Anthony Bourdain, Kanye West, President Obama and pretty much everyone who's ever visited Austin all have one thing in common: they've all been swept up in a Franklin frenzy. Patrons line up for three or more hours just to get a taste of brisket from Franklin Barbecue, one of the country's most revered restaurants. Fortunately, owner and pitmaster Aaron Franklin is generous enough to share his secrets.
In the video below, Franklin explains how to determine the difference between the lean and fatty parts of the brisket, how to trim the fat (tip: slice up your brisket when it's still cold) and how to apply the rub. Franklin's key ingredient? Salt and pepper.
After you've prepared your brisket, Franklin instructs how to install a thermometer into the smoker so that you can keep tabs on your brisket as it's cooking.
Here comes the real challenge. Franklin explains how long to smoke the brisket. The rule of thumb is to smoke the brisket an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes per pound. He also advises keeping the lid closed as much as possible. This helps to avoid the temptation to keep checking the brisket throughout the day. "Good barbecue just takes a while," Franklin says.
Now that you've tested your patience by waiting for hours for your brisket, it's time to enjoy all your hard work. Franklin shows how to create the perfect barbecue sauce to compliment your creation. Whether you fall on the no sauce or pro-sauce side of the Texas barbecue spectrum, Franklin's simple sauce looks ridiculously delicious.
Ready to eat? Simply slice up your brisket and impress your friends. Whether you make them wait three hours in line for your brilliant barbecue is entirely up to you.
