Franklin Barbecue Pits Are No Joke, All Smoke

Widely regarded as among the most influential pitmasters in the U.S., Aaron Franklin’s latest endeavor is producing the ultimate backyard smoker in his Austin-based welding shop, under the nameplate Franklin Barbecue Pits. The first in his forthcoming line of prosumer BBQ equipment is a big boy smoker. Weighing in at 550 pounds it boasts a grill surface that’s 19 by 36 inches, a double-walled firebox, a 5/16-inch-thick cook chamber big enough to fit three briskets, a removable smokestack, a water pan shelf, and the whole rig rolls on industrial 5-inch casters.