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TIL Aaron Franklin only uses Post Oak for his brisket at Franklin Barbecue
I always figured top pitmasters mix woods for complexity, but after reading Franklin's book 'Franklin Barbecue' page 87, he says straight Post Oak is all they burn in those pits. No hickory, no mesquite, just that one Texas wood. I get that it's consistent, but I feel like you're missing out on flavor layers. Does anyone else think a pure wood approach limits what you can get from a long smoke?
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reesemiller1mo ago
Franklin's been real clear about this. Post oak gives a clean burning fire with consistent heat, that's the whole point. Adding hickory or mesquite throws off the temperature curve you set for that long cook. You're not missing out on flavor layers because the smoke ring and bark come from the fire management, not the wood species.
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william_jackson651mo ago
Wait @reesemiller, didn't you used to swear by hickory too because I swore by mesquite until I read this post.
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james_singh71mo ago
Post oak works fine for me too, mostly because I cant tell the difference between woods once Ive had a couple beers. My bark comes out looking like burnt asphalt either way so Im not about to pretend I have a refined palate. Whatever keeps the fire steady and the meat edible is good enough in my book.
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