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New interview with Aaron Franklin

Botch
Botch Posts: 15,432
Interview posted 4 days ago with a barbeque expert in Great Britain:
 
https://youtu.be/SEDJpn40mB4
 
Three interesting main topics: how he "tuned" the hardware of his for-sale "family-sized" offset smoker, and how you can't perfectly replicate larger smokers, they have to be "tuned" individually.  Two sentences on why a BGE can't get as good a bark, and it makes sense.  (I seem to remember that folks here who own both, claimed the stick burners gave better smoke flavor, not better bark; comments welcome)
 
Second topic: his new book (oddly its on Amazoid but not on his own website yet):
https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Smoke-Wood-Fire-Cookbook/dp/1984860488/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XFT86CU17S8L&keywords=aaron+franklin&qid=1685747147&s=books&sprefix=aaron+franklin%2Cstripbooks%2C125&sr=1-1
When COVID hit, he started concentrating on cooking one hunk of meat, for his family, after spending years concentrating on cooking pasture-loads of brisket every day, so this book may be the best of his three for us home cooks.  He also said he'd updated many of the recipes from his first two books because of...
 
The Third Topic:  There is not, nor ever can be, the "ultimate" barbeque recipe, because things are constantly changing.  He said that his restaurant is constantly tweaking their rubs, cook temps, hold times, etc to respond to how the beef itself is changing.  I remember someone on this forum wrote down his cook temps from the newspaper/magazine articles lining the walls, while waiting in line, and the temps were always changing.  I figured Aaron just didn't want to give up his "magic number", but maybe he had been tweaking it over the years.  Makes sense.  And with climate changes' more severe weather (worse winter blizzards, summer droughts, and major rivers dying in the West) those changes in beef can only accelerate.  
 
Anyhoo, it was 15 minutes well-spent, for me.  I don't think I've cooked a single brisket since retiring, as I'm now cooking just for myself (need to look into feeding the local FDs like @lousubcap does).  I also don't have any of Mr Franklin's books, but will be reading the reviews on his new 3rd book, that may be the one.  
_____________

"I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    Thanks @Botch for that.  Where did you find it??
    That aside-Lots of great points but I found the most salient comment amongst the insights to be "You gotta let the brisket tell you what to do." Minute 13:24 for the reinforcement of the "Cow drives the cook."
    I will be visiting the Pope's establishment in October '23.  Always worth the line and the brisket. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,945
    The myth of @Botch has been damaged a little by this post.  Why did it take 4 days for you to find this interview?  Or did you hold out on us for 4 days?

    Either way, thank you for finally sharing it.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    The myth of @Botch has been damaged a little by this post.  Why did it take 4 days for you to find this interview?  Or did you hold out on us for 4 days?

    Rumor has it that @Botch was busy buying up all the “futures” contracts on briskets on the Chicago Board of Trade…and they say watch out for pork belly contracts to soar next!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,432
    Dammit Ron, shush!  
    https://www.agriculture.com/news/livestock/how-dairy-farmers-can-get-high-quality-forages   :tongue:  
    That interview popped up on my farcebook two days ago, and I hadn't watched it until yesterday.  
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    I prefer Pope... B)
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    @CGS - that is playing to the ultimate decision makers. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.