The ultimate guide to live-fire grilling and smoking at home, with recipes that will have you cooking up meat, vegetables, fish, and more like a true Texas fire wrangler—from the James Beard Award–winning team behind the New York Times bestseller Franklin Barbecue.

Aaron Franklin, bestselling author and proprietor of Austin hotspot Franklin Barbecue, turns to backyard live-fire grilling and smoking in Franklin Smoke. Along with award-winning food writer Jordan Mackay, Franklin addresses the mysterious area where smoker and grill intersect, describing when and how to best combine the two. This complete resource, which features inspiring and helpful photographs, proves that lighting a backyard fire is no big deal on a weeknight—and that you can (and should!) cook this way for fuller flavors and a deeper engagement with the elements. 

The trick is in treating fire as an ingredient, not a medium. Franklin and Mackay detail strategies for executing meals over the full lifespan of a fire, employing low- and high-heat techniques as well as indirect cooking and smoking. Whether you’re an old pro looking for new tips or have just purchased your first grill or smoker, the book shares expert techniques designed for any type of backyard grill, from inexpensive kettle-style grills, Big Green Eggs, offset cookers, and hand-built fire pits.