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For those that aren’t traveling to Austin, Texas anytime soon, there’s a solution to still be able to enjoy a perfectly cooked Franklin Barbecue brisket. While you could get a Franklin BBQ Pit, follow the instruction in Franklin Smoke, and cook a brisket yourself, this method is much easier. The company Goldbelly will deliver a Franklin Barbecue brisket right to your door.
Overview
Goldbelly’s whole business model is shipping food from great restaurants. Are you a transplant from Chicago and you want a comfort meal of Lou Malnati’s pizza? They have you covered. Have you always wanted to try Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami but the wait was too long while you were there? Yup, you can get it delivered.
If you don’t live anywhere near Austin, and you want to eat from Franklin Barbecue, they’ll deliver you a full brisket. It’s perfect to try it, eat it again, or to showcase it to your friends. It also would make an amazing and memorable gift for the BBQ fan or foodie in your life.
In my case I wanted to relive my memory of going to Franklin Barbecue, benchmark where I’m at with cooking brisket, and show my friends what real Central Texas style barbecue tastes like. I ordered one and had some friends over to make it a celebration.
A whole 4.5 lb to 5 lb cooked brisket costs $269.95 and has shipping included. You can also add in 5 sausage links for an additional $30, which of course I did. The package also comes with a bottle of BBQ sauce, a Franklin Barbecue sticker, and an information sheet on the restaurant.
The briskets are cooked and then immediately packaged with ice packs and shipped, so you have to plan ahead for your order. The box is also packed with butcher paper, which is fun knowing it came from the restaurant.
The briskets are delivered on Tuesdays, and some days are sold out. If you want one for an event you have coming up, make sure you plan ahead.
Reheating
The brisket and sausage both come vacuum sealed. As soon as you open the packaging, an amazing smoky aroma hits your nose. If Aaron Franklin started selling cooked brisket candles with that scent, I’d buy a pallet of them.
I asked Aaron about the best way to reheat a brisket in a previous interview with him, and he confirmed what the Goldbelly instructions say. Even if you have access to other equipment, the best way is through an oven.
THE BEST WAY FOR SURE IS TO USE AN OVEN AND I FIGURED THIS OUT DOING THE GOLDBELLY STUFF. I USED TO REALLY THINK THAT DOING IT IN A VACUUM BAG AND USING AN IMMERSION CIRCULATOR WAS THE WAY TO GO, TURNS OUT I WAS WRONG IT IS 100% THE OVEN BECAUSE IT DRIES OUT THE CRUST AGAIN. PULL IT OUT, CUT IT OUT OF THE BAG, OR REMOVE THE FOIL FROM YOUR FRIDGE, AND LET IT TEMPER A LITTLE BIT. THEN, SET YOUR OVEN TO ABOUT 225, PUT THE BRISKET ON A SHEET TRAY IN THERE, AND THEN CLARIFY SOME BUTTER, SOME OIL, OR SOME KIND OF FAT, AND JUST POUR A LITTLE BIT OF FAT OVER THE BARK. IT’LL RECHARGE THE BARK ON THE BRISKET AND IT’LL ALSO KIND OF KEEP IT FROM DRYING OUT.
Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue
Put the whole, uncut brisket on a sheet pan. Then, put some pads of butter on top to add back in some fat. Put it on the middle rack in the oven at 225 degrees and cook it for about 75 minutes until desired doneness. The FDA would probably advise you to reheat it to 165, but I wouldn’t take it over 140 since it’s already cooked. It’s up to you if you want to accept that risk of deviating from the FDA.
MeatStick 4X
To keep an eye on the internal temp of the brisket while reheating it, I relied on the MeatStick 4X which interfaces with a phone app. It has four sensors to keep an eye on your temperature, three in the tip of the probe and one at the other end for ambient temperature.
By using multiple sensors in the tip of the probe instead of one, it can tell you things like if the probe is inserted all the way into the center of the meat. That’s especially helpful for beginners.
While I used the MeatStick in the oven for this cook, it also can be used in a grill or smoker. That’s where the ambient temperature probe is especially helpful.
Tips and Tricks
I made a classic rookie mistake that happens in cooking barbecue. My day got busy, I started cooking a little late, and it was getting to be dinner time. I pushed the temperature on the oven a little through the cook to make it be done faster, which sacrificed some of the juiciness of the brisket.
I think the 75-minute time they say in the instructions for reheating is a little light, but also, don’t be like me. Plan ahead so that you have some extra time on the back end if the cook goes longer.
Results
Eating a brisket from Franklin Barbecue is truly a memorable experience. The amazing bark on the brisket came back to life and the fat render was flawless. I lost a little moisture because because I reheated it too hot, but it didn’t take much away from the overall flavor and texture of the brisket.
I would, and plan to, order another brisket again in the future. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys eating fantastic barbecue. Ordering from Goldbelly was a great experience, and kudos to Franklin Barbecue for partnering with them to give people the opportunity to enjoy their food from anywhere.