Consistency the key to great barbecue
One of the great privileges of being a Texan is our tradition of arguing about which barbecue joint is best. One of the perplexing things about this tradition is how opinions can differ widely.
Franklin Barbecue in Austin, however, is most often named as having the best barbecue in the Lone Star State, and it’s credited with launching the Texas barbecue renaissance that has spread to all corners of the globe over the past 10 years. I’m frequently asked what makes Franklin so much better than other barbecue joints, and my answer is always the same: consistency.
On their best days, other celebrated Texas joints — Pecan Lodge in Dallas, Killen’s Barbecue and CorkScrew BBQ in Houston, Truth BBQ in Brenham, just to name a few — produce barbecue on the same level as Franklin. It’s just that pitmaster Aaron Franklin has found a way to make great barbecue more consistently than anyone else.
Consistency depends on many factors. For instance, many pitmasters I speak with complain about the size of the briskets they receive from suppliers. One week they may get 12 pound briskets, the next week 16 pounds. Such a size increase requires adjustments in cooking time, which can affect whether brisket comes out tough and dry or tender and juicy.
The weather — temperature and humidity of the air — also influences how long and at what temperature a pitmaster cooks his meat.
And, of course, we all have “off” days. Maybe a pitmaster only got a few hours of sleep the night before (which is pretty common). Maybe they had an argument with their significant other, or had to care for a sick child. Especially for small mom-and-pop joints, such circumstances can impact the barbecue.
Another factor that determines consistency is one of the first decisions a pitmaster makes — the type of pit they will use.
There are two basic types: the more automated pits made by companies like J&R Manufacturing in Dallas, which features the “Oyler” series of rotisserie pits, and the more manual barrel-style pits with a firebox on one end, a cooking chamber in the middle, and a flue on the other end.
Rotisserie pits produce exceptionally consistent barbecue in the hands of talented pitmasters — both Killen’s and CorkScrew use this type of pit, and the consistency and quality of their barbecue reflects as much.
More recently, two new Houston barbecue joints — The Pit Room and Pinkerton’s Barbecue — have chosen to use the more manual and potentially inconsistent barreltype pit. Why? Because barrel pits also have the potential to produce the best barbecue, allowing the pitmaster to finetune the intensity of the smoke flavor and the tenderness of the meat.
Ultimately, it’s a balancing act for restaurants who choose this equipment involving techniques fraught with pitfalls that might cause inconsistency. Indeed, in a recent review Chronicle critic Alison Cook noted inconsistencies at The Pit Room. Still, the difference between great barbecue and the best barbecue is razor-thin, and places like The Pit Room and Pinkerton’s should be acknowledged for making that effort.
Meanwhile, they should also take heart in the fact that Aaron Franklin also uses the oldschool, barrel-type smokers, and has found a way to make the best barbecue in Texas more consistently than anyone else. Any pitmaster that solves the equation of quality and consistency in Texas barbecue will reap the rewards.