…don't mistake Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay's Franklin Barbecue…for the obligatory tongs-and-testosterone grill book that comes down the pike just in time for Father's Day. Franklin…is offering a manifesto for hard-core pit enthusiasts who want to drill deep on subjects like reverse flow smokers and the science of wood drying…for a certain kind of reader, the book is what you might call a category killer.

02/02/2015
In the introduction to this “meat-smoking manifesto,” Franklin, the proprietor of Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Tex., writes that barbecue “doesn’t operate with absolutes of temperature, time and measurement.” Indeed, he spends most of the book exploring the general mechanics and intangibles behind creating a delicious brisket. As the opening chapter on his early days points out, one important ingredient for success is the love of a good woman. His wife is beside him in times of poverty and septic disasters. Chapter two provides a comprehensive exploration of smokers and includes instructions on how to build your own, and also how to modify a cheap store-bought smoker. Franklin discusses these contraptions with the geeky joy of an auto mechanic talking engine repair and even dedicates a page to showing off the homemade cookers he currently uses in Texas, each named like a pet. Chapter three covers wood; chapter four covers what happens to the wood when you set it on fire, or, more specifically, how to discern good smoke from bad smoke. When, finally, the brisket recipe is proffered, late in the book, it’s a 13-page affair, complete with step-by-step instructions and photos. As Franklin reminds us, “Brisket is a big, dumb piece of meat.” (Apr.)

Aaron Franklin makes the finest barbecue I’ve ever had, barbecue worth waiting for. His work and his words express a truly rare level of commitment and expertise. With Franklin Barbecue, he shares it all—in a book that, fortunately, you don’t have to wait for.”
—Anthony Bourdain 

“I used to think Aaron Franklin was a genius: There was his rise from backyard dabbler to king of Texas pitmasters; his mind-altering brisket that made normally rational people (myself included) wait hours for the chance to eat it; and his insistence that game-changing barbecue doesn’t come from miracles but rather elbow grease. Then he wrote this book and gave all his secrets away. Now everyone—from me to you to your neighbor who can’t grill a chicken breast—will be able to make award-winning barbecue. He’s not a genius anymore; he’s a god.” 
—Andrew Knowlton, restaurant and drinks editor, Bon Appétit

“The most refreshing barbecue book to come along yet. Rather than preaching about ‘one true way,’ Aaron Franklin guides you through all the wood and smoke so that you can find your own style. And instead of just listing ingredients and rattling off generic recipes, these pages tell the story of a place and a barbecue tradition steeped in history. This isn’t just a book about barbecue;
this book is Central Texas barbecue.” 
—Daniel Vaughn, barbecue editor, Texas Monthly, and author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat

 “Pure genius! Aaron Franklin has distilled years’ worth of barbecue knowledge into this book. In it, he exposes the sacred insights of a top pitmaster—information that can otherwise only be learned from long nights spent staring at a fire, shovel in hand, constantly prodding and pinching your meat to figure out that ‘just perfect’ point of doneness. This book is a game changer: read it, and your barbecue will improve overnight!”
—Adam Perry Lang, chef, restaurateur, and author of Serious Barbecue

“A complete meat-and brisket-cooking education from the country’s most celebrated pitmaster. More than just a recipe book, this is a master course in the fine art of meat smoking, Texas-style.”
—Library Journal