Aaron Franklin
Aaron Franklin is an Austin pitmaster, cookbook author and host of BBQ with Franklin, sharing the craft of barbecue through videos, television and backyard cooking lessons.
At 100 nudges, fangea sends Aaron’s team an official invite.
🔒 Star boosts open once Aaron claims this page.
Latest
Aaron’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
PBS
Ten Speed Press
Ten Speed Press
Ten Speed PressOverview
- From
- Bryan, Texas
- Based in
- Austin, Texas
- Work
- Pitmaster, author and barbecue educator
- Started
- A barbecue trailer with Stacy Franklin in 2009
- Breakout
- Bon Appétit named Franklin Barbecue the best barbecue in America in 2011
Mini bio
Backyard beginnings.
A native of Bryan, Texas, Aaron began with backyard cookouts he and Stacy Franklin hosted. In 2009, they opened a small barbecue trailer beside an Austin interstate. The restaurant grew out of that shared habit of cooking for people.
The brisket brings people in.
National attention followed when Bon Appétit named Franklin Barbecue the best barbecue in America in 2011. Aaron won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2015 and entered the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2020.
Sharing the process.
Fans can follow his cooking through BBQ with Franklin, produced with Austin PBS, and through three cookbooks written with Jordan Mackay. The books move from meat smoking to steak and backyard live-fire cooking. He also co-founded Hot Luck with James Moody and Mike Thelin, bringing food and live music together in Austin.
Creditschronological, newest first
Books
- 2025The Complete Franklin Barbecue CollectionCo-author with Jordan Mackay
- 2023Franklin SmokeCo-author with Jordan Mackay
- 2019Franklin SteakCo-author with Jordan Mackay
- 2015Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking ManifestoCo-author with Jordan Mackay
Television and online
- 2015BBQ with FranklinHost
Awards
Quotes
And I love continuing to be creativeAaron Franklin, Forbes
Discussing his expanding range of projects in an October 21, 2025 interview: https://www.forbes.com/sites/garystern/2025/10/21/austins-franklin-bbq-generating-multiple-revenue-streams/
Trivia
- His interest in barbecue began with cookouts he and Stacy threw in their backyard.
- Franklin Steak grew out of his love of cooking and eating steak at home.
- He also plays in a band in Austin.
Find Aaron
Watch his barbecue lessons and follow news from the Franklin Barbecue team.
Are you Aaron Franklin?
Fans built this page. Claim it to connect with them and unlock Star boosts, or request a takedown if you’d rather it not exist.