A little bit of culinary history was made last night as Aaron Franklin of Austin’s legendary Franklin Barbecue and Knife Dallas Chef John Tesar kicked off Knife and The Highland Dallas’ week-long chef series of EAT (RED) DRINK (RED) SAVE LIVES benefit dinners with an epic meat celebration.
The dinner, which sold out in less than 24 hours, highlighted Franklin’s barbecue, cooked on a special tandem smoker (nicknamed “Laburne and Shirley”) that the BBQ king transported to Dallas from Austin and used for the first time. Guests were served six courses beginning with passed hors d’oeuvres of tuna tartare cones and BBQ tidbits, then continuing with a charcuterie plate highlighting Franklin’s confit brisket ends and pork rillettes; beef cheek ravioli Bolognese with lime basil pesto; family-style 44 Farms prime New York strip with au poivre sauce and Johnny’s mac & cheese; and finally, monumental plates of Franklin BBQ brisket, beef ribs and links. Knife’s award-winning pastry chef David Collier capped the meal perfectly with a modern banana pudding and petit fours. Continue reading
