The Cook's Illustrated Guide To Grilling And Barbecue Author: Cook's Illustrated Magazine Editors | Language: English | ISBN:
0936184868 | Format: EPUB
The Cook's Illustrated Guide To Grilling And Barbecue Description
From Publishers Weekly
This hefty volume features a didactic tone that corresponds to the mission of the magazine of the same name, bringing scientific scrutiny and rigorous testing to home cooking with extremely detailed recipes and illustrations. With chapters on major ingredients and accompaniments—beef, pizza, vegetables, rubs, etc.—the book illustrates such tasks as recreating Texas-Style Barbecued Beef Ribs at home (hint: don't use bony scraps), grilling a whole turkey (small turkeys work best) and preparing lobsters for grilling (split them in half lengthwise). The editors distinguish between grilling (which uses fast, direct heat) and BBQ (slow, indirect heat); weigh in on the virtues and shortcomings of gas and charcoal grilling; and address other puzzling grill-related issues. They warn readers that grilling and barbecuing are fraught with potential problems, and the book, while well researched, tends toward the negative (e.g., "If you slice meat straight from the grill, say goodbye to its juicy flavor.... There's nothing you can do now, but next time take this precaution"). Yet this approach is ideal for those who are nervous about outdoor cooking and want to know what to expect. For fans of Alton Brown–style minutiae, this is a prime resource.
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- Hardcover: 432 pages
- Publisher: Americas Test Kitchen; 1st edition (May 30, 2005)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0936184868
- ISBN-13: 978-0936184869
- Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 1.4 inches
- Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
`The Cook's Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue' by the editors of `Cook's Illustrated' magazine may be the very first book you should get on the title subject. Unlike the charcoal only coverage of the excellent `The Thrill of the Grill' by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, this book gives equal coverage to charcoal and gas, although it does not address grilling with raw hardwood.
The first thing which impressed me about this book is that early in editor in chief Christopher Kimball's introduction, the point is made in no uncertain terms that good grilling and barbecue is hard to do. Doing it right requires both book learning and experience. The second thing that impressed me about the book was that I found lots of very good general information on techniques. I was expecting not much more than an anthology of grilling and barbecue recipe articles from the magazine as I see in many other `Cook's Illustrated' books. I was not surprised with the quality of this information, as `Cook's Illustrated' always provides reliable, albeit somewhat uninspired advice.
One thing I find true of the `Cook's Illustrated' books is that they are fun to read. Every other page seems to have a sidebar of interesting opinions about everything from Santoku knives to catsup (Heinz is the best). I suggest you take opinions on ingredients such as vinegars or olive oils with a grain of salt, as there is a good chance that a minority of available brands were tested and their testers tend to play it safe. When they say they were surprised by their results, it's time to sit up and take notice!
"The Cook's Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbeque" is in my opinion a "must have" book for anyone wanting to learn or improve his/her outdoor cooking skills. This book, copyrighted in 2005, appears to me to be an updated and revised version of the similar "The Best Recipe Grilling & Barbeque" book copyrighted in 2001 (which I bought at the same time). After reading through both books, I do not see any reason for purchasing the 2001 book.
The "Illustrated Guide" contains over 450 recipes, but those recipes are only one part of the great information this book presents. The book opens with the basics of "grilling" versus "barbequing" and discusses the differences between charcoal cooking and gas cooking. There is a lot of information and recommendations on products (cooking equipment and tools) needed for successful outdoor cooking. In the cooking chapters (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, vegetables, etc.), the "Illustrated Guide" gives much more than just recipes. The book describes how to choose the food (e.g. which cut of beef, what size chicken, etc.) and how to prepare it before cooking, including seasoning. Then, the book describes a step-by-step procedure for cooking the item; the book gives separate instructions for charcoal cooking and gas cooking.
The book's "claim to fame" is that the authors/cooks perfected each instruction/recipe through extensive trial and error, and that the reader can benefit from the writers' experience and their detailed instructions.
On my gas grill, I recently grill-roasted the book's "Beer Can Chicken" (for which I used lemonade- the recommended alternate to beer) and my family all agreed it was the best chicken we had ever eaten. I also recently followed the book's instuctions to select, buy, season and grill strip steaks.
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