5 comments about Steak Lover's Cookbook.

1. I bought this book to help me become a better grill chef. I love a steak cooked on my grill. There are tips for how to grill successfully here, especially on page 26 and page 6. There are several notable tips for insuring a great grilling experience, such as the admonition to use Salt on page 40 and 51. I love the composed butter recipe for T-Bone steaks.

   The book is organized by types of "cuts". It is the uptown cuts that interest me the most. The sections about the T- Bone, Porterhouse, Strip, Rib Eye, and Sirloin. There are recipes for each type of cut. There are many asides in this book that describe the history of and tools used in cooking steaks.

   I will not comment on the downtown or cross-town recipes because I've not spent much time with them.

   I cannot help but favorably recommend a book the mentions a personal favorite steak house of mine in Ponder, Texas.




2. I was excited when I first received the book. At first glance it looked compact enough, with large print that is easy to refer to. I was disappointed at the lack of real pictures (it's difficult to follow recipes without a color picture as a guide!). I wanted to learn methods to cook steak. This book basically gives you a bunch of different sauces and side dishes. If you are one of those steakhouse lovers that believe in nothing but salt, pepper, and a hot grill/pan to make the perfect steak, this book is not for you.



3. First, I have to say that this cookbook has the best guide I've ever found to figuring out the doneness of a cut of steak without having to slice it open and let out those wonderful juices. That alone made its purchase worthwhile. The rest of the book is organized by cut of steak. There's the tenderloin chapter, the T-bone chapter, porterhouse, strip or top loin, rib, rib-eye, sirloin, chuck, etc. Each chapter starts with information on that particular cut: what its texture and taste are like, how large and thick it tends to be, what it may be called by your butcher, and how it can best be cooked. If you really want to turn out the best steaks in town, it's hard to find a better resource than this cookbook!
   
   Some of the recipes in here are fairly standard. For instance, in the tenderloin chapter you'll find the classic "Steak au Poivre," or peppercorn steak. Some recipes are twists on classics: such as Surf and Turf, Asian Style. Rice pulls recipes from various cuisines, such as Stuffed Filets with Ancho Sauce, Steak and Noodles Vietnamese Style, and Three-Pepper Fajitas. You'll also find a few recipes that won't quite fit your standard view of steak: Asian Beef Salad with Cucumber, for instance, or flank Steak Sandwiches with Red Pepper-Dill Ketchup. Some are his own recipes; others are from various other chefs. You'll also find appetizers and side dishes, from Beer and Cheese Spread to Mango Guacamole.
   
   New and interesting things are done with steak in this book; it's about as far as one can get from slapping it on the backyard barbecue two minutes before the football game. These are sumptuous and inventive dishes. But I think Mr. Rice realized that if he was going to put out a steak cookbook, he would have to cater to that other crowd as well. So every now and then you'll find him exhorting you to "serve it with beer!" (I think that last quotation should be imagined in a deep, manly voice.)

   Not every recipe in this cookbook is equally stunning; some are merely mediocre. But the information provided is top-notch, and there are certainly some real prize-winners among the recipes (our favorite is the Bloody Mary Steak and Sauce).




4. I found this cookbook interesting reading because it also includes buying and cutting tips as well as recipes for side dishes.



5. I rank this up there with the "Twelve Months of Monastery Soups" cookbook as a reliable source of tasty recipes. The cheese dip is awesome, as are the steak fries. The book provides a varied selection of recipes for various cuts of beef. In addition, it gives recipes for what to serve before, during and after the meal. A frequently used cookbook in my house along with "Hot, Hotter, Hottest" by Janet Hazen and "Garlic, Garlic, Garlic" by Linda and Fred Griffin.

1 comments about Taste of Home Ground Beef Cookbook.

1. Almost every recipe in this book that i've tried is worth keeping. A few too many time consuming recipes or too many ingredients required. It's my go-to book when i'm trying to figure out what to do with the ground beef I thawed out the night before. Many family favorites from this book. Definitely worth buying!

1 comments about 101 Things to Do with Ground Beef.

1. I also have the chicken book. My family & I have enjoyed trying the new dishes. Most are quick & easy and not expensive to make. We hesitated making a couple of the dishes but they were quite tasty.

3 comments about Jerky: Make Your Own Delicious Jerky and Jerky Dishes Using Beef, Venison, Fish, or Fowl.

1. Livingston takes a definite outdoorsman approach to jerky. He is sharply critical of USDA safety regulations, and he doesn't believe in nitrate cure as a preservative (he includes it in a few recipes, but says it's for preserving the color of the meat, not as a safety procedure). Some of the air-drying recipes gave me the willies just thinking about them! Livingston's approach to safety is to use meat from trusted sources, which often means avoiding the local supermarket in favor of a butcher or processor. He says if you use meat from known sources you'll avoid many problems. Good advice, but not always practical.
   The book is lively and readable, but too many of the recipes are for curing 10 pounds of meat -- I wish he'd included smaller-quantity versions of some of them.
   This is NOT the definitive book for beginning jerky-makers, but it's probably a good buy for an experienced jerky-maker to add to his/her library.



2. Whether you are a big fan of jerky, or a fan of big (lots) of jerky, this book has something for you. I never knew there were so many different recipes for jerky until I bought this book. The results taste far better than anything I've ever bought in a store. I highly recommend the book. Recipes frequently call for several pounds of meat, but you can either scale them down, or just use less meat and make more marinade than you need. The novice chef needn't worry: The recipes are very simple.

   Another review notes that the author deviates from standard guidelines when it comes to cooking temperatures, and that's true. However, most recipes call for temperatures of 140 degrees, which is just slightly below the minimum temperature of 145 recommended by the FDA. When you consider that jerky spends 8-10 hours in the oven, I don't think food safety is an issue at these temperatures for anything other than pork, which the author recommends against.

   Recipes that call for lower temperatures are left to the reader's discretion, but clearly marked as such.




3. This book was sent right away and I got it a couple of days later in great condition (NEW)Very happy

5 comments about Beef.

1. This book is a little more than just the cow.... it opens your eyes on how different cultures view this animal and in different time periods throughout history, and how it came to be from a wild animal to our dear black and white milking cows and our meaty, robust beef steers. A little to historical at times, it veers off in some of their history lessons away from the actual subject... but it remains entertaining and at times simple with short stories and a few integrated "beef" recipes. It was a great "throne" book since i could read a little here and there and finish a short story and pick up at another one later one without feeling like i was losing out on something.
   I enjoyed the ending even though a little preachy, very accurate and insightful.



2. I was pleasantly surprised by this book - it was easy to read in small chunks because each chapter is almost stand-alone. The authors range over a wide span of historical periods and topics (religion, culture, art, and science) related to cattle. Starting in pre-history with the ferocious aurochs and progressing to the industrialized feed-lots of today, the authors weave a tale that was more interesting than I expected. You can tell the authors care about their subject, especially in the latter chapters which include dire warnings about the non-sustainability of current cattle-raising practices. I thought the recipes scattered throughout the book added a touch of fun as well.
   
   This book would probably not appeal to someone who wants a scholarly, in-depth treatment of the topic, but for someone who has a casual interest it was full of fascinating tidbits.



3. Usually, I enjoy books about animal products. When I saw the title "Beef" by Andrew Rimas, I figured this would be a great addition to my library of food books, and would fit in nicely on the shelf next to "Onions" and "Lettuce." Then I looked closer and noticed the subtitle: "The Untold Story of How Milk, Meat, and Muscle Shaped the World ." "Waitaminute... the 'untold' story? But I thought I had heard ALL of the stories about beef? How could I have overlooked one? I knew it wasn't the story about the time Beef fell asleep on the beach during Spring Break and was overcooked. I had heard that one a million times. Is it actually possible that there is a story about Beef that has remained hidden for millennia, closely guarded by the Bovine Brethren monks who are tasked with carrying the secret to their grave?
   
   No, it's not.
   
   I was lied to. Because pretty much the entire book is a hodgepodge of stories about cows and beef, loosely "organized" together by time period. At 200 pages, this should be a quick read, but I struggled with "Beef" for three months before finally forcing myself to finish it. And if any of you have ever spent three months trying to consume beef, you will understand how stale it can get toward the end. Rimas provides us with endless accounts of ancient cows, bullfighting, bull paintings, cattle ranchers, and pretty much everything you wanted to (but mostly things you didn't want to) know about cows. Some of the information in the book is interesting. For instance, I had never heard of an Aurochs (giant cow that is now extinct) before, and some of the information about cow domestication in Europe and the spread of cow diseases, but all of this would be much better suited to a Wikipedia article I could skim over in five minutes, not a 200 page book. The book is interspersed with ancient beef recipes, which I did find somewhat interesting from a culinary perspective.
   
   Overall, "Beef" suffers from a lack of interesting material, and a lack of cohesiveness. If your interest is in cows throughout history, "Beef" may be for you. But for the casual reader who is more interested in beef as a food product, I would recommend one of Alton Brown's books or Fast Food Nation.



4. Beef is a slim book made up of short essays on the relationship of humans and cattle/beef. Its organization is relatively loose as the author moves around in time and space, never really dwelling for any extended period of time on his particular subjects, which range from pre-history cattle-raising to cave paintings to bull-fighting to cattle raids, etc. The end result is the book feels like a somewhat shallow dip into the pool. Weaving through the book, and intending I assume to serve as a unifying thread, is the author's experience in Africa with the Masai, a tribe heavily associated with cattle. But that story never felt connected in any sharply defined way, nor did it carry the emotional weight I think the author was going for. The author also sprinkles recipes throughout the book, which to be honest felt like some slight padding.
   There are pieces of interest here, and lots of information probably new to most people, but the loose organization and the quick movement from piece to piece never lets us, pardon the pun, get into the meat of the idea. It's a quick read, the prose is serviceable if sometimes overdone, and the ending section, when the author delves into modern cattle-raising and environmental issues is perhaps the most interesting. But again, just when we're getting into it, the section comes to a close.
   The whole book felt like it didn't quite know what it wanted to be. Sometimes it seemed better suited to a long essay in Harper's or The Atlantic, or possibly a 2-3 magazine series of articles. Sometimes it seemed it wanted to be a book like Salt or Cod. But it falls well short of those works in terms of depth and style and structure.
   A moderate recommendation for those interested in the topic, since it is such a quick read it doesn't really cost you much in terms of time. But my guess is it won't leave you particularly satisfied.



5. I sat down to read this, and had a very difficult time putting it down.
   
   This is an informative and well-researched history of beef, from the very beginnings of human domestication of animals way, way back in prehistoric times to modern day.
   
   I am a big fan of beef - one of my favorite foods - and so this book is personally meaningful, simply to read about something that I love so much. But, as much as I love beef, I also realize that there is a huge environmental cost to it in our modern ways of raising it, and Rimas pulls no punches in speaking about what is a simple truth: eating beef (just as all foods) has a moral and ethical component to it, and we, as humans living in a limited world, have an ethical and moral responsibility to be mindful of what we are eating, how much of it, when, how, and why.
   
   Rimas does not spend much time on the ethical or moral components of beef consumption, but does do enough to ensure that the reader - the ones whose minds are open to truth, anyway - will go away from this book thinking in new ways about beef. And not in a way that condemns beef or condemns meat eaters. In fact, Rimas is very much in favor of GOOD beef: the non-industrial, non-factory, organically raised beef (such as Kobe or Mishima beef, or the kind raised by my family in Wisconsin and elsewhere that spends much time in pasture, isn't hormoned and antibiotic-ed, and lives as natural a life as possible).
   
   Beyond the wonderfully informative historical stuff about beef and cattle, Rimas' position is one of enjoying beef, preferably beef that is raised ethically, but enjoying it moderation.
   
   I am a lover all books related to food history (Nathanael's Nutmeg, Cod, Salt, and so forth), and I give this five stars. This is a good one that stands very well along with the others.

5 comments about Raising Steaks: The Life and Times of American Beef.

1. The steak is an iconic part of American food history that developed as the country grew. Originally a staple of the rich on the East Coast and of ranchers in the West, the steak has grown from a food eaten only by certain groups into the meat of choice for millions of Americans. This book exams, in detail, how the steak is raised from a baby veal and becomes prime porterhouse.
   
   Starting with ranchers in the western states of Colorado, Oregon and Texas the author examines different methods of raising the beef. Cattle can be raised a number of ways, from purely grass fed to grain fed. There are also different methods of ranching from ranchers that raise the beef all the way through slaughter to those that raise each animal through only a part of the process. All are looked at and discussed in detail, along with the various problems associated with each method.
   
   From the ranchers, the author moves on to the feedlot/slaughter operations. From small country butcher to the Big 4 animal processing companies, again, the author examines each step and the problems associated with each. She gives relatively equal time to all factions, of whom there are many, and examines food safety in detail. The section on mad cow disease was amazing, and I will never buy generic beef again. If you are weak of stomach, I recommend skipping the chapters on slaughter and food safety issues. They may cause you to become a vegetarian...that is until you realize that beef by products are everywhere.
   
   The book finishes with a number or recipes for cooking steak, although, as the author points out, there is really only one true way to cook a good steak. High heat on a grill!
   
   I recommend this book to all who have an interest in the food they eat and how it comes to be. It may very well change how you perceive that slab of beef the next time you eat. In my case, the book reinforced my belief in buying premium beef from a known source!



2. as always, betty fussell has produced another "keeper" for my food book/cookbook shelf. literate, comfortable to read, and incisive, this book gives not only a comprehensive background to the american love affair with beef, but also a realistic and humanistic look into the economic and ethical questions that every omnivore must ask about industrial food production in the 21st century. a terrific bibliography (including numerous trade journals) anchors the book. you won't buy this book for just the recipes, but the few that are included are tidy and illustrative, and she remembers to include a soupcon of cognac in the steak tartare!



3. I usually love books like this, but I found the author's insertion of her own, pre-conceived notions and biases into this book (plus factual errors) so annoying I couldn't finish the book. I read half and dumped it. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone.



4. After you read "Mad Cowboy" or "No More Bull", read this book to get an idea of the view from the other side.
   
   Well-written and researched.



5. Miss fussell's book starts out in a relatively interestingly way, and that rapidly turns south with allot of repetition.
   
   Further she seems to have an aversion to giving true credit to the Men that built this wonderful industry into what is was and is today.
   
   Al in all a boring read that I simply through away after 30 pages.
   
   Spend you money elsewhere....

5 comments about Morton's Steak Bible: Recipes and Lore from the Legendary Steakhouse.

1. Great find! Especially if Morton's is a favorite spot for steaks etc. The recipes are straight forward and anyone who thinks a great steak is hard to prepare will be surprised. The secret as you can see with this "bible" is not to "over-do" it with spices, marinades etc., let the flavor of the beef shine through. Highly reccommended.



2. I bought this book this book because I love their Tuna tartare and I wanted to make it at home... to my disappointment it wasn't there!
   the rest of the book was great



3. I bought the book hoping to learn more about cooking steaks. This book does not live up to the name "Steak Bible". As another reviewer pointed out, there are only a handful of pages about steaks. The other recipes look interesting and worthy of a try. In my opinion, the book is worth half the price. The other half is paid for the "Morton" name.



4. This cookbook is beautifully done. Great pictures, clear instructions, and recipes are genuine. If you want to learn some of Morton's secrets, this book is for you.



5. I absolutely love this cookbook~! It's great~ The seller did a great job getting it to me quickly & without damamge. Great transaction. Thanks~!

5 comments about Just Jerky : The Complete Guide to Making It.

1. With the price of store bought going through the roof, and God-knows-what they put in some brands, this book is great! If YOU make it, You know whats in it and how old it is!



2. Great recipes, small size to keep handy, excellent book.
   
   2 thumbs up, very glad we bought it when we bought our dehydrator.
   
   Enjoy!



3. My husband loves Jerky, so I thought that he could use a book with plenty of ideas to help him take the plunge and make some himself.
   He has yet to make any, but the book is not to blame, as it has lots of ideas and easy recipes.
   I recommend this for anyone who wants to try and make their own Jerky, all you need is a conventional oven, or a dehydrator if you want to get fancy (He has one!)



4. This is a good book for starters. This was a gift along with the Nesco dehydrator and it has good recipes in it for the starter. Very easy and informative.



5. Bought this for my husband, big jerky fan. He says the book is really good for recipes for marinating the meat, however he prefers the ground meat with the jerky making kit. It's faster, I think that's the biggest reason.

5 comments about Miss Vickie's Big Book of Pressure Cooker Recipes.

1. This cookbook, designed specifically for the pressure cooker, is a treasure trove of recipe collections, noteworthy heirloom stories and great hints and tips for the beginner who is just starting out with a pressure cooker.
   
   I own three cookers and have used them for many years. I use one strictly for doggie stew (thanks to Vickie's website for more great recipes for dogs!) and I use the other two for my cooking for the two legged members of the family.
   
   There's no comparison with today's modern pressure cookers to those of yesterday. They are safe and FAST and I love the fact that you can cook just about anything in them. My husband's favorite is Risotto.. and he is extremely fussy about his Risotto. My pressure cooker serves up Risotto in 7 minutes and I have never once failed to deliver creamy, delicious Italian rice - perfect everytime.
   
   This book makes it easy to understand and is a huge collection of proper cooking times, terms, equipment and much more.
   
   Some criticism on the fact that there are no pictures, but I LOVE THAT part of the book. Less fluff and more substance.. if you want pictures, buy a camera and submit them to Vickie.
   
   Cheers and happy steaming!



2. I just purchased a Fagor pressure cooker and wasn't too impressed with the recipe book that came with it. This book is great, with complete pressure cooker instructions and tips and easy recipes for everyday food that do not require a lot of special ingredients. if you are a pressure cooker novice like I am, you will love this book!



3. This book has a lot of information (sometimes it is repeated several times...) and even at full editor price, it's good value.
   
   I did not give it 5 stars because so many of the recipes have as ingredients cans of soup (chicken soup, mushroom soup, celery). They don't save a lot of time saving to the picture when I look at the recipe times, just ingredients I am not crazy about to begin with.
   
   I have been using pressure cookers since 1988. I have both this book and Lorna Sass (Pressure Perfect). They are very different in styles. Miss Vickie's is like cooking homely stuff with your Mom / Grandma, with a little story about how each recipe came about. There are recipes from the 50's, the 60's. It's a bit of trip back in time as she is sharing her "Family recipe shoe box".
   On the other hand, Lorna Sass recipes are more "in" in a way. Very Manhattan.
   I like both books, they are just completely different.



4. Being new to pressure cooking, I was looking for a cookbook that covered a variety of items. This book met that criteria. I was disappointed, however, that the author omitted pictures.



5. This is a really big cookbook, with lots of great receipes. Haven't had nearly enough time to try a large portion of them, but have been pleased so far. Shipping was fast, and the book was in good condition.

5 comments about Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes.

1. I havent made any of the burgers yet, but each and
   everyone look great! Milks shakes are even better.



2. We love Bobby Flay. We go to his restaurants whenever we visit New York. This cookbook is great. My wife has already marked all her favorite recipes. It's a summer staple. Keeps the family happy. Bobby knows how to really eat good.



3. Bobby Flay brings the burger to a new level by offering many twists of flavors and color to the classic burger.Depending on your mood and tastes you can adjust your spices and cheese and have a different meal every time.
   Milkshakes and french fries are discussed as well.



4. Got the guys coming over for the Super Bowl, or the NBA Playoffs? Well, surprise them with a meal out of Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes! It has quite a few really great recipes that are fairly simple, and yet produce really exciting results - burgers that will please the most discerning palates!
   
   Do yourself, and the men in your life, a favor, and buy this book!
   
   (Review of Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes)



5. Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries and Shakes is the first cookbook I've ever purchased (I usually watch Food Network and/or scour the Internet for recipes) and I am extremely pleased.
   
   Last night, I prepared an excellent trifecta of Flay's recipes including the Philadelphia Burger, Perfect French Fries and Dark Chocolate Milkshake with "Fluffy" Coconut Cream. Served along with the Homemade Dill Pickles I had prepared the day before, my wife and I enjoyed a truly inspired meal. Assembling this feast was no small task, it required a dose of prep work and a heaping of forethought (translated as nearly two hours of time in the kitchen, although perhaps this owes more to the fact that I consume voluminous amounts of beer and wine while cooking), but the rewarding meal was well worth the effort (my wife even took pictures of our bountiful feast).
   
   In this book you will find recipes for burgers, fries and shakes as clearly advertised; yet Flay shares much more, including condiment, seasoning and pickling recipes--more than enough to use with the recipes included and as a springboard for creations of your own. The recipes and their instructions are laid out simply alongside anectodotal commentary by Flay and plenty of full color photos to make your mouth water and confound your ability to decide between this or that.