The trailer boasts two enormous pits and two large smokers. Curtis Trigueiro calls competing a “hobby,” but the homebuilder-by-day is obviously serious about it. “We enjoy it,” he said.

Aaron Franklin doesn’t offer his big smokers for sale, but he’ll teach you how to build one on TV. In Episode 4 of BBQ with Franklin , from 2015, he walked through the process of turning a 250 ...