we want the smoke

Ever since Aaron Franklin rose to fame as the barbecue maestro of Texas brisket, his food has been the gold standard. He’s already given us cookbooks that feature barbecue and steaks. Now he’s taking us out back, to teach us all how to cook and smoke on our backyard grills or even firepits in a way that will elevate a weekday dinner or a special occasion.

Franklin spends a good half of this book talking about fire, starting with the fire that destroyed his restaurant in 2017 and how they rebuilt just in time to take on a cooking through a pandemic. But mostly he talks about the fire in your backyard that you can use to make an amazing dinner. He goes through different types of smokers and grills, from expensive models to a handmade firepit you built yourself. He talks about types of woods and how they burn, about smoke, and about how to keep a fire burning so you can manage the heat for you cook. He also brings his list of important equipment, like knives, salt and pepper, rags and towels, and a chair and cold drinks in an ice chest.

Then he finally gets to the recipes. He starts with some flavor, by way of a series of rubs, sauces, and some fermented sides for some contrast (think pickles or sauerkraut). Then it’s on to the mains. Pork Shoulder, Cote de Boeuf (basically, French for a bone-in ribeye), or the Grilled, Smoked Whole Branzino. There is a recipe for oysters, Smoked Chicken, Grilled Mushrooms, Fire-Kissed Brussels Sprouts, Coal-Roasted Veggies (like, nestling eggplant or squash into the hot coals). There are even some suggestions for crafting an amazing salad, to add some fresh greens to the meal.

But that’s not all, because then Aaron Franklin brings the thing that has make him such an icon. His Ultimate Brisket recipe, refined by the years of smoking since he first shared that recipe in his first cookbook. But there’s also ribs, Smoked Duck, and a Thanksgiving Turkey.

I was so excited to see that Franklin and his coauthor Jordan Mackay had a new book coming out. And the fact that it’s written for backyard cooks was just the perfect sauce for the brisket. I live in a part of the country that is also known for barbecue, so I love to read a good barbecue cookbook. I thought this one was especially informative (although I will admit to brushing away a tear or two while reading about the fire that destroyed Franklin Barbecue). Anyone wanting to raise their open-fire cooking will find everything here they need to become an expert. However, there is a lot of granular information about fire and smoke and wood, so anyone looking more for recipes than techniques may prefer a different cookbook.

But if you (or someone you need to buy a gift for) wants a masterclass in cooking over a fire, then learn from master brisket-maker Aaron Franklin through the pages of Franklin Smoke. You and everyone you feed will be so happy that you did.

I’ve received a free copy of Franklin Smoke from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review, with many thanks.