by Scott Ferguson
When it comes to books on grilling and barbecuing, a man who dominates the topic is Steven
Raichlen. His list of books stretches back 10 years to when the first edition of The Barbecue! Bible appeared. This book proved so popular, with 4 million copies in print, that it was reissued in a tenth-anniversary, full-color edition in time for grilling season this year. Raichlen has since published six other books on the subject, including one on indoor grilling. All have proven to be significant contributions to the topic of grilling, and have added great variety to the available information without overlapping content.
Raichlen's two most basic books are The Barbecue! Bible and How to Grill. Both are good surveys of the method, with How to Grill being the more introductory of the two. Its focus is on technique, with lots of step-by-step, full-color, how-to photographs to illustrate his points. I don't intend to barbecue a whole pig, but if I were so inclined, the 12 photographs of the production make the entire process look straightforward enough. (It takes four to five hours for a 50-pound pig, which can really cut into your Sunday afternoon golf game. And that's after you find someone to sell the pig to you.) Since most recipes call for a limited number of ingredients, and are mostly limited to four or fewer steps, this really is Grilling 101.
The Barbecue! Bible is a step up in sophistication and contains more than 500 recipes. This is an international collection, featuring recipes from places as diverse as Nigeria, Russia, France, Thailand, and Uruguay. If you want to easily add international flair to your grilling menu, this is a great place to start. Most recipes are limited to six or seven steps, so the level of complexity is not overwhelming. And, as each recipe starts with an explanation of any special equipment and advance preparation that might be required, you'll not find yourself halfway through a recipe, only to find you don't have 16 bamboo skewers or 12 hours to marinate the chicken.
Since he'd given us the basics and provided an international survey, the next step for Raichlen was to cover the immense variety of barbecue offered in this country. So, 2003 saw the publication of his biggest book (so far), BBQ USA. At 774 pages, this book is a monster. Here he provides much more detail about places of origin and how styles vary from place to place across the country. The beef and pork division may be a place to start, but there's much more to it than anything that simple. Within states and regions differences can be profound, and this is a guide to understanding what those differences are and how to prepare good food of all varieties. The recipes are a bit more complex, the ingredients a bit more obscure, and there is more full-menu treatment, but the average griller should not have any problems, because Raichlen always writes his recipes in clear language and early on spells out any oddities that could trip you up.
In addition to the larger overviews he's written, Raichlen has also done three books of more limited scope. The first was Barbecue! Bible: Sauces, Rubs and Marinades: Bastes, Butters & Glazes. This book is the biggest collection of barbecue add-ons I've run across, so if you're looking for simple ways to enliven that chicken you toss on the grill, try one of these recipes. Here are some chosen at random: Fajita Rub, Yucatan Red Spice Paste, Cider Squirt, Asian Injector Sauce, Wasabi-Horseradish Butter, Panamanian Fish Sauce, Saffron-Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette, and Apricot Blatjang. The recipes are great fun, and he tells you about the background of each one to add interest. You'll be able to regale your guests with such tidbits of knowledge as: "that ketchup…derives from a Chinese pickled fish sauce called ket-tsiap. … that mustard was so important in the Middle Ages, Pope John XXII has his own private mustard maker. …that Worcestershire sauce came from India and was a big flop before it became a commercial success. …that A.1 Steak Sauce got its name from King George IV. That aioli (garlic mayonnaise) is the focal point of a community feast in Provence."
For a change of pace and a great leap into more specialized subjects, Raichlen published Beer-Can Chicken: And 74 Other Offbeat Recipes for the Grill. "Offbeat" is a correct observation of the recipes included here, and he might have added "fun," too. The book's signature recipe, beer-can chicken, launched a technique once pretty much confined to the barbecue contest circuit into the larger world of grilling. In season, most any store selling barbecue gear will have at least one beer-can griller. I've seen prices running from $2.98 up to $40 or $50 for a gadget to hold the beer can upright. In the original recipe, you just insert the can in the chicken and put it on the grill. For myself, I feel more secure with a grilling gadget, but I'll leave that up to you. If you're a griller and you've not tried this, you'll be amazed at how good a result this rather primitive technique produces: juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside—and with very little effort after you get it on the fire.
So, after you've perfected you beer-can chicken, how about ribs? Raichlen on Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs should fill the need. For a small book, it sure packs the information. Starting with almost 100 pages on pork baby backs, Riachlen moves on to pork spareribs, country-style ribs, rib tips, then beef and lamb ribs, and ends with chapters on sides dishes, drinks, and desserts.
Perhaps the most unexpected book on grilling from him is Raichlen's Indoor! Grilling. If you think of it, however, you'll realize the topic does fit in with all the other books I've mentioned. These recipes are "created especially for grilling machines, built-in grills, grill pans, stove-top smokers, rotisseries, and fireplaces." All of these are logical extensions of the outdoor grilling experience. Much as we might not want to admit it, in large parts of the country there are times that the weather is just not conducive to an enjoyable outdoor grilling experience (a fact that made George Foreman a very rich man).
After you've delved into this collection, what's left? You will have a fairly complete library of grilling and barbecuing. You might want to explore books devoted to a single cuisine (do I hear Italian?), or maybe just vegetables. Some are fascinated by smoking. But don't think Steven Raichlen is going to stop where he is. Due out in spring of 2009 is Planet Barbecue.
Lists can be helpful, and here are two interesting ones I came across while researching Raichlen's books:
from The Barbecue! Bible:
The Ten Commandments of Perfect Grilling
1) Be Organized
2) Gauge Your Fuel
3) Preheat the Grill to the Right Temperature
4) Keep It Clean
5) Keep It Lubricated
6) Turn, Don't Stab
7) Know When to Baste
8) Keep It Covered
9) Give It a Rest
10) Never Desert Your Post
From Food & Wine May 2006:
Steven Raichlen's Favorite Grills
1) Bar-B-Chef Texas by Barbeques Galore ($899)
2) Weber Ranch ($1,199)
3) Grand Turbo All Grill by Barbeques Galore ($3,499)
4) Lodge Logic Sportsman's Grill ($108)
5) Kalamazoo Bread Breaker Two Dual-Fuel ($11,290)
6) Horizon Classic Smoker ($639)
7) Big Green Egg ($700)
So there you go. Have a great summer full of festive, flavorful, and fun outdoor food! There's more than enough here to keep you happy all year round. And if you buy one of the larger stainless steel grills now available, I have every reason to believe you and Steven Raichlen will be grilling and keeping each other company!
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