The Franklin Method: Smoked Pork Shoulder, Step-by-Step
Delicious lessons and a surprise from my first cook
I wouldn’t say I was afraid to try smoking meat. I was just concerned it wouldn’t be worth the investment of time and money. This past weekend, I finally made the ultimate smoked pork butt.
I achieved a fantastic result by following the method of BBQ master Aaron Franklin. He is the proprietor of Franklin’s Barbecue in Austin, Texas. He’s sold out of brisket every day since he opened in 2009, and he’s probably the best there is (or at least the most famous).
I read Franklin’s book on barbeque several years ago, and I thought then that smoking meat like him was out of reach. He has whole chapters on sourcing wood and the elements of smoke quality. He covers every little detail in a way that is both intimidating and fascinating.
But all that changed when I watched Aaron Franklin’s MasterClass on BBQ. After bingeing the whole class, I decided to make it happen, and I was delighted with the result.
The Perfect Smoke
When you’re smoking meat, the main ingredient is the smoke. The clean, smoky flavor we want can only be achieved by fully combusting the wood. Full combustion avoids getting bitter or ashy flavors onto our meat.
