Franklin Barbecue by Aaron Franklin & Jordan Mackay – Hardback Cookbook

Franklin Barbecue is the hardback meat-smoking manual from Aaron Franklin of Austin's Franklin Barbecue, written with Jordan Mackay, and it teaches you how smokers, wood and fire work so you can cook Central Texas brisket and ribs at home. It's a New York Times bestseller and still the book most serious brisket cooks reach for first.

The brisket bible, straight from Austin

Aaron and Stacy Franklin started with a trailer by an Austin interstate in 2009, and the queue has barely stopped since. Instead of guarding the secrets, Aaron put them on paper. What sets this book apart is that it teaches the fire before the recipe, so you understand why a cook works, not just what to do.

What's inside

The early chapters cover building or modifying your own smoker, choosing and seasoning wood, building and tending a clean fire, and sourcing good meat. Only then does the book get to the cooks, which is exactly the right order.

The headline act is the brisket, with every stage from trimming to wrapping and resting explained. Around it sit pork ribs, beef ribs and turkey breast, a handful of sauces, and the classic sides: beans, potato salad and coleslaw.

Who it's for

Anyone with an offset smoker, or saving for one. It's also gold for kettle and kamado cooks who want to understand clean smoke and fire management. Beginners will get a lot out of it, but it rewards people who want the why behind the method.

About Aaron Franklin & Jordan Mackay

Aaron Franklin is a native of Bryan, Texas, and co-founded Franklin Barbecue in Austin with his wife Stacy in 2009. The restaurant has been named Best Barbecue in Texas by Texas Monthly and Best Barbecue in America by Bon Appétit, and Aaron hosts the PBS series BBQ with Franklin. Co-author Jordan Mackay is a food and wine writer whose books include Secrets of the Sommeliers.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Word from the docks: this is the one that taught half the world to stop poking the fire and start reading it. Aaron's pages on building a clean, steady fire are the real treasure, and they'll change every cook you do after. Buy it and your brisket will thank you by next weekend. Read it alongside Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling for the science, and Horn Barbecue for a fresh take on Texas-style smoke. Season simply with Chuds BBQ SPG and let the fire do the rest.

Questions answered

Who wrote Franklin Barbecue?

Franklin Barbecue was written by Aaron Franklin, co-founder of Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas, with food and wine writer Jordan Mackay.

What's inside Franklin Barbecue?

It covers building or modifying a smoker, choosing wood, managing fire and sourcing meat, then walks through brisket, pork ribs, beef ribs and turkey breast, plus sauces and classic sides.

Is Franklin Barbecue good for beginners?

Yes. It explains the fundamentals of smoke and fire before any recipe, so beginners learn the why, and experienced cooks still find plenty to refine.

Is Franklin Barbecue a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 224-page hardback published by Ten Speed Press in 2015.

Does Franklin Barbecue cover offset smokers?

Yes. Offset smokers are at the heart of the book, including how to build, modify and run one, though the fire lessons apply to most cookers.