What is Franklin NOT telling?

slovelad

i watched. A YouTube video where Aaron franklin was talking to some folks a few years ago and he was cooking brisket at 325 degrees a few hours before they were suppose to come off the grill?

this seems crazy, or is it genius?

it also begs the question... what other secrets does he have up his sleeve?

DMW

lots

lousubcap

Read his book and watch the videos.  Fairly consistent but would you give away the keys to the kingdom?

slovelad

lousubcap said:

Read his book and watch the videos.  Fairly consistent but would you give away the keys to the kingdom?

Right, he's consistent on what he's telling everyone.

AND HELL NO! He's a better man than me, I would tell everyone that I rub the brisket with ground up fairy dust and tenderize them with glass hammers 

Botch

Someone on this forum, a year or so ago, waited in line and wrote down the cooking info from all the praising articles framed on his walls, and noted that the temps were all different.  
FWIW.  

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Botch said:

Someone on this forum, a year or so ago, waited in line and wrote down the cooking info from all the praising articles framed on his walls, and noted that the temps were all different.  
FWIW.  

that was me.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Botch said:

Someone on this forum, a year or so ago, waited in line and wrote down the cooking info from all the praising articles framed on his walls, and noted that the temps were all different.  
FWIW.  

that was me.

and it was 3 years ago or more

The Cen-Tex Smoker

what he's not telling is how he holds his briskets in custom built steam holding ovens for many hours before service. He hints at how he holds stuff (his briskets come off many hours before service) but that hold is critical to the finished product.

slovelad

@The Cen-Tex Smoker that's what I'm talking about.

any way to re-create this at home?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

slovelad said:

@The Cen-Tex Smoker that's what I'm talking about.

any way to re-create this at home?

yes but not tonight . Hit me up tomorrow and I'll give you my best thoughts.

lousubcap

@The Cen-Tex Smoker- You must have pics to get all that insight.  I did not push the envelope when I was there and thus came away with nothing new, even though I did talk with the Pope for several minutes.  

dstearn

In his book he says that you should rest the brisket until it hits 145 before slicing. Perhaps his custom cambros are set for that temperature.

ibanda

After reading his book, and meeting him at Camp Brisket, I am convinced it's genius and he is a brisket whisperer. After talking to him I realized there is not just one say to get there and he just knows from the experience of cooking 106 briskets a day, 6 days a week what they need, and he can make adjustments on the fly better than any of us to get them to the finish line.

I also think he lays out fairly well in the book what his process is (including the electric warming/ hot holding). The thing about his plan/ guideline/ recipe/ rules whatever you want to call it, he is Franklin, he wrote the rules, he can break them if wants! (At least tenporarily during a cook) and end up with the best brisket you have ever had.

slovelad

I need to read his book I guess

The Cen-Tex Smoker

lousubcap said:

@The Cen-Tex Smoker- You must have pics to get all that insight.  I did not push the envelope when I was there and thus came away with nothing new, even though I did talk with the Pope for several minutes.  

He has a lot of press clippings on the wall, including the magazine that started it all by calling his the best barbecue in the world. As you stand in line and read them all, they all say different things. subtle but pretty funny. I don't think he's trying to throw people off the scent. Every cook is a little different- weather, meat, etc. The one thing I have serious doubts about is that he only uses salt and pepper. John Lewis told Cazzy to his face when he was running LaBBQ that he has never made a brisket with only salt and pepper. He gave cazzy his rub recipe and has posted it online in several places as well. He was Franklin's pit master when he received all those early accolades

thetrim

Rubs are a big deal in Texas, too, and at La Barbecue in Austin, John Lewis has a few other tricks up his sleeve, too. The rub is pretty simple, he says. "Just coarse ground black pepper, Lawry's seasoning salt, granulated garlic, and kosher salt."

What's different is how he applies it. "The first thing we do is trim the brisket and rub it down with a mustard slather and pickle juice."

That's right—pickle juice. "We get five-gallon buckets of pickles," Lewis says. "I end up with half a bucket of pickle juice. I got that idea from Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue. Then you don't have to rub the seasoning into it. You can just sprinkle the rub on it."

Lewis believe that, when it comes to brisket, not actually rubbing the spice in makes a big difference. "If you end up rubbing it in," he says, "you close up the pores in the meat and it can't take on the smoke."

onedbguru

I was at Hard8 over near the DFW airport where they have an open pit that they cook them... it seems that they start a few hours before dinner service and it seemed the there was a pretty hot fire underneath. So, I am quite certain grate temp was > 250. Either that or they have a smoker out back and just finish it direct.  They have a fire pit that stays RED hot all the time and when they need a few hot coals, they grab a  long-handled shovel and move the coals where they are needed.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

thetrim said:

Rubs are a big deal in Texas, too, and at La Barbecue in Austin, John Lewis has a few other tricks up his sleeve, too. The rub is pretty simple, he says. "Just coarse ground black pepper, Lawry's seasoning salt, granulated garlic, and kosher salt."

What's different is how he applies it. "The first thing we do is trim the brisket and rub it down with a mustard slather and pickle juice."

That's right—pickle juice. "We get five-gallon buckets of pickles," Lewis says. "I end up with half a bucket of pickle juice. I got that idea from Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue. Then you don't have to rub the seasoning into it. You can just sprinkle the rub on it."

Lewis believe that, when it comes to brisket, not actually rubbing the spice in makes a big difference. "If you end up rubbing it in," he says, "you close up the pores in the meat and it can't take on the smoke."

he told Cazzy the same exact thing about the pickle juice/mustard when they hung out together.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

onedbguru said:

I was at Hard8 over near the DFW airport where they have an open pit that they cook them... it seems that they start a few hours before dinner service and it seemed the there was a pretty hot fire underneath. So, I am quite certain grate temp was > 250. Either that or they have a smoker out back and just finish it direct.  They have a fire pit that stays RED hot all the time and when they need a few hot coals, they grab a  long-handled shovel and move the coals where they are needed.

the open pits are usually holding pits for service. They don't cook all the meat there.

thetrim

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

thetrim said:

Rubs are a big deal in Texas, too, and at La Barbecue in Austin, John Lewis has a few other tricks up his sleeve, too. The rub is pretty simple, he says. "Just coarse ground black pepper, Lawry's seasoning salt, granulated garlic, and kosher salt."

What's different is how he applies it. "The first thing we do is trim the brisket and rub it down with a mustard slather and pickle juice."

That's right—pickle juice. "We get five-gallon buckets of pickles," Lewis says. "I end up with half a bucket of pickle juice. I got that idea from Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue. Then you don't have to rub the seasoning into it. You can just sprinkle the rub on it."

Lewis believe that, when it comes to brisket, not actually rubbing the spice in makes a big difference. "If you end up rubbing it in," he says, "you close up the pores in the meat and it can't take on the smoke."

he told Cazzy the same exact thing about the pickle juice/mustard when they hung out together.

I'm gonna try this on mine tomorrow.  Any guidance on the ratio of juice mustard?  I was thinking just a little and not so much that it makes it too watery.

lousubcap

@thetrim-  I have been using the mustard/pickle juice concoction since reading about it here a few years ago.  Given all the variables with the friggin cow I don't know if it makes a difference or not but I figure it can't hurt.  (Prior to adding the pickle juice I was using a straight mustard binder).
The mix-I cover with a light coat of mustard and then pour on the juice and rub in in with the mustard-no measurements but look for something to retain the rub.  Just a bit more of the brisket voo-doo.  

thetrim

@lousubcap when 1,000 variables aren't enough, why the hell wouldn't you add a 1,001st?

tarheelmatt

An interview with John Lewis one time said that just salt and pepper is not his recipe. Eluded to even using pickle juice in the mix. 

SaintJohnsEgger

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

lousubcap said:

@The Cen-Tex Smoker- You must have pics to get all that insight.  I did not push the envelope when I was there and thus came away with nothing new, even though I did talk with the Pope for several minutes.  

He has a lot of press clippings on the wall, including the magazine that started it all by calling his the best barbecue in the world. As you stand in line and read them all, they all say different things. subtle but pretty funny. I don't think he's trying to throw people off the scent. Every cook is a little different- weather, meat, etc. The one thing I have serious doubts about is that he only uses salt and pepper. John Lewis told Cazzy to his face when he was running LaBBQ that he has never made a brisket with only salt and pepper. He gave cazzy his rub recipe and has posted it online in several places as well. He was Franklin's pit master when he received all those early accolades

Do you have a link to that rub recipe?

thetrim

I posted it above.   Not really a recipe but a general guideline.  
@lousubcap how long before you put it on the smoker do you run with mustard/pickle juice?  When do you add the rub?

garthb4903

my brain is spinning, new to brisket, had no idea brisket has so many variations, variables, etc.  Cooking first brisket for small dinner party tonight, I'm screwed...

blasting

@garthb4903. Keep in mind these guys are talking about holy grail level brisket.  Cook your brisket, let it rest - you'll be fine.  Or you may crash and burn, but then invite them back for brisket chili tomorrow

TN_Sister_State

Main thing I learned from Franklin was to only change one thing at a time till you find "your" perfect brisket. Do this and then you will have a repeatable brisket you and yours will enjoy.

Eoin

TN_Sister_State said:

Main thing I learned from Franklin was to only change one thing at a time till you find "your" perfect brisket. Do this and then you will have a repeatable brisket you and yours will enjoy.

Fault finding rule 1. 

slovelad

TN_Sister_State said:

Main thing I learned from Franklin was to only change one thing at a time till you find "your" perfect brisket. Do this and then you will have a repeatable brisket you and yours will enjoy.

Id rather find the brisket that everyone likes, it's no coincidence that people all over the world love the way he does it... and I'm on a mission 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

thetrim said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

thetrim said:

Rubs are a big deal in Texas, too, and at La Barbecue in Austin, John Lewis has a few other tricks up his sleeve, too. The rub is pretty simple, he says. "Just coarse ground black pepper, Lawry's seasoning salt, granulated garlic, and kosher salt."

What's different is how he applies it. "The first thing we do is trim the brisket and rub it down with a mustard slather and pickle juice."

That's right—pickle juice. "We get five-gallon buckets of pickles," Lewis says. "I end up with half a bucket of pickle juice. I got that idea from Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue. Then you don't have to rub the seasoning into it. You can just sprinkle the rub on it."

Lewis believe that, when it comes to brisket, not actually rubbing the spice in makes a big difference. "If you end up rubbing it in," he says, "you close up the pores in the meat and it can't take on the smoke."

he told Cazzy the same exact thing about the pickle juice/mustard when they hung out together.

I'm gonna try this on mine tomorrow.  Any guidance on the ratio of juice mustard?  I was thinking just a little and not so much that it makes it too watery.

Its 50/50