I had the chance to visit Austin this week, wait in line, and enjoy Franklin Barbecue. They will let you into the pit if you ask. I went into the pit and was impressed. Few observations:
- They had 100 briskets smoking concurrently while I was in there.
- Briskets go on at 10 am, pork butts go on around 12 pm, and meat is pulled between 11:30 pm and 1 am based on feel.
- They will pull briskets based on feel, not probe tenderness or temperature.
- Offset temp starts at 225 degrees, raised above 300 by the end.
- Aaron Franklin personally made at least one of the smokers, and helped design and make the others.
- Briskets are rested until 145-150 degrees internal temp, then warmed until served.
- Smokers are named Shorty, Six, Muchacho, Mork, and Mindy.
Great experience, incredible brisket!
by Ok-Extent-5421
6 Comments
Pit masters told me they lose 3-5 lbs a day during the summer working this room
I wanna say I saw a YT video where he talked about how he made the square box one, and he said you can tell it was his because the welds look like hammered shit, but they’re functional. He also said that’s why he leaves his retail home smokers to be made by the professionals.
Only 13 hours for the longest of the briskets, that surprises me!
Whoa!!
That fire box is bigger than my smoker
>They will pull briskets based on feel, not probe tenderness or temperature.
In his Master Class video, he talks about knowing when a brisket is done by picking it up (while wrapped in paper) and just feeling what the bottom feels like, fingers spread out so they’re hitting all parts of the bottom of the brisket. So that tracks in what he still preaches there to this day.