the story of how he got there is the real fun part. He has done what so many other American success stories do, they have a passion, they are willing to work hard, attention to details and he actually cares. This isn't your typical BBQ book loaded with lots of recipes, this is more of a how to testimonial type book. I enjoyed all the background, how-to and why Franklin does the things he does. Honestly, who are we to argue, he's got the awards and certainly the testimony to back it up. He'll tell you he doesn't have the "tradition or history" that other BBQ legends have, but he goes with what works for him and customers reward his restaurant with their patronage. Aaron discusses his failures, his favorites and what led him to BBQ, truly a fun read on what appears to be a genuine guy (I've never met him). He is well respected in the BBQ community with good reason, his product is legit and people seem to want his opinion on BBQ (food). So, if you want to read up on how to make good brisket or any other smoked meats, this book will put you on your way as it keeps it simple, which is what BBQ should be, simple goodness to be shared with those you love.

[Catherine Wojtkun · Rating 5 out of 5]

A New York Times best selling complete meat- and brisket-cooking education from the country's most celebrated pitmaster and owner of the wildly popular Austin restaurant Franklin Barbecue.

When Aaron Franklin and his wife, Stacy, opened up a small barbecue trailer on the side of an Austin, Texas, interstate in 2009, they had no idea what they’d gotten themselves into. Today, Franklin Barbecue has grown into the most popular, critically lauded, and obsessed-over barbecue joint in the country (if not the world)—and Franklin is the winner of every major barbecue award there is.

In this much-anticipated debut, Franklin and coauthor Jordan Mackay unlock the secrets behind truly great barbecue, and share years’ worth of hard-won knowledge. Franklin Barbecue is a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, with chapters dedicated to building or customizing your own smoker; finding and curing the right wood; creating and tending perfect fires; sourcing top-quality meat; and of course, cooking mind-blowing, ridiculously delicious barbecue, better than you ever thought possible. (less)

[Carine Bouery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your ordinary recipe book, it's a manual on how to make the most delicious BBQ on the planet. My husband and I were in Austin recently and waited in line for 2.5 hours at Franklin's BBQ. The food was amazing and we both agreed without hesitation that we would wait in that line again. Aaron Franklin is a genius and everything we ate was sublime; brisket, ribs, turkey (I don't even like turkey!), pinto beans and cole slaw. We devoured everything on our tray without adding BBQ sauce to any of the meat. I am a serious cook and my husband enjoys smoking meat so naturally we had to buy this book. What I love about this book is he takes you through every aspect of the preparation; the smoker, the wood, the meat, trimming the meat, tending the fire, and so on. He is very generous in sharing his techniques and the right technique is what separates a decent meal from a meal so delicious that you keep an eye out for cheap flights to Austin.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been getting more and more into smoking and have always preferred the Central Texas style the best. I have really wanted to try and do a brisket, but was a bit intimidated, that is until reading this book. When I first opened it I was disappointed by the lack of recipes, but reading through it I saw the pages were filled with so much more info than recipes. In a way it was still recipes, but instead of being for the edible parts of the meal they were for the non-edible parts of bbq such as the smoker, wood, fire, and smoke (plus a good history lesson on Central Texas BBQ, himself, and his restaurant). That being said the recipes he did include were (supposedly, because I've never had it) the same as what he serves in the restaurant. Can't wait to get the meat in the pit now!

[Tyler Varisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike a lot of readers, I have an offset bbq pit and have been making bbq with varying levels of success for about 10 years. After moving from college station to Austin for grad school, I noticed that the bbq in the area was totally different than what I grew up with. Simple yet incredibly complex. Cooked with time and technique rather than a gas rotisserie and a few shakes of Sysco seasoning. Franklins’ book has changed my techniques dramatically. I ripped the door off my little smoker’s firebox, started cooking with all wood rather than chunks and charcoal, stopped worrying should little temperature changes, and began to produce restaurant quality meats at home. Real Texan bbq deserves a savior and a bible and we all have Mr. Franklin to thank for that.