MasterClass

Aaron Franklin Teaches Texas Style BBQ

Once a backyard hobbyist, Aaron Franklin is now the James Beard Award-winning owner of Franklin Barbecue, where the line for his famous smoked brisket is hours long. Now the Central Texas barbecue specialist teaches you his meticulous low and slow process for mouth-watering ribs, pork butt, and brisket. With perfectly seasoned cuts and optimal temperatures, you'll learn to handle an offset smoker like a true pitmaster.

Where to Watch Aaron Franklin Teaches Texas Style BBQ

16 Episodes

Introduction
E1
IntroductionMeet your new instructor: Aaron Franklin, a Central Texas barbecue legend. In your first lesson, the award-winning pitmaster takes you inside his famed restaurant, Franklin Barbecue, explaining the techniques and recipes you’ll learn in the class.
Fire and Smoke
E2
Fire and SmokeBuilding and managing fire is key to barbecue mastery. In this chapter, Aaron demonstrates his technique for constructing clean fires, explains how to analyze smoke, and unpacks the anatomy and science of an offset cooker.
Smoke: Pork Butt
E3
Smoke: Pork ButtFor your first cook, Aaron takes you step-by-step through his recipe and technique for smoking tender, flavorful pork butt: from seasoning and wrapping through shredding into tender morsels of pulled pork.
Smoke: Pork Ribs
E4
Smoke: Pork RibsThough best known for his brisket, Aaron is a stickler when it comes to ribs. Learn his tried-and-true process for trimming, smoking, and slicing saucy, moist spare ribs in this intermediate-level cook.
Wood
E5
WoodWood, and the smoke it creates, is the primary flavor agent in barbecue. In this chapter, Aaron takes you through a woodpile, explaining how to assess a piece of wood and how to choose the right pieces for different phases of your cook.
Grill: Steak and Broccolini
E6
Grill: Steak and BroccoliniWhen Aaron isn’t cooking low and slow at Franklin Barbecue, he’s often grilling at home. Here, he shares his method of incorporating direct and indirect heat for seared steaks and charred broccolini in a meal quick enough to make any night of the week.
Beef Quality and Selection
E7
Beef Quality and SelectionIs grass-fed beef superior to grain-fed? Fresh better than frozen? Aaron shares his tips for assessing beef quality and how to buy the best meat for your needs.
Prep: Brisket Trim
E8
Prep: Brisket TrimIn the first of our five-chapter series on the Texas barbecue staple, Aaron shares his signature method for shaving and shaping briskets for an even and consistent cook.
Smoke: Brisket Part I
E9
Smoke: Brisket Part IPhase one of our brisket smoke involves building a fire, applying slather and rub, and cooking the meat undisturbed. Learn Aaron’s technique for seasoning evenly and developing clean flavors in the critical first hours of your cook.
Smoke: Brisket Part II
E10
Smoke: Brisket Part IIIn the second phase of our 12-hour brisket smoke, Aaron shares his techniques for spritzing, getting a derailed cook back on track, and pushing through the stall while maintaining a clean and steady fire.
Smoke: Brisket Part III
E11
Smoke: Brisket Part IIILearn Aaron’s technique for wrapping brisket, checking for tenderness, and assessing when to pull and rest your meat in the final phase of our brisket cook.
Finish: Brisket Slice
E12
Finish: Brisket SliceAaron walks you through his detailed, cut-by-cut process for slicing your brisket to minimize waste and maximize balance and flavor.
Prepare: Sauce
E13
Prepare: SauceLearn how to make the MasterClass-exclusive recipe for the balanced, tangy-sweet sauce Aaron uses in his lesson on ribs.
Offset Smokers
E14
Offset SmokersYears of working exclusively on offset smokers has given Aaron a sense of what to look for—and avoid—when buying and modifying the cookers. Learn Aaron’s tips so your smoker functions at its peak.
Aaron’s Journey to Pitmaster
E15
Aaron’s Journey to PitmasterAaron’s journey began with a botched brisket cooked on a $99 smoker. Follow the unlikely path Aaron took to become a pitmaster, and learn what sparked the birth of the most famous barbecue joint in the country.
Bonus Chapter: How Brisket Became King: The History of Central Texas Barbecue
E16
Bonus Chapter: How Brisket Became King: The History of Central Texas BarbecueIn this bonus chapter, Aaron traces the roots of barbecue culture in Texas from European immigrants to World War II vets, highlighting how brisket—a tough, difficult-to-cook cut of beef—became the region’s signature smoked meat.