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The definitive how-to guide for anyone passionate about grilling, from the newest beginner to the most sophisticated chef. (Tom Colicchio, Think like a Chef)
Master the techniques that make barbecue great with this indispensable show-and-tell by Steven Raichlen. Using more than 1,000 full-color, step-by-step photographs, How to Grill covers it all, from how to build an ingenious three-zone fire to the secrets of grilling a porterhouse, prime rib, fish steak, kebab, or chicken breast. Plus the perfect burger. Includes 100 recipes - one to illustrate each technique - with memorably delicious results!
SERVES 4 / YOU'LL NEED: 4 bricks, each wrapped in aluminum foil; oak chunks for building the fire, or 2 cups wood chips (preferably oak), soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover, then drained
2 large, whole, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 to 16 ounces each) or 4 half breasts (each half 6 to 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. If using whole breasts, cut each in half. Trim any sinews or excess fat off the chicken breasts and discard. Rinse the breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the breasts on both sides with the salt, cracked black pepper, and hot red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the breasts with the garlic and rosemary, patting them on with your fingers. Arrange the breasts in a non-reactive baking dish. Pour the lemon juice and oil over them and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning several times.
2. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. In the best of all worlds, you'd build your fire with oak chunks. Alternatively, use gas or charcoal, plus soaked wood chips for smoke. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke.
3. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. If using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Arrange the chicken breasts on the hot grate, all facing the same direction, at a 45 degree angle to the bars of the grate. Place a brick on top of each. Grill the breasts until cooked, 4 to 6 minutes per side, rotating the breasts 90 degrees after 2 minutes on each side to create an
GETTING STARTED
BEEF AND VEAL
PORK AND SAUSAGES
LAMB
CHICKEN AND MORE
FISH
SHELLFISH
VEGETABLES PLUS
DESSERTS
RUBS, SAUCES, AND CONDIMENTS
GRILLS AND GEAR
"Without a doubt the most interesting, comprehensive, and well-thought-out book on grilling ever...and it's destined to be in the kitchens and backyards of both professionals and home cooks. Every detail is made clear and easy in a concise and inspirational way. Spark it up!"
—Mario Batali, Molto Mario (The Food Network), Mario Batali's Simple Italian Food
"Steven Raichlen has done it again!...lending his endless rsearch and knowledge to the world of grilling. Grab this book to help you make mouthwateringly good food."
—Todd English, The Olives Table
SERVES 4 / YOU'LL NEED: 4 bricks, each wrapped in aluminum foil; oak chunks for building the fire, or 2 cups wood chips (preferably oak), soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover, then drained 2 large, whole, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 to 16 ounces each) or 4 half breasts (each half 6 to 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. If using whole breasts, cut each in half. Trim any sinews or excess fat off the chicken breasts and discard. Rinse the breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the breasts on both sides with the salt, cracked black pepper, and hot red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the breasts with the garlic and rosemary, patting them on with your fingers. Arrange the breasts in a non-reactive baking dish. Pour the lemon juice and oil over them and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning several times.
2. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. In the best of all worlds, you'd build your fire with oak chunks. Alternatively, use gas or charcoal, plus soaked wood chips for smoke. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke.
3. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. If using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Arrange the chicken breasts on the hot grate, all facing the same direction, at a 45 degree angle to the bars of the grate. Place a brick on top of each. Grill the breasts until cooked, 4 to 6 minutes per side, rotating the breasts 90 degrees after 2 minutes on each side to create an attractive cross-hatch of the grill marks. To test for doneness, poke a breast in the thickest part with your finger. It should feel firm to the touch. Transfer the breasts to plates or a platter and serve at once.
MEXICAN MUSHROOMS
SERVES 4 / YOU'LL NEED: Grill wok or skillet or 10 to 12 bamboo skewers, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover, then drained; 1 cup wood chips (preferably oak), unsoaked; spray oil (optional)
1 pound mixed mushrooms (preferably exotic mushrooms, including shiitakes, morels, oyster mushrooms, hedgehog mushrooms, lobster mushrooms, and the like)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, grilled (page 393), seeded, and diced
1 medium onion, quartered, grilled (page 380), and diced
2 jalapeño peppers or more to taste, grilled, sliced crosswise, and seeded (for a hotter mixed grill, leave the seeds in)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus small sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons lime juice
Thin lime slices, for garnish
1. Set up the grill for direct grilling (see page 10 for charcoal or page 16 for gas) and preheat to high. If using a gas grill, place the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 17) and preheat until you see smoke.
2. Using a damp paper towel, wipe the mushrooms clean. Trim the mushrooms and cut any large ones in half or quarters, so that all are roughly the same size. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals.
3. "Stir-grill" method: Place the grill wok on the grill to preheat. When ready to cook, lightly spray the wok with oil, removing it from the grill when you do so. Toss the mushrooms with the oil and add them to the wok. Grill until the mushrooms are nicely browned, 6 to 10 minutes, shaking the wok and stirring the mushrooms with tongs to ensure even grilling (use a grill mitt to handle the wok). Generously season the mushrooms with salt and pepper as they grill.
Skewer method: Skewer the mushrooms as shown in Preparing the Mushrooms, Step 2 on the facing page. When ready to cook, brush one side of the mushrooms with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms 3 to 5 minutes per side, basting with oil before and after turning; when done the mushrooms will be browned and tender, 6 to 10 minutes in all.
4. Transfer the grilled mushrooms to a large bowl (unskewer if necessary). Stir in the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the lime slices and cilantro sprigs and serve at once.
Tip -- For extra flavor, I like to combine grilled mushrooms with grilled chiles, tomatoes, and onions. Grill them before you put on the mushrooms, as they take longer to cook and chop.
Variations: For additional flavor add minced garlic and chopped cilantro or parsley to the olive oil before tossing it with or brushing it on the mushrooms. For a more European version of this dish, toss or baste the mushrooms with the Garlic-Herb Butter or Tarragon Butter on page 450. Substitute grilled bell peppers for the jalapeños and parsley or basil for the cilantro. You can also add crisped bits of bacon or pancetta.
BASIL-GRILLED TUNA
4 tuna steaks (3/4 to 1 inch thick; 6 to 8 ounces each)
1 bunch fresh basil, washed and stemmed
4 cloves garlic, cut in half
3 strips lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon (3 to 4 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1. Trim any skin or dark or bloody spots off the tuna. Rinse the tuna under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Arrange the steaks in a nonreactive baking dish.
2. Combine the basil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour this mixture over the tuna and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 2 hours, turning the tuna steaks several times.
3. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. IF using a gas grill, place the wood chips, if desired, in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 17) and preheat until you see smoke. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. If using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips, if desired, on the coals. Drain the tuna steaks and arrange on the grill. Grill until cooked to taste, 2 to 3 minutes per side for rare, 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium, rotating the steaks 45 degrees after 2 minutes to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks. The steaks should be nicely browned on the outside. Test for doneness using the poke method (see page 55). A rare steak will be quite soft, with just a little resistance at the surface; a medium-rare steak will be gently yielding; and a medium steak will be quite firm. Transfer the steaks to plates or a platter and let rest for 3 minutes.
Joangel09
Posted November 12, 2009
This book was given as a Father's Day gift. As beginner and as a person who really doesn't like to cook this book was an inspiration. It shows all of the steps in preparing and grilling just about any food any person might want to grill for one person, a family or a large group.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.HudsonFoo
Posted April 11, 2010
My dad taught me the grilling basics, but I was interested in more advanced techniques like smoking and multi-zone fire pits. After reading the instructions in this book (and memorizing them, lol) I learned to gage the heat of the fire and the internal temp of the meat. Yesterday, I cooked a 12 pound pork shoulder for just over six hours on a charcoal grill and I have to admit... I made the best pulled pork I've ever had.
The instructions in this book are extremely clear and easily understood. The writer regularly references topics from previous pages for those that like to skim or need a quick refresher. Every topic (that I know of) is covered. This book is the next best thing to having a grill master stand next to you.
Don't forget that every grill is different. Where the book called for twelve coals added every hour, I had to add nearly 24 to keep the temperature up. Just a big grill I guess.
Enjoy the book, it's excellent!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I have watched cooking shows for years and have always had questions. I have to say that this book answers all of them. I have made about seven of the recipes and all of them were great and easy to follow in the book. I was never a great bbqer, but now I feel very confident. I highly recomend this book. Thank You Steven. Cookin Karen
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I thought I made good ribs,chicken and burgers, but after reading Steve's book, boy was I wrong! I wasn't marinating correctly and meats were tough, ribs not moist. I read the book over several days and fgured out how to properly do it and VOILA tasty moist food at long last!
Pics are very helpful in step/step prep.
My favorite BBQ book by far.Worth every(low priced) dollar.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I have this book handy every Friday when I am planning what I want to grill over the weekend. It provides inspiration on what to prepare. The instructions are clear and concise. The photos are extremely helpful. And the variety of options is nice. I have used it so much the binding is starting to break. Just one note. I use a Weber Performer charcoal grill and find the recipes easy to use.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 10, 2009
The great thing about this book is even if you are an experienced griller, it still gives you ideas on different receipies and techniques. I bought it to answer a few questions about grilling fish and I've learned a whole lot more. It has inspired me to try all sorts of new things instead of making the same dish the same way each time now I mix it up so that it keeps it interesting for the family eating the meals.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 3, 2006
As a begining griller, this book is just perfect for me. I love the Saffron-Grilled chicken and the Spatchcocked chicken recipes. And learning how to grill vegys was a bonus.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 2, 2006
I recently purchased this cookbook, anticipating warm weather and cooking outdoors. Although I have several cookbooks in my collection for grilling, I must say that this is the most comprehensive and easy to use cookbook that I have found. It is filled with recipes, tips and great advice from starting a grill to gas fired grills and cooking equipment. I like it because it really explains the technique of perfect grilling. There are tons of recipes which include grilling all the basics ¿ steaks, burgers, chicken, satays, wings, quail and turkey, pork every kind of fish you can imagine, shellfish from shrimp to clams. There is a section just on grilling vegetables - asparagus corn eggplant mushrooms, potatoes, pizza and quesadillas. Desserts such as grilled pineapples and pears, and S¿Mores are also included. I especially love the chapter on rubs, sauces, herbed butters, relishes and salsas. There are 498 pages of easy- to-read recipes and more than a 1000 photos so you can see how the recipe is made, step by step. So I do recommend this book very highly if you are interested in perfecting your grilling techniques or just looking for some new, delicious recipes for grilling with ease.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 15, 2006
The best grilling book out there. great for beginners as well as for the experienced grill meisters.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 2, 2005
He has truly turned backyard grilling into an art. With excellent techniques and some great recipes, this book is an ideal gift for the barbeque master in your house. The beer can chicken is excellent.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 11, 2005
Detailed, practical guide to grilling! Everything I need to know to prepare food for the grill. Includes cuts of meat, recipes, tips, illustrations, etc. It is one of the most informative cook books I've ever used.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 9, 2003
Colorful, plentiful illustrations -- step-by-step techniques (everything I could imagine needing to know) . . . plus recipes. Makes a great gift for anyone, especially a man. Nicely designed to appeal to all. Well done!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 18, 2003
This is quite simply the best grilling book available. You won't believe the compliments you'll receive after cooking some of the dishes in this book. The recipes are very interesting and extremely unique. Never would I have imagined grilling pizza until reading this book. It is superb. I've been grilling for 30 years and since receiving this book I have found a renewed passion. In summary: A great book for neophyte and veteran grillers.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 8, 2002
The day I came home with this book, my husband claimed it as his. Each recipe has step-by-step instructions with pictures, from starting the fire to garnishing. A great book for the amateur grill jockey or the accomplished grill master.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 24, 2011
We have this book in paper version and bought it to take it with us more easily because the book is rather large and heavy. The book will only open on my Nook. The Nook app for iPad will not allow the book to be viewed on the iPad.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 27, 2011
I have quite a small collection of grill books, but I needed help with smoker receipes. Good book for that in addition to authors expertise in all aspects of grilling.
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Posted October 5, 2011
I bought this book because of the seasonings. I have a hard time finding simple ways to season stuff..anything from vegetables to meat, and this book uses seasonings that I have at home, nothing fancy that I have to go track down.
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Posted September 16, 2011
Great from beginner to an experienced cook over fire. Very easy to follow. Great recipes and tips! Answers questions other books don't like should I or shouldn't I add unlit coals to a fire when cooking past 1 hour for beer can chicken, turkeys, pork shoulders, and differences of types of charcoal, etc. If you're beginning cooking over charcoal, a MUST READ with recipes. If you've cooked over it before, expands other options on food.
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Posted July 26, 2009
pretty neet book i used it afew times and it helped me alot , im a guy who hardly ever cooks with the book it was fairly easy
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Posted November 20, 2008
We use this at home all the time and it is pretty good.
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Overview
Without a doubt the most interesting, comprehensive, and well-thought-out book on grilling ever and it's destined to be in the kitchens and backyards of both professionals and home cooks. Every detail is made clear and easy in a concise and inspirational way. Spark it up! (Mario Batali, Molto Mario (The Food Network), Mario Batali's Simple Italian Food)
The definitive how-to guide for anyone passionate about grilling, from the newest beginner ...