Franklin Barbecue has been a muse to Austin-based photographer Wyatt McSpadden since it opened in late 2009. He has followed the evolution of the barbecue joint through the triumph of its growth and the tragedy of the fire that ravaged the pit room in 2017. In the process, he befriended Aaron and Stacy Franklin, who have provided him with a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of two different pit rooms at their East Austin barbecue joint, where the tender brisket and pulled pork routinely merit hours-long lines from visitors.

“I’ve had a front-row seat to the Franklin phenomenon and a chance to document a good bit of it,” McSpadden said. “The Franklin story is a true American story about a young couple with a dream who made it real with hard work, generosity, resilience—and some magic ingredient where they turn waiting for hours to get in the door into a positive.” A regular himself, McSpadden was also able to document Franklin Barbecue in his 2015 cookbook. “I’m lucky to have been able to witness Franklin Barbecue rise, get knocked down, and come back even stronger,” he told me. “It’s an amazing story, and I’m grateful to be able to document it.”

Barbecue pit.
Aaron Franklin sprays down some barbecue in one of the old trailer-mounted smokers (April 2013).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Employee checking the fires in the smokers.
Franklin employee Andrew Risner checks the fires, determining which ones require another log (April 2014).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Smoker being lifted by a crane.
One of several smokers is hoisted into the first version of the pit room (July 2014).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Trailer-mounted smokers full of cooking meat.
Before the first pit room was complete, all the barbecue at Franklin was cooked in these trailer-mounted smokers (July 2014).
two men manually towing a huge smoker.
Aaron Franklin and Franklin employee Benji Jacob towing Bethesda, the behemoth rotisserie smoker built by the Franklin team, into place before the walls went up in the original pit room (July 2014).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Aaron stoking coals in the new smokers.
Aaron stokes the coals inside the original pit room (January 2015).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Smoker in midair, being lifted into the new pit room.
Before the roof could go on in the pit room (the first one, before the fire), the smokers had to be lifted into place. This is Bethesda the smoker, which would go on to cause some problems (July 2014).
Charred smokers after the fire at Franklin's.
Franklin Barbecue suffered a fire in the pit room. The structure was a total loss, but the smokers remained. They just needed a little cleaning to get back into service (August 2017).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Aftermath of the fire at Franklin's.
The fire was started by an ember that blew underneath Bethesda. It smoldered beneath the smoker until it lit the walls. When this photo was taken, several racks of very charred ribs lay just behind those doors (August 2017).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Exterior of temporary pit room.
The trailer-mounted smokers, fired up here, were a temporary solution until the new pit room could be built (November 2017).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Franklin Barbecue sign reading "Hey y'all Franklin BBQ Reopens Tuesday November 21st."
On November 21, Franklin Barbecue opens for business after an 87-day hiatus, and the lines have already formed. The new pit room construction had begun (November 2017).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Aaron Franklin taking a selfie with customers.
Aaron Franklin takes a selfie with a group of customers while a photographer captures the image. This was the day Franklin Barbecue reopened after the fire in August of 2017, but it was with mobile smokers parked out back with a limited capacity. There was still work to be done (November 2017).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Workers transporting old smokers.
Much like with the first pit room, the smokers that survived the fire had to be hoisted into place with heavy machinery in the new pit room (March 2018).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Smokers.
Franklin employee Inkle Sinclair prepares to wrap a brisket in the new pit room while fellow employee Ben Lambert stokes the fire (May 2018).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Franklin employee checking on the meat in the smoker.
Sinclair puts a wrapped brisket back in the smoker inside the completed pit room (May 2018).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Mist of vinegar and water catching light as it is sprayed on a large piece of brisket.
A brisket is sprayed with a mix of vinegar and water before being wrapped and placed back into the smoker (May 2018).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden
Franklin Barbecue sign.
Franklin opens for business again (May 2018).
Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden

Explore Franklin Barbecue’s new pits in person at Franklin & Friends, a kickoff event in the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest Weekend, November 3–4, in Austin. Stay tuned for early-bird tickets in July!