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"Franklin Barbecue"


rotuts

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" Franklin Barbecue"   has finally arrived at the local Lib.

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1607747200/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=71449588639&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8117654068394620604&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_82gsurm92v_b

 

its a mighty fine book, packed w smoking details etc

 

Ive not been to Franklin's  ( Austin, TX ) but my sister lives in the area and her TX'n friends all say its the best briquet around.

 

he has some interesting things to say about lots of things, including the 'smoke ring'  he and I see eye to eye.

 

Im not a big fan of TX brisket  nor long lines.  Im not a Line-Snob, just an Impatient-Snob.

 

if you are interested in BBQ vis smoke, perhaps your lib. has a copy ?

 

there is going to be a PBS show, as he said in the preview  'with lots of welding'

 

look forward to it.

 

the 'smoke ring' is discussed here :

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=gzudBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT251&lpg=PT251&dq=franklin+barbecue+smoke+ring&source=bl&ots=c2obe72GJG&sig=zz-4yoBc2qqFSzwUlAWhjixWL5M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hUlCVYrjJsGdgwTCwIGYAw&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=franklin%20barbecue%20smoke%20ring&f=false

 

BTW in a n article in Lucky Peach by Aaron he states he goes through 30, 000 lbs of brisket a month and always sells out.

Edited by rotuts (log)
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You know I'm big on brisket, and want to learn how to do it at home. I'll have to look into this one. Thanks!

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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Ive cut back to < zero the cookbooks I buy.   < zero is an Imaginary Number.  because My library system has them all.

 

I used to love to get them, I read them like Food Novels.  I don't have as many as most, but a lot.

 

this one is very beguiling to me :  18 bucks or so as the 'Zon

 

I may cave.  

 

i ve been interested in 'Q' for a long time, and there are very few books that cut to the chase, clear the fog, and get you where 

 

you want to be   at home 

 

when the PBS show appears  maybe Ill need to find my Inner Spark and become a welder.  Its going to be the only PBS cooking show that Welds.

 

again, my sisters TX friends say Aaron is one nice guy.

 

he uses an 'off-set' smoker'  the kind with a fire-box at one end, then the cooking area, the the 'smoke stack'

 

he builds them himself, and spends all night getting every thing just right

 

I understand he is a fan of espresso.  all good

 

you can 'pre-order' a whole brisket, for pick up at 10 am certain days of the week, no lines

 

it will set you back, but well, that's what vac-bag and freezer are for !

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in the Peach article Aaron mentions his sourcing of the brisket.  this seems to be key to his consistency, etc

 

you would have to look at the Peach article, which he wrote.

 

he did say he could be better brisket, but not in the quantities he needed    i.e. 30, 000 lbs / month

 

many TX'n say this is one of his secrets  that makes his B fine every time.

 

so   more stuff to consider  ....

 

tasty stuff

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in the Peach article Aaron mentions his sourcing of the brisket.  this seems to be key to his consistency, etc

 

you would have to look at the Peach article, which he wrote.

 

he did say he could be better brisket, but not in the quantities he needed    i.e. 30, 000 lbs / month

 

many TX'n say this is one of his secrets  that makes his B fine every time.

 

so   more stuff to consider  ....

 

tasty stuff

No kidding. And in many parts of the country it's dang near impossible to get whole, untrimed brisket. My son smokes great brisket but he lives in the SF Bay area and all he can find for sale are the trimmed brisket flats. He has to special-order whole briskets. Expensive and then he has to wait for the special order to arrive.

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I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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well

 

look in the issue of Lucky Peach. perhaps at you Local Lib ?

 

if not. fine a few friends in TX

 

get the whole brisket by appointment, no lines.

 

then take your Tranche  

 

all ou have to do is to suggest  your local lib get this book

 

they have to buy something

 

see ?

 

bad news :  you are going to get an off-set smoker

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I've always wanted to eat there. I've used his youtube vids as tutorials for doing brisket. Trimmed properly, temp, salt and pepper and the smoke is all that is required. According to Aaron.

 

Seems so simple... :hmmm:

 

Ubiquitous, I'm seeing whole, select untrimmed brisket packers here for $2.97/lb. Looking for "choice" optimally- interestingly, walmart used to/sometimes carry this grade for the price of the "select" that HEB offers.

 

But to find tri-tip I have to go to Central Market and pay a premium for it.  :huh:

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I've always wanted to eat there. I've used his youtube vids as tutorials for doing brisket. Trimmed properly, temp, salt and pepper and the smoke is all that is required. According to Aaron.

 

Seems so simple... :hmmm:

 

Ubiquitous, I'm seeing whole, select untrimmed brisket packers here for $2.97/lb. Looking for "choice" optimally- interestingly, walmart used to/sometimes carry this grade for the price of the "select" that HEB offers.

 

But to find tri-tip I have to go to Central Market and pay a premium for it.  :huh:

Whole briskets are pretty easy to find here in Texas. Just not so much elsewhere.

I don't smoke much of anything here at the old folks' home so don't have an offset smoker, but all three of my kids do and have. We've also got Aaron's book.

The only glitch in my family's 'cue life is the problem my California kid has sourcing untrimmed brisket.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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The only glitch in my family's 'cue life is the problem my California kid has sourcing untrimmed brisket.

 

Not knowing where your son is, I don't know if this information is helpful.  Nonetheless, I have a friend who's been in the meat business here in the Bay Area for decades.  I asked him for a source, and here's what he wrote:

 

Regarding your brisket question > The place I go for beef brisket is Smart & Final on San Pablo Ave a couple of blocks

past McBryde Ave in a small shopping center on the east side of San Pablo....They used to keep the briskets in the back

cooler room but they remodeled the store so you may have to ask a clerk. They also have meat on the other side of the

store. These are fairly big briskets with a layer of fat. You can always cut it in half and freeze half ... These are

fresh briskets, not frozen and of good quality.

 

13110 San Pablo Ave, Richmond, CA 94805

(510) 233-1756

 

SmartFinal.JPG

Edited by Shel_B (log)
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 ... Shel


 

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Not knowing where your son is, I don't know if this information is helpful. Nonetheless, I have a friend who's been in the meat business here in the Bay Area for decades. I asked him for a source, and here's what he wrote:

Wow Shel, great info - thanks! I'm forwarding it to my son immediately.

Edited by Jaymes (log)

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Wow Shel, great info - thanks! I'm forwarding it to my son immediately.

So, Shel, I did give your info to my son. That particular Smart & Final is about an-hour-and-a-half away from him but he called the one that's closest and they do have fresh whole, untrimmed briskets so he hopped into his car and drove over there and it's in his offset smoker as we speak.

Thanks.

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I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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I admit it's been a few years, but I bought a whole brisket from Smart and Final and it was well over 50% fat. I saved the fat and returned it.

 

Meat is a natural product and, as such, varies, sometimes greatly.

 ... Shel


 

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So, Shel, I did give your info to my son. That particular Smart & Final is about an-hour-and-a-half away from him but he called the one that's closest and they do have fresh whole, untrimmed briskets so he hopped into his car and drove over there and it's in his offset smoker as we speak.

Thanks.

 

So glad to hear that.  My friend, Jack, worked for one of the biggest meat suppliers in Northern California, and probably supplied the meat to S&F.  He most likely knows most every butcher and meat purveyor in the area.  At least for regular, commercial meat.

 

In any case, let us know how things turned out.

 ... Shel


 

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I just ordered the book. Looking forward to reading about smoking brisket.  I have an offset smoker.  I have smoked a few briskets but am looking forward to reading about his take on them. I consider brisket more challenging than ribs or a pork roast,  but that may be because I do those all the time. 

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I consider brisket more challenging than ribs or a pork roast,  but that may be because I do those all the time.

I don't think it's because you smoke things other than brisket more often. Every single pitmaster with whom I've spoken says that brisket is indeed more difficult to get right.

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I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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In any case, let us know how things turned out.

Turned out just great. He even sent me a photo and it looked wonderful.

He asked me to thank you for him.

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I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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NM :

Im very interested in how you view the book, and of course, how you use your 'off-set' smoker   in the manner of Franklin

 

i visited my sister in TX  north of Austin, several times, and of course, we wen looking for BBQ, and i went looking for those Off-Set smokers :

 

they  came in several grades and sizes, and for a good grade  i.e. very heavy one, they were about 1 K USD

 

and many people either know a welder or actually make their own,

 

id love to see your results.

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I have a Horizon smoker.  The one I have did cost about 1K USD and it is the smallest one they make. It is as big as I want to go.   It's made with 1/4" structural pipe and is fully welded.  The thermometer is an extra.  At least it was when I got mine about 3 years ago.

 

http://www.basspro.com/Horizon-Smoke-16-Classic-Backyard-Smoker/product/10202039/?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&om_mmc=shopping_googleproductextensions&kpid=10202039&kpid=10202039

 

  I am not particularly interested in doing a whole brisket though.  That is too much meat for my family. A lot of people who use Horizon smokers are serious competitors, caterers or restauranteurs who need to do a large amount of meats. I was never interested in doing that.  I am just interested in improving myself to be able to get the best results from my smoker. 

 

edit, ps:  I have modified my smoker with a convection plate (link below)  and had a larger burner grate custom made to make more room under the heat source in order to make it easier to clean out the ashes during long smoke sessions.

 

http://www.horizonbbqsmokers.com/accessories-1/

Edited by Norm Matthews (log)
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That's pretty close to my ideal pit. Was looking at New Braunfels but they're a cruel joke compared to their original construction and quality.

 

Oh guess I'll have to suffer a bit longer with my BGE- which may get sold to defer the cost of an offset.

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