Legendary Pitmaster Aaron Franklin’s Tips to Make Real-Deal BBQ at Home–
It’s a hobby that may quickly turn into an obsession.
The following written content by Jeremy Repanich
Aaron Franklin knows as much as anyone how a love for barbecue can turn to an obsession. Before the pandemic, people were willing to wait hours in line to eat the legendary pitmaster’s brisket. Sales are down during Covid-19 as they’ve switched to a curbside pickup model that precludes the convivial atmosphere of the line. But the brisket is no less coveted. Even now, Franklin fans immediately buy up any of the famous ‘Cue that finds its way onto Goldbelly. That devotion from customers is a product of Franklin’s passion to make outstanding barbecue. Since he started his eponymous Austin spot with his wife, Stacy, in 2009, Franklin has become meticulous about every step of the process (as his 213-page tome on the subject would testify to), to the point where he’s fabricating his own barbecue pits.
He wants to help others get obsessed, too. While a lot of people are starting to break out the grills for summer, this is the perfect time to take it up a notch and throw yourself into the subtle art of real, low-and-slow barbecue. We spoke with Franklin to get some tips on the best way to dive into barbecuing at home.
Use Wood From Your Region
“What makes Central Texas barbecue is post oak—that’s our regional white oak. Barbecue’s just kind of gotten homogenized in a lot of ways, so I encourage people for whatever region you live in, use the local wood, if it’s hickory or it’s mesquite or it’s pecan or if you have red oak or almond. But that’s kind of what makes a regional specialty. That’s what barbecue used to be—you had different animals and different woods and that’s what made that style. You don’t have to get post oak from Texas, just use what you have.”
Avoid Kiln-Dried Wood
“Another reason to not rely on post oak if you’re not in Texas is that when firewood crosses state lines it has to get kiln dried. They have to heat it up to get rid of bugs and stuff that are in the wood, so that changes the structure. That dries it out so much you don’t really get much smoke and everything burns so much faster.”
Get a Great Rig
Franklin and his new cooker Photo: courtesy Franklin Barbecue Pits
