Franklin BBQ Spritz

[pjtexas1]

It's great that they let people behind the curtains. Just wish they would have let me the one time I was there. They said they were in a crucial part of the process and nobody was allowed in. Maybe I look highly suspicious.:shock: Funny thing is that were at a Dell event that lasted 3 hours. I asked when I first got there and before I left. I got the same answer both times.

 

[SGH]

They said they were in a crucial part of the process and nobody was allowed in.

That crucial part that they spoke of is not in the book nor the videos. And never will be.

 

[BoLiles]

That crucial part that they spoke of is not in the book nor the videos. And never will be.

This is like True Detective season 3...what do you meeeeaaaaaannnnn?!

 

[silverfinger]

It was interesting to see the oak log heat defectors in his pit.

This is the first time I've herd of this.

Do you think you could explain in more detail about this?

 

[Fwismoker]

"crucial parts" talk from all the big players is all talk imo....don't think it really exists and is intended to create the illusion that there is something super secret that makes their Q stand out differently from the rest. Of course this is just my guess but you hear the same type of rhetoric over and over. " the secret spice" or "secret sauce"

I'd bet a dollar to a doughnut Franklin's fantastic brisket is soley based on his cuts of meat, knowledge of his pit, temps etc.. and the simplicity of his cook over all.

 

[BoLiles]

He said recently in an interview that his margin on brisket is nothing - its all volume, and good margins on everything else.

 

[Mikeinctown]

He said recently in an interview that his margin on brisket is nothing - its all volume, and good margins on everything else.

Depends on the definition of 'nothing'. If you can mark up your Mac N Cheese by 300% but your Brisket only gains you a 50% markup, you may consider that 'nothing'. (unless he is selling at $10 a pound, which case nothing would be more than correct)

 

[JS-TX]

"crucial parts" talk from all the big players is all talk imo....don't think it really exists and is intended to create the illusion that there is something super secret that makes their Q stand out differently from the rest. Of course this is just my guess but you hear the same type of rhetoric over and over. " the secret spice" or "secret sauce"

I'd bet a dollar to a doughnut Franklin's fantastic brisket is soley based on his cuts of meat, knowledge of his pit, temps etc.. and the simplicity of his cook over all.

True.. maybe they were just too busy to show people around. You gotta be doing something right if people think you are hiding secrets.. hope to get there myself one day.. :tongue:

 

[BoLiles]

Depends on the definition of 'nothing'. If you can mark up your Mac N Cheese by 300% but your Brisket only gains you a 50% markup, you may consider that 'nothing'. (unless he is selling at $10 a pound, which case nothing would be more than correct)

I am trying to find the link, but basically he said that he buys a higher end product, wood and S&P and spritz costs, then the total labor put in over a 2 day period is more than some might think, and he claimed yield after trim and shrinkage is somewhere around 5 lbs of finished product. At $20 a pound, that's $100 in sales. Assuming $3.59/lb case price right now, 3.89x12 .lb=$47 cost + $12 per brisket in direct labor + $5 disposable ingredients and wood + $20 overhead + $5 waste = total cost $85 is a margin of 10-15% which is not a lot.

 

[Mikeinctown]

A margin of 15% on a $20 item is not a lot. A margin of 15% on a $100 item is pretty good. When you mutiply that by a couple dozen a pop, that's some good pocket change.

Restaurants need to have a huge margin when the calculate food costs, in your example, overhead, labor, etc is already factored in. I'm not saying I know what he makes or doesn't make, but a small margin can really add up. (just look at the margins on fuel in the oil industry)

 

[Smoke & Bark Barbecue]

He gets all his brisket from Creekstone. He has a standing weekly order of 150 cases.....every week. He's not paying 3.59/lb for it. I had a meeting with the rep that does his account.....Hes getting a bit of a break.

 

[jasonjax]

Hard to beat the organic beef he gets...

Damn! That's my problem. I keep cooking inorganic beef!

 

[darkoozy]

Hes also using choice and prime briskets, the extra marbling helps

 

[nickmv]

Hard to beat the organic beef he gets...

Not to beat a dead horse or get into some huge debate, but let's remember what organic means --- it means that something is carbon-based living matter. All the meat you've ever eaten in your entire life was and still is organic (unless you eat extraterrestrials? ). I think the term you're looking for is antibiotic-free, or maybe perhaps all-grass-fed, etc.

Sorry, that's one of my pet peaves ---- nowadays the word organic is used to describe pretty much all kinds of situations that have nothing to do with the actual meaning of the word.

Organic? That's how I prefer 100% of my food. Cheers!

 

[Smoke & Bark Barbecue]

The beef he uses is Prime Anti-biotic free. Its Creekstone's "Natural" line.

 

[nickmv]

The beef he uses is Prime Anti-biotic free. Its Creekstone's "Natural" line.

Now we're talking. That sounds delicious.

 

[brimclau]

In his book he does not state specifically what he uses, only that during the cook the spritz helps to keep the bark moist and to continue to attract smoke (after the meat starts to dry out and darken, around the 3-4 hour mark). He mentions "water, vinegar, or other liquid :wink:"

 

[Riz58]

I am trying to find the link, but basically he said that he buys a higher end product, wood and S&P and spritz costs, then the total labor put in over a 2 day period is more than some might think, and he claimed yield after trim and shrinkage is somewhere around 5 lbs of finished product. At $20 a pound, that's $100 in sales. Assuming $3.59/lb case price right now, 3.89x12 .lb=$47 cost + $12 per brisket in direct labor + $5 disposable ingredients and wood + $20 overhead + $5 waste = total cost $85 is a margin of 10-15% which is not a lot.

Are you accounting for shrinkage properly? $3.59 is pre-cooked weight. He sells 1 lb cooked - probably a 40% shrinkage after trimming and cooking, so that $3.59 is really $5/lb cooked weight. That would be a $60 brisket in your example.

 

[Thatgrimguy]

Aaron Franklin doing videos is the most unbelievable advertising I have ever seen. It's amazing the buzz that every little thing he says is generating. I love it!! You can buy this much marketing.

 

[Brew-Bq]

I think its funny that just because he says he uses only S&P for rub and whatever in the spritz people repeat it as if its true. He has absolutely no incentive to give up his exact methods! John Lewis one of his old employees has stated in interviews he has never cooked a Brisket w only S&P, ever! So maybe he's lying? Who cares it adds intrigue and buzz. Belgian Brewmasters are also notorious for misinformation. His biggest secret is high grade brisket and an extreme attention to detail. Or maybe they just hide the Old Hickorys when people are allowed in the back.