I’m in line at Franklin BBQ right now!

[scottranda]

Not my plate, but the dinosaur beef ribs are HUGE. They will probably sell out by the time I’m up front.

[scottranda]

I’ll have to have a full write up later, BUT THE BRISKET WAS SUBLIME. BEST I’VE EVER HAD.

[scottranda]

grantgallagher got to be able to right? Going to take a while to master, but with the right meat, smoker, wood, fire, recipe... I sure as heck am going to try!

[grantgallagher]

scottranda trying and tasting will definitely be the fun part!

[ComfortablyNumb]

Glad they had something for you when you got to the counter! You had me worried a couple of posts back.....

[PopsBBQ]

Looks great! I am so jealous right now. Lol.

[smokinsteve]

Awesome Scott! There are no words to describe the appearance of that briskey.

[RonB]

Now I want to go back... Here's a hint for everyone - skip the bread. That will leave more room for meat!

[scottranda]

I def skipped bread. No thanks!

[scottranda]

More details on my experience at Franklin's: We got in line at 7:45am and we were almost 100 people deep. The line very quickly formed behind us and probably by 8:15am, the line stopped getting longer. This is because people would recognize that they would likely run out of brisket, so they didn't want to stand there. The workers came out several times to set expectations on when to eat and if you were guaranteed brisket (or beef ribs) or not. Surprisingly, there were dead accurate. They said we'd eat between 1pm and 1:45pm based on where we were in line, and that held true. The workers were truly friendly and interacted with folks in line periodically.

We finally got to the front of the line which we were happy because it was HOT and we were HUNGRY. I got the point of the brisket which was SO GOOD. I had no idea brisket could be that good. He may have ruined me because now I'll always be comparing future briskets. Nonetheless, it'll give me something to aim for at home. It absolutely melted in your mouth. It's hard to describe how tender it was with such good smoke flavor.

We also tried the turkey (I would pass on this next time), sausage (it was ok), and pork ribs. The ribs were surprisingly good. I've never been a huge fan of ANY ribs I've ordered at restaurants, and much prefer to smoke them at home. But these were exceptional. The tenderness was REALLY GOOD, and the rub/smoke was great too. So, that was a pleasant surprise because all I was expecting to really enjoy was the brisket.

Side items: Potato salad wasn't for me because it had too much mustard in it, but I can definitely see why others liked it. The cole slaw was great!

I literally didn't try any BBQ sauces on the table. It was too good to sauce.

I'm DEFINITELY glad I went and experienced it! Would I do it again? Yes! But, I think my next trip would be to visit other BBQ joints. I highly recommend it! Just make sure you get there in time for the brisket and prepare to wait for hours!

[Troutman]

Put LA Barbecue at the top of your list if you ever go back. IMHO they are as good as Franklin. Also, the BBQ capital of Texas is right down the road in Lockhart, maybe 30 minutes. Put that at the top as well !!!

[texastweeter]

There are a lot of great joints, Aaron just gets most of the light. Try Blacks, or Louie Mueller BBQ (Mueller has the beef ribs that changed my life). You one of the best BBQ experiences in Texas without the line; check out the ORIGNAL bodacious BBQ in Longview. It is a FAR cry from the chain crap that gets their name.

[texastweeter]

Oh and cant forget Shep's in Palestine, TX. Their turkey breast especially, that $#!+ is to die for!

[JakeT]

Great write-up scottranda! Those pictures are definitely mouth watering. I wonder if his flavor really can be replicated on a smaller scale? With those huge smokers is there something just different that can't be done on a like 36" backyard smoker?

That being said, definitely worth trying! Can't wait til I can get out there some day.

[scottranda]

I don't see why not. Just follow his principles: All wood (oak) with great airflow, and a very consistent temp. (What I just mentioned is not all inclusive of his principles, but I feel like it's possible to replicate it at home, but it may take some time to nail it down)

[JakeT]

True, it'll be fun to see when I finally fulfill the ultimate of my MCS and get a big ol' EOS. Until that day I'll limp along with my rectec (or soon to be ordered KBQ)

[LA Pork Butt]

scottranda Thanks for sharing the experience. As others have posted I don’t know if I could bring myself to wait in line that long. I’m not sure what you BBQ joints in Texas you have tried, but Lockhart is a regular Mecca. And, the clod there is a whole new experience. The beef ribs at Pecan Lodge in Dallas are off the charts. If you’re ordering $75 worth you can move to the front of the line faster. I don’t recall unusually long lines at Smitty’s, Black’s or Kruez in Lockhart. My recommendation would be the clod at Smitty’s, the sausage and Black’s, and the brisket at Kruez. I have a dream to eat my way across barbecue in America. I’ve tried a lot of different joints over the years, many of which were written up in magazines like Southern Living. Some restaurants were right on, others I couldn’t understand how they made it into the magazine. There are exceptional BBQ joints out there, but by and large I still think the best barbecue is in someone’s backyard and your brisket is getting better. BBQ joints and the sight of cookers makes me want to go home and cook. Are you ready?

[Troutman]

Let's not forget Houston in that mix. We have some young bloods down here that are knocking it out of the park !!!

[texastweeter]

Hit up KenC52 (dad). He has been on a quest the last couple years to hit the top 100 BBQ joints in Texas. His conclusions might surprise you.

[Granny Andra]

We just watched him on YouTube this weekend demo'ing brisket start to finish. He discusses trimming back to 1/4 inch and significance in doing so. He explained the smoke ring, the spraying/mopping, butcher paper, etc. Dry rub is just 50/50 salt/pepper. Very informative. Followed his advice Sunday night and it made 100% difference in my brisket. Really juicy and tender. Just about perfect when pulling it apart with fingers. I would like to master a great BBQ sauce recipe, although you shouldn't need any with good brisket. Will have to try this place out!

[smoken]

All good info. Thank you so much for taking the time to share and write. Can't see myself getting to Texas anytime soon but it sure looks like I would enjoy myself if I went. Jealous !!

[Frozen Smoke]

I don't do long waits in long lines or crowds of people very well any longer. I think this just comes with age. I could see myself waiting in line for a hour or maybe a hour and a half but that's about it. There is no doubt in my mind his brisket is his featured item and is without a doubt way above excellent.

Sometimes these things get to be almost mythical. We have a drive in in our town that's been on Triple D and in the summer often has long lines. Especially when the tourists are coming through heading for the more northern lakes and resorts. Your typical burger joint. The best thing on his menu is his fish and chips imo. His burgers are above average but I've had better at other places right here in town. He's been there since the 50's so he is iconic to the locals.
He is only seasonal so that helps keep the crowds coming in the summer months when he is open.

But he has gotten that reputation of the place to eat when you go through our town and that where the lines form.

[LA Pork Butt]

Frozen Smoke Yep! We had a place where I used to live that was on Triple D. He raised his prices significantly, went out of businesses and blamed it on lack of community support. Some places overestimate the power of their reputation and either raise their prices disproportionately or cut quality. I am with you on the lines. Your max is about my max.