5 comments about Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint.

1. I did not grow up in northern Alabama, but in southern Alabama, and so I was not familiar with the Big Bob Gibson's BBQ legacy. I read about the book in "Garden and Gun" magazine and knew I had to see what the fuss was about. If you love to barbecue this book is worth the money and time to read it. Not only will it give you a new approach to outdoor cooking, it will inform you as to the cultural heritage of southern barbecue.
   
   First of all the book is well written, interesting and informative. Secondly, the recipes are the best I have EVER reproduced from a book. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about "white sauce" on barbecued chicken (or anything else cooked outdoors) but when I followed the recipe the result was absolutely astounding. The longer the white sauce soaks in the chicken, the better it gets - like magic. My wife followed the recipe for a rub and bourbon sauce for pork loin and the result was the best tasting pork I have ever eaten. The sauce was fantastic, the rub gave the pork a delicious flavor that anyone could be proud of, but the step-by-step instructions regarding the cooking process resulted in a properly "barbecued" ("low and slow") pork loin - and smoked...on a propane gas grill! My wife is an excellent cook, but previously her "grill skill" was somewhat underdeveloped. Now she is becoming quite accomplished in the sacred art of barbecue.
   
   This author's attention to detail in the instruction of the most closely guarded secrets of the "Southern old guard" grill masters is what sets this book apart from any other out there. Recipes range from meats to veggies to deserts. Big Bob's methodology has changed the way that we cook outdoors and it has given us a skills set that we can use to pamper family and friends and proudly pass to our grandchildren. If you are from the foothills of northern Alabama and have ever visited Big Bob's (in the 80 years of its existence) then this book is a "must have." For the rest of us uninitiated flatlanders I most highly recommend this book.



2. I purchased this book for my husband as a surprise. He previously had attended a cooking seminar by Chris Lilly so he was familiar with his achievements as well as his passion for good food. But, now I am the recipient of a lot of cooking that my husband is doing. Wives, buy this one for your husband and reap the benefits.



3. This is a great book on the basics of BBQ and also the history of BBQ. Good information on spice combinations and what spices and rubs work best for pork, beef, seafood, and chicken etc. Great launching pad for creating your own special sauces and rubs from the basic to the flamboyant.



4. If you are a barbecue afficionado this is a great book with ideas in getting th most flavor off your grill. I bought the book for my husband, the grill master and he is having fun with the recipes.



5. I haven't finished reading the book, but have tried some recipes and they
   were great. A cookbook worth sharing.

5 comments about Bobby Flay's Grill It!.

1. My husband and I just LOVE Bobby Flay. I bought this for my green egg grillmaster hubby and boy have I reaped the benefits. Scallops cooked other ways will never be the same.



2. The book was well written and good color photos. My complaint is that for the average cook, this is way too fancy and not basic enough for my needs. If you like to be a gourmet cook it would serve your needs.



3. I bought this book for a Christmas gift exchange and it was a huge hit. The person that got the book loves to bbq and hasn't stopped talking about all the great ideas inside it. I highly recommend this gift for anyone that likes to grill.



4. The Bobby Flay Grill It cook book is full of wonderful things to grill for company and family. I love it.



5. The book arrived timely and in the described condition. It has loads of great recipes at all levels of ability. This one should be in your collection.

5 comments about The Barbecue! Bible.

1. I bought this for my husband for Christmas and he loves it. He is from the South and can't wiat to try some of what he has learned in this book.



2. I really like this cookbook. Lots of great recipes. All of the ones I have tried have been delicious.



3. My copy was damaged. The binding glue didn't incorporate all the pages. I can't figure out how to return without a hassle and wish that Amazon would just send me another copy. It was a new book.



4. I have owned this book for several months now and have tried about 10-12 recipies. All have been very good to great!! What makes the book worth every penney for me is it explains in detail the tricks needed to achieve great tasting grilled BBQ. I'm one that needs step by step instructions with background info on "why" as well as how. This book is very good at explaining all you need to know to create absolutly great BBQ. I have also purchased his Ribs Ribs outrageous Ribs since, and every recipe so far has been just as good. I'm hooked!



5. This is a great book. The first part should be essential for anyone using a grill as it describes the basics - direct heat, indirect heat, preparation, etc.
   
   There are some great recipes in here and everything is pretty simple to do. We use it frequently for ideas before having people over. No complaints at all.

5 comments about Weber's Big Book of Grilling.

1. I love this cookbook. I thought I knew about BBQing. This book opened my eyes to a whole new level of Grilling. A must have for any BBQ lover.



2. I started to make the rub in bulk since I make it so much. I found a baby food jar will hold enough for three more chickens, so I quadrupled the recipe last weekend when I made it.
   
   The book as a whole is a beaut.



3. this book is awesome! What I like about the book is that the recipes are real - the Asian recipes use things like fish sauce,hoisin sauce, sesame oil, fresh cilantro,and rice wine, rather than a bottle of teriyaki sauce from the store. I think that may intimidate some cooks, but trust me - just give it a try - once you have those types of ingredients on hand, you can make all kinds of new dishes. We've made probably 25 recipes from this book so far, and they're all great. If you like to grill, and aren't afraid of a little experimenting, this is the book for you!



4. I've tried upwards of 40 of the recipes in this cookbook and every single one has been outstanding. Most are relatively simple and (for grilling) pretty quick. It's also a true grilling education, with a lot of detail on how to grill every type of meat, both in the recipes and in the chapter introductions. I couldn't recommend it more highly.



5. This is a great book for everything grilling. From grill care and use, to receipes that turn out great, this book has it all and is a must have for any grill owner and user.

5 comments about Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook.

1. I must first say that I am a huge fan of Food Network and most of its programs. I remember watching the premiere of the Neely's cooking segment and immediately thought, "I can't wait for their cookbook to come out!" A few years later and here we are...
   
   It is hard to articulate my disappointment in this book. As another reviewer has already noted, some of the measurements are not correct from the show and food network's website. This can be especially troublesome when baking!
   
   Also, I didn't really appreciate the lenghty introductions. We get an introduction from Paula Deen...and introductions from Pat Neely and Gina Neely, as well as information on their backgrounds and how they met. While this is sweet, I found it a bit unnecessary for a cookbook. Save it for the memoir!
   
   I also didn't really groove to the photography. I think of cookbooks as such beautiful creations; I adore flipping through a beautiful book with gorgeous food photography and mouth-watering recipes. As you may know (from watching the show), the Neelys have the mouth-watering recipes perfected. However, I didn't find the layout of the book or the photography very interesting or noteworthy. It seemed a bit "same old same old" with nothing unique to it.
   
   While the Neelys' recipes are divine, I don't really see the need to buy this cookbook. Many of the recipes are available on TV or through food network's website. The only reason to buy the book would be for its aesthetic value. Unfortunately, the book looks fairly bland and I don't find it worth the asking price.
   
   I love the Neelys and I sincerely hope that their next cookbook is able to match their wonderfully colorful and charming personalities. They are a pleasure to watch and, hopefully, their next cookbook will be a pleasure to look through.



2. This book is just great. I loved it so much I bought four more to give as gifts. I just love the rub for the ribs, and the BBQ sauce is super great.
   If you don't have one, I'd get it quick before they are gone.



3. Love this cookbook. I made the cheesy potato casserole for a brunch and everyone went back for seconds. Delicious and easy.



4. It has most of the recipes from the 1st season of Down Home With the Neelys. Lots of tips on barbecue. Love the Neelys!



5. My plan was to make dinner on 3 July to last through the 4th of July. I cooked the Collard Greens, Spicy Chicken, Cheesy Corkscrews w/Crunchy Bacon Toppings and the Broccoli & Cheese Cornbread. My warning sense went off when the book's recipe called for 1/4 cup of salt and 1 cup of sugar in only 3 cups of water but I ignored it (and if collards are naturally sweet, why add so much more sugar?). Even with me adding additional water, I still felt the meal was high on the salt content for the collards and the Mac & Cheese. The Spicy Chicken and Cornbread were ok, nothing to call home about. I'm not sure if the issue in my case was measurements being off as other reviewers have stated for other recipes or just incompatibility between the Neely's taste and mine. Either way, even though I love the show, I cannot recommend this book. Please understand that this is based on only personally trying 4 of the book's recipes but adding in the other recipes with measurement issues (confirmed with visiting Food Network) listed on this site, I have to give it below a below average grade.

5 comments about Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue.

1. This is a book of very good recipes. This book is NOT a book on "How to" Barbeque and slow cook. There is a short section in the front that briefly describes how different smokers work. However, I think that section is not adequate for someone who doesn't know anything about low and slow cooking. That said, the recipes are very good, and sidebar paragraphs are very informative and interesting.



2. This book is a very informative teaching guide on slow and low smoke cooking,detailed techniques for various types of smokers,and fantastic recipes for every type of meat and side dishes and drinks. worth every cent and more truly the smokecooking bible



3. Just received this book and tried the first pulled pork recipe in the pork section. It was fantastic. Made the Kansas City BBQ sauce. Again, It was fantastic. Recipe's very easy to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone no matter their BBQ ability.



4. THE BOOK IS SO LARGE I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO REALLY DELVE INTO IT YET, BUT HAS VERY DETAILED INFORMATION AND TONS OF RECIPES WHICH IS GREAT.



5. The item was received quickly and in the condition as originally stated by the seller. Thank you!

5 comments about Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way.

1. Before I describe this book, there is something you need to know about me. I am not your usual "grill guy". To the contrary, while I have grilled my entire adult life, it was a technique that I never took too seriously. I'm an excellent all around cook, so the grill was just another one of the tools in my arsenal.
   
   However, my real passion is traditional, hardwood smoked barbecue - something that you really can't buy at a restaurant or make on a grill. It is a unique blend of art and science that is slowly being replaced by gas fired cookers that sort of flavor the meat with wood smoke rather than cooking the meat with it. If you have had the real thing, then you know the difference. Words alone will not describe it.
   
   Because of this, the grill to me was only another tool based on inferior fuel sources. Gas versus charcoal? Who cares, there is nothing that special about the taste of either. They both allow you to keep your kitchen cool, be outside and get grill marks on your food. Sorry, I don't feel the magic.
   
   This was my stance until a week or so ago when I caught an article in the New York Times about grilling with wood. The article really brought the whole problem I had with grilling into focus - grilling with gas or charcoal doesn't really add that much desirable flavor. But grilling with wood ......... that is something I could work with. In the article, they made brief mention of Francis Mallmann's new book Seven Fires - Grilling the Argentine Way. They baited me just enough to know that I had to have it because Memorial day was close at hand and offered the opportunity for some experimentation with wood grilling.
   
   I have collected cookbooks for years, which includes a large section dedicated solely to (real) BBQ and grilling. They all pretty much read the same, some good old boy is telling you how to cook meat and make some sides to go with it. Mallmann's book breaks that mold.
   
   First, the book is as much about culture and a passion for food as it is about cooking with wood. Secondly, it is well organized and thoughtful - giving a glimpse to the experience and mastery of the author. Lastly, it is a work of art - beautiful photographs showing not only prepared food, but of the people that enjoy it and the gorgeous land that inspires it. I'm a tough critic of food and books about it, but I can honestly say I found it inspirational. It speaks to the heart first, the stomach second. Passion is the key ingredient for exceptional food.
   
   I read the book cover to cover my first day, used the next day to strategize my cooking setup to utilize the principles and on the third and fourth days we cooked with wood. The recipes are straightforward, have small ingredient lists and turn out just as described. Day One was Pork Tenderloin with Burnt Brown Sugar, Orange Confit and Thyme. Day Two was Chicken Chimehuin (flavored with garlic, rosemary, lemon juice and lemon confit). In a word, extraordinary.
   
   My bottom line: buy the book and be prepared to never see grilling the same way.
   
   If you want to read about my first wood grilling experience and see pictures of the results, visit http://cincyhounddog.blogspot.com/2009/05/hound-goes-gaucho.html



2. Francis Mallmann's book is amazing. There are hardly any exotic ingredients in this book--you can get most all of the ingredients in this cookbook at your local market. It's all about the technique, whether in the home kitchen, or in your backyard pit. All of the techniques are outlined simply and clearly. And the pictures are beautiful!



3. I've read this book, but (it hasn't stopped raining on the East Coast)so far haven't tried any of the recipes. However, I am from Argentina, and this is how meat is grilled down there, minus the fancy chef's flourishes. Also, the book is beautifully photographed - a real visual pleasure.



4. You should consider this book as a quantum leap experience - not your 26.th version of the East Tuscan New Flavor Cooking Experience, etc., but something which gives you totally new insights in food preparing. After studying the book and preparing some of the presented dishes, it is for me not so much the "fire" cooking approach, which is for most people who don't have a 20 acre country property at hand (beware of the neighbors) anyway out of reach. Rather, the insightful knowledge transmitted by Francis Mallmann is his methodic approach to "burnt" food, that is, generating taste by controlled burning of food. The interesting take is here, that Mallmann uses burning techniques mainly (or only) with vegetables, but not with meat. In this respect, he advocates (correctly) meat grilling at comparably low temperatures, contrary to the typical (US) American steak house approach (huge cuts, burnt outside and left rare inside, served with mushy vegetables). Almost every aspect of the book documents that this write up entails a compilation of decades of professional experience and tinkering with food, and the recipes are very well adapted for home cooking (some upgrading in Lodge cast ironware required, although, and anybody with a professional grade exhaust system is at an advantage). I am, however, not of the opinion that the recipes are "easily" to be followed. In spite (or even because) of the simplicity of the arrangements, the home chef must have excellent execution skills to deliver. All in all, a fantastic book. Thank you, Francis Mallmann, for passing your collected wisdom on to us.



5. I do not anticipate cooking a complete side of beef, but because of writer Peter Kaminsky's wonderful prose I have experienced the even greater pleasure of imagining such a spectacle - without the slaughter or clean up. Seven Fires achieves art by describing meat and fire in a myriad of ways that evokes wonder and inspires action. The Argentinian recipes, even the one for half a cow, are accessible to any backyard grill man or woman, and conjure majesty and competence from planning and cooking a meal out of doors. No other writer of food and cooking - or any other subject for that matter - can turn hunger into a channel for heroic gesture as well as self-satisfaction.

5 comments about How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques.

1. This is the best and only grilling book i own. All my friends and family call me "the grill master" because that's all i do. I don't let anybody touch my grill besides my husband.I love the recipes in the book especially the beer can chicken one. If you have not tried it youhave to even if you need to get the recipe from someone who owns the book.



2. This is an excellent book if you are not a grilling pro and want to learn details that would help you, this perfect. I did some grilling before I found this book, well it was O.K., but after I have learn a couple of thing that have help me a lot.
   It also has a lot of references to websites that are grilling related. There is a section about sauces that is pretty good too. I hope everybody enjoy the book as much as I have enjoyed.



3. The book arrived timely and in the described condition. It has great technical grillin tips and procedures, so it's great for that. But your buck stops there.



4. This is a perfect book for someone learning to cook on the grill. My girlfriend NEVER cooks, and is pretty lost in the kitchen. With all the pictures in this book you cannot go wrong. I purchased this book as a surprize for her from Amazon. The day she received it she made me a wonderful dinner on the grill. Every recipe has a step by step pictorial. As a seasoned cook i can't wait to try some of the recipes that have intimidated me before....like making perfect ribs. 100% satisfied!!!!



5. This book has all the necessary information from what kinds of grills are available to how to set up and use your grill. There are lots of pictures and clear directions. The recipies are yummy, easy to follow and range from simple to elegant. The book has many little tidbits of information that will make your grilling more successful. I would recommend this book for new and experienced grill masters alike.

5 comments about Weber's Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling (Sunset Books).

1. We grill a lot, so use a gas grill for convenience. This book gives good advise on how to use your gas grill as a smoker. Didn't have the courage prior to this book to slow cook ribs or a brisket using a grill. A smoker may work better, but with the help of this book, have had two outstanding meals as a result using the grill and smoker box. Of course, for the purist, the book is also geared to using charcoal or hardwood.
   
   By the way, have a Weber Genesis natural gas grill. Great grill, well made, easy to control heat, etc. Easy to set up a water pan and smoker box on the "flavorizer" bars and set indirect burners for "smoker" cooking. After many "cheaper" grills and reading the reviews, decided Weber was the way to go, and definitely the right decision.
   
   Lot's of other great recipe's. Besides the ribs and brisket fish taco's were outstanding. The complementary slaw recipe for the fish taco's along with the fish seasoning made the dish.



2. The Weber's way to grill book arrived promptly and in good order. I would do business with this vendor again.



3. This is an awesome cook book. the pictures are beautiful and the easy and delicious recipes are a real hit in my family We are all becoming Weber Grill experts!!



4. I am a very experienced BBQ cook. I have and use all the time 2 gas grills, 4 smokers, 2 kettles, a Santa Maria BBQ, and a couple of more specialized units. I BBQ for 50-100 friends about 4 times a year and for my family several times a week year round. I know BBQ and sort of thought I knew it all.
   
   But the Weber's Way To Grill book taught me new lessons. A simple new idea in the book is a better way to prepare citrus for diner's to squeeze onto fish or Mexican food. (Get the book to find out how.)
   
   All of the recipes are reasonably easy, use easy-to-find ingredients, and are well documented in clear photos as well as text.
   
   I have more than a dozen other BBQ books and have learned specific dishes from all of them. The Weber's book is the best of all.
   
   If you are new to BBQ, the Weber's book will start you down the right path to an enjoyable, healthy way to cook.



5. My Weber gas grill is fantastic and this book is fantastic. A lot of helpful pictures showing the food preperation process. The book is Weber specific regarding grilling but most techniques and recipes could be used on any grill. I think the author, Jamie Purviance, has much to do with the book content and presentatoin. I suspect his other grilling books may be good as well.

5 comments about Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking.

1. This is a substantial book full of great information, stories & fantastic pictures. We can't wait to try the recipes. Our summer barbecues will be a lot more delish. Highly recommend!



2. Fantastic book! Well written, easy to follow, fun, and the things I tried so far were great.
   A happy backyard cook.



3. I bought this for fathers day for my husband. He loves to BBG and I know he is going to love it. I bought a fire glove and apron to make it a theme gift. This guy is supposed to be great.



4. Adam (the author) has created some fascinating recipes. He connects sweet, spicy and smokey flavors to meat and chicken. The process is easy and the results are exceptionally tasty.



5. After hearing about APL on both Adam Carolla and Bill Simmons' podcast, I knew I had to get this book. The knowledge and techniques employed within are incredible. If you want to take your outdoor cooking to the next level, get this book and be ready to be blown away by the results.
   I made the Beer Can Chicken and it is the best chicken I have ever tasted. I cannot wait to try more of the recipes this summer and in summers to come.
   Thanks Adam!