Franklin Barbecue

Aaron Franklin is a pitmaster who opened Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas, in 2009 on East 11th Street. The restaurant became famous for its Central Texas-style smoked brisket and routinely sells out of meat by early afternoon, with lines that can stretch for several hours.

The 2015 cookbook details Aaron Franklin's approach to Central Texas-style barbecue, with particular focus on fire management in offset smokers, selecting and trimming USDA Prime brisket, and applying his signature simple salt-and-pepper rub. It also includes recipes for sides and sauces, though Franklin emphasizes technique over recipes throughout.

Franklin Barbecue cooks a limited amount of barbecue each day and closes once the meat runs out, typically by mid-afternoon. The line became a cultural phenomenon in its own right, and the restaurant's popularity was amplified by coverage from Anthony Bourdain and the Netflix series "Chef's Table BBQ."

The cookbook was published in 2015 by Ten Speed Press. It was co-authored with Jordan Mackay, who also collaborated with Franklin on the 2017 sequel "Franklin Steak," which applies similar fire-cooking principles to grilling steak.