Read em' and Eat
The Cook’s Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue
I certainly can hold my own in the kitchen and at the backyard grill, but when I want to cook something that requires a technique with which I’m not familiar, I turn to the two most reliable sources I know: Cook’s Illustrated magazine, and Alton Brown from the Food Network.
Well a few weeks ago, I found out that Cook’s Illustrated has published a book devoted to Grilling and Barbecue. Hot dang!
You may have seen the Cook’s Illustrated gang on public television in a show titled “America’s Test Kitchen”; if not, I’ll warn you – this bunch is meticulous down to how many times you whisk an egg for the perfect omelet. It’s more like foodstuff meets science. The attention to minutia might be a little overwhelming for some folks, but I would rather be overloaded with information and then disregard what I don’t need.
So according to the book jacket, the test kitchen staff lit 6,000 fires to test everything from equipment to recipes for this 419-page tome. They start with the basics in “Outdoor Grilling 101,” then outline Top 10 Grilling Mistakes, and move on to a review of equipment and tools. And yes, they name brand names, and include prices. Then comes a hefty number of recipes.
Those recipes are broken down by category, including beef, pork, lamb and other meats, as well as fish, shellfish and vegetables. But they also cover pizza and bruschetta, sides and salads and rubs and sauces. Many recipes include the magazine’s signature illustrations so you can see exactly how to replicate the technique they are suggesting. The illustrations range from “preparing halibut steaks” to “mincing a shallot.” Other recipes are set up like my idol Julia Child’s “The Way to Cook” book – they start with a master recipe and suggest variations.
This is not a book for the “pinch of this and pinch of that” barbecuer – this is one for those who really want to learn technique.
The Cook’s Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue sells for $24.50 at www.cooksillustrated.com. It would be an excellent gift for a novice barbecuer, or those who want to take their game to the next level.
Yes Virginia
DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.
Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
15 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis ch has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps. Reprinted from www.newseum.com
Tailgater Magazine
OK, so it’s not exactly a cookbook. But I think it’s
worth mentioning. And it does, after all, have a recipe
section filled with barbecue recipes. Tailgater Monthly is a fairly new publication, having made its debut in 2007. It continues to evolve into a seriously fun lifestyle magazine for those who are passionate about the parking lot party.
Geared to both novice and expert tailgaters, the magazine offers a little bit of everything – news, feature stories, tips, trends, recipes, products, and more. There are regular features in every issue, including Road Trip, Tailgate Tools, Parking Lot Parties, The Club Scene and Celebrity Tailgates.
Subscriptions for the printed magazine are $15, but you can also log on and get it delivered to your inbox. Just a note – although it is called Tailgater Monthly, it currently is published seven times a year.
If you have any remote interest in tailgating, check out this publication in print or online at www.tailgatermonthly.com. You’ll thank me.
25 Essentials/Techniques for Smoking
The title of this book pretty much sums up its contents. There aren’t any high falutin’ recipes inside, rather good, basic recipes that provide suggestions for learning or improving a smoking technique. Some of the more unusual instructions are for Paper Bag Smoking, Spray Basting and Crisping, and Creating a Bark with Long Smoking. Others include Smoking Shellfish, High-Heat Smoking and Rotisserie Smoking. By the time you’re done reading through this book, and trying a few of the recipes, you likely be developing your own smoke-cooking recipes.
I tried three recipes from this book. The first was the Smoke-Baked Barbecue Chile Pie because it calls for mild Hatch chiles, and coincidentally, it’s Hatch chile season. Hatch chiles come from Hatch, NM, and as a Texan, I’m fortunate that I can get them. The recipe calls for eight ounces of these chiles, but I’m a barbecuer, so I promptly bought two pounds. Figured I could char them all, peel and seed them and freeze what I didn’t use for sneaking into other recipes until the season rolls around again. So I did.
If you can’t get Hatch chiles, don’t despair. The author of the book, Ardie A. Davis, says fresh Anaheims would do, as would just about any chile you like. I actually made two of the pies, and used poblano chiles in the other one. I actually preferred the heat of the poblano, as I had used mild Hatch chiles in the original version. I’m guessing the hot Hatch chiles would have been good too.
Anyway, this Chile Pie is a whole lot like a quiche, without the cream. It’s made with chiles, eggs, sweet onions, and lots of yummy cheddar-Jack cheese. But clearly the star ingredient is the smoke from the barbecue grill. The texture of the finished pie is dense, but moist. I, and my fellow recipe reviewer (OK, my mom), couldn’t wait to dig in. It was quite good, and it was even better the next day. But the real lesson learned was that even foods made in pie plates or casserole dishes can be smoked. Now here’s my own tip for the uninitiated – roasting and peeling peppers is time consuming. If you already have roasted chiles in the freezer that you can thaw and use, this recipe will come together in about five minutes. If, like me, you’re roasting for this recipe, roast more than you need and save some for future use. Also, make at least two pies so you feel like the effort was worth it. It’s the first time I had smoked anything like this on the grill, and I’m already thinking about how impressive it would be to smoke a frittata for breakfast the next time I have overnight guests.
So while the Chile Pies were on the grill, I figured I would go ahead and prepare Smoke-Roasted Rustic Root Vegetables. The very simple combination of carrots, russet potatoes and sweet potatoes in olive oil was a natural foil for the cloud of smoke that would eventually envelope it. The technique here flies in the face of the traditional “low and slow” mantra used to describe smoke cooking because in this recipe, the veggies are smoke roasted at about 350 degrees rather than the 200 degrees or so we would normally consider best for smoking. The recipe instructs us to leave the skins on the potatoes, and doesn’t indicate whether or not to peel the carrots. I peeled the carrots, and left the skins on the sweet potatoes, but next time I’ll try peeling them. The russets were fine. The smoke flavor was wonderful.
I also tried a smoked shellfish recipe, called Barbecued Shrimp Pasta Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette. I don’t know why I thought I wouldn’t care for this recipe, but it turned out to be my favorite. It calls for 16 jumbo shrimp in their shells (you don’t want them to dry out while they’re getting all smoked up) and when the salad is served, four of the shrimp are place on each plate. I’m guessing that you could use smaller shrimp and just mix them in. After all, the learning experience here is in smoking shellfish. This recipe is a keeper, and I’ll be making it again.
Another great thing about this little book – it’s made with a spiral binder that allows the book to open and lie flat. No trying to weight down the pages while you’re gathering up ingredients.
This is a good little book for those haven’t smoked before, or could use a bit of a refresher course. It would make a nice gift for someone who is learning, or wants to learn, how to smoke cook. It retails for about $13, and you can get it online at www.pigoutpublications.com
200 Barbecue Recipes
Sometimes it’s true that good things come in small packages. This is one of those times.
200 barbecue recipes by Louise Pickford may be a small book, but it’s big on tastebud-tempting recipes and gorgeous food photography.
Measuring only 6-1/2” by 5-1/2”, this unassuming little tome starts with a bit of barbecue history, and touches on types of barbecuing, fuels, techniques and equipment. It then moves into chapters with utilitarian-type names such as steak & ribs, seafood, vegetarian dishes, and sweet treats. But don’t let the straight-forwardness of the names bore you. The recipes are interesting enough to make you want to add something new to your repertoire, and they’re easy enough that you’ll actually do it.
Some recipes have a bit of an international flair, including those for Hoisin Ribs, Vegetable Kebobs with Tabbouleh and Scallops with Nim Jim dressing. Others just seem like good food no matter what their origin, and include Sesame-Lime Buttered Corn, Pear & Pecorino Salad and Steaks with Garlic-Herb Butter.
I tried two recipes: Chicken Satay Sticks and Baba Ganoush with Grilled Tortillas. The Satay Sticks were so simple to make, and the only thing I had to buy was fresh cilantro. Everything else came from the pantry, including peanut butter, soy sauce, curry powder, lime juice and the bamboo skewers. If you’re even a semi-regular barbecuer, I’m guessing you’ll have most everything on hand too.
I grilled the Satays on a gas grill, without any additions such as wood chips. The flavor ingredients in this recipe are bold and distinct, and I think a dash of smoke would have thrown the whole thing off kilter. My only dilemma was which thrilled me the most – the taste and perfect texture of the Chicken Satay Sticks, or the “cool” factor at being able to produce a dish that looked and tasted like it was prepared and brought in by a caterer. A very good dilemma indeed.
The Baba Ganoush was a little more labor intensive, but worth the time and effort. I happen to really like eggplant, so this recipe was right up my alley. The eggplant was grilled for about 25 minutes, and it needed a fair amount of attention because it needed to be turned frequently so that it charred on all sides. Think of it like roasting a pepper but bigger…. After being charred well, it needs to cool off so that you don’t burn your fingers, and then it gets peeled and mashed (trust me, let it cool before you start peeling). Then it goes into the food processor with a few other flavorizors including crushed garlic, tahini, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. I had grilled the tortillas while the grill was on, and let them cool too.
This Baba Ganoush was awesome. It was a completely delightful alternative to the Velveeta and Rotel cheese dip we eat here all summer long. (Hey, even Julia Child liked an occasional McDonald’s hamburger.) I hate cleaning up the food processor, but this makes a fairly sizable batch, and it lasts for a few days, so it was worth it.
One of the really stunning things about this book is the photography. I’ve worked with a bunch of food stylists through the years, and near as I can tell, this book was written by a food stylist who also is a pretty good recipe developer. The photos are not overly propped, and the close focus on the food makes the recipes even more inviting. This is the way food styling should be done – after all, we eat with our eyes first.
Go ahead and pick up this book for yourself or a friend – after all, Christmas is coming.
The book retails for a mere $8, and can be ordered at www.pigoutpublications.com.
300 Big & Bold Barbecue & Grilling Recipes
My friends and I are eating extraordinarily well this summer. This book is one reason why.
Authors Karen Adler and Judith Fertig literally are called the BBQ Queens, and they clearly rule the barbeque universe – or at least come darn close. These two know their way around the culinary world and a grill, so 300 Big & Bold Barbecue & Grilling Recipes is an interesting read as well as a gustatory global map.
Recipes include Flame-Kissed Ahi Tuna Steaks with Wasabi Vinaigrette, Greek Kofta Kabobs, and Tandoori Chicken on a Plank. But there also are recipes for those whose taste buds might not be as adventuresome. You don’t have to be a gourmand to enjoy Char-Grilled Salmon Patties, Grilled Double Pork Chops or Texas-Style Beef Brisket with Brazos Mop and Smoked Chile Barbecue Sauce.
I tried the Tuna Steaks, as well as a recipe for Grilled Blue Cheese Coleslaw. The tuna was cooked rare, and was divine. Who knew that peppercorns could play such a starring role in anything beyond steak au poivre? In fact, I think that the smell of freshly-crushed peppercorns should be considered culinary incense. I really need to get those buds out of the pepper grinder and crush them by hand more often.
The Wasabi Vinaigrette was wonderful, and the sake added just the right touch. The recipe calls for peanut oil, and while you could substitute different oil, do yourself a big favor and get the peanut oil. You will be missing out if you don’t. Same goes with the rice vinegar. I confess to not having been able to find wasabi powder, but I did find prepared wasabi in a tube. It added the desired flavor, but I’m convinced that it’s not as good as the powder would have been.
But no matter, I’ll be having this dish again. It was so good in fact, that my “born-raised-and-will-die-in-Texas-eating-only-beef” friend, succumbed to a plateful of seared, rare tuna over a bed of cold, crisp greens. Maybe it was the sake in the Vinaigrette, but still….. I think he’ll be eating it again too.
The Grilled Blue Cheese Coleslaw also is a winner. From the time I grilled Romaine lettuce for a Caesar salad, I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with greens. For this recipe I was using my favorite Kingsford Competition Briquets, so I was able to lend a little smoke flavor to the cabbage as well.
This recipe is perfect for an afternoon barbecue, as it’s already portioned to feed 8 to 10. I didn’t have that many people here, but I found that every once and a while, someone would sneak inside and have another little bowlful. It was gone by the end of the afternoon. Here’s a hint though – don’t cut the heart out of the cabbage before you grill it. Out of habit, I started to do it and stopped myself after the first two wedges. And you guessed it – the wedges without the heart fell to pieces on the grill. Even had I used a grill grate, it would have been nearly impossible to wrangle the loose leaves. So they fell through the grid and burned – I think of it as the Angel’s Share. (As a complete aside…those who make wine and distilled spirits and age them in oak barrels, call the amount that evaporates from inside the barrel “the Angel’s Share.”)
It’s not just the recipes that make this book stand out. There’s also a certain feeling of comfort that comes from the pages. There are little morsels of information and/or advice that appear with each recipe, so it feels like you’re chatting with an old friend, or perhaps reading through your mom’s favorite cookbook where she used to write notes in the margins.
So do yourself a favor, get this book, and be prepared to become a royal subject.
The book retails for $25, and can be ordered at www.pigoutpublications.com.
Weber's Way to Grill
Posted May 18, 2009
Let me say this right up front. Buy this book.
This is not a statement I make lightly. Having owned perhaps more than 1,000 cookbooks over the years, it’s rare that one literally stops me in my tracks. The package arrived at my front door and I didn’t even make it to my living room before I said “wow.” Out loud. And I was the only one here.
Now I am obviously a cookbook fan, so I tend to read cookbooks the way others read beach books. But Weber’s Way to Grill is so chock full of gorgeous photography, taste bud-tempting recipes, and step-by-step instructions, that I couldn’t put it down.
Written by chef, journalist and grilling expert Jamie Purviance, there are 160 recipes, each accompanied by at least one photo. There are about 1,100 full-color photos in all, many of them detailing prep or cooking techniques including “Way to Prep Whole Fish,” “Way to Grill Chicken Thighs” and even “Way to Zest a Lemon.”
There is a very comprehensive Q & A at the front, covering subjects ranging from “How do I know how much charcoal to use” to ”Do I need to oil the cooking grates before I grill?”
Throughout the 320 pages, Purviance has set the perfect tone – he clearly knows his stuff, but doesn’t come across like a know-it-all. He seems like the guy you’d want to have over for a barbecue because he knows so darn much, but you also get the feeling that you’d want him to show up because he’s a really nice guy.
But given the glitz and glamour, I wanted to be sure that the book performed as well as the press release said it would. So I chose two burger recipes: Classic Patty Melts on Rye and Brie and Shallot Parisian Burgers.
As I had hoped, they were amazing. The Patty Melts reminded me of something I would have had in a great New Jersey diner. The flavors were distinct, but not overpowering. The texture was great too, and it was the first time I had toasted a sandwich on the grill. Flipping is tricky, but no biggie. They make a point of suggesting sturdy bread, and for good reason. A less dense or crusty bread would have disintegrated under this juicy burger. My mouth is watering just thinking about them again.
The Brie and Shallot Parisian Burgers are perfect for summertime entertaining, as they are a classic backyard barbecue menu item that’s been given a contemporary makeover. (Personally, I think you could put Brie on a shoe and it would be great, so it would have taken a great deal for me to not like this recipe!) These are “outside in” burgers, so the cheese is buried inside the burger. Of course there are instructions about how to do it.
After about 10 minutes of cooking time, I had burgers to die for. The flavors are a wonderful combination, as the beef is very flavorful and juicy, the brie very creamy and earthy, the whole-grain mustard gives it a boost, and the peppery arugula provides just enough bite to keep it interesting. In short, yum.
Weber’s Way to Grill, printed in a large 9” x 11-3/8” format, is selling for what I think is a very affordable $25, given the depth and breadth of this book. It is a must-have for your own bookshelf, and I can nearly guarantee it would be a very-much appreciated gift.
To order Weber’s Way to Grill, visit www.pigoutpublications.com.
Simply Backyard Barbecuing From Grilling to Smoking
Posted May 1, 2009Some might wonder if an American Culinary Federation-trained and award-winning professional chef could actually “do” backyard barbecuing. The answer is yes.
Chef Richard W. McPeake is the author of Backyard BBQ: The Art of Smokeology and the creator of the Rib Stars series of BBQ rubs. He is also an avid BBQ competitor, and his rubs have won numerous prestigious contests. McPeake conducts over 90 smoking and grilling seminars a year, and is a certified barbecue judge. He is based in the Kansas City area – and I won’t dare add “the barbecue capital of the world,” because no doubt my fellow Texans as well as those from other far-flung regions of the country would have my head.
In this, his fourth cookbook, McPeake starts with grilling basics, ranging from Fire & Fuel Basics to Brining Poultry, and then moves into 200 recipes. I had planned to prepare the recipe for Thai Chicken Satay,, but opted to try two others instead: Grilled Caesar Salad and a planking recipe for Crabmeat Stuffed Mushrooms.
Just as an FYI – I try these recipes on a group of very willing friends, who have varying levels of barbecue prowess. I’ve asked them to be brutally honest, and to comment on everything from cost to prep time to taste.
Both of these recipes were a hit. The Grilled Caesar Salad brought everyone over to the grill for a look-see, as none of them had ever considered putting lettuce on the grill. Within five or six minutes, I had cut, oiled (EVOO) and grilled Romaine halves, and was topping them with shredded parmesan cheese, fresh black pepper and bottled Caesar dressing. I must add that I was using the new Kingsford Competition Charcoal, so I ended up adding a bit of smoke flavor to the Romaine as well. It was dynamite – as witnessed by the speed at which these lightly-charred leafy greens left the platter. So not only was it a conversation starter, but a conversation ender – because everyone was busy eating!
For the mushrooms, I used a Red Oak plank – another “first” for some of my test panel. I heard a chorus of “won’t it burn up?” and then I walked them through it …. with the help of 16 perfectly prepared Crabmeat Stuffed Mushrooms. I must admit to not being entirely sure if the plank added any flavor, but it looked cool and the mushrooms didn’t fall through the grill grid. The mushrooms still had a little “toothiness” to them, which was nice with the soft puff of the crabmeat mixture.
Both of these recipes were a cinch to make – stupid easy, if that’s really a term. The mushrooms were a tiny bit pricey, but hey, it’s crabmeat.
Some of the recipes in Simply Backyard Barbecuing have a fairly lengthy ingredient list, but if you’re a moderate cook, you’ll most likely have all or most of the ingredients in your pantry.
To purchase a copy of Simply Backyard Barbecuing From Grilling to Smoking, click over to www.pigoutpublications.com and click on BBQ Book Catalogue, and then 2009 New BBQ Books.
