Author: Ron Booker

Ron is a grandfather, health law attorney, and pitmaster for the BBQ Posse competition barbecue cook-off team. He loves rising his 2009 H-D Fatboy and anything related to barbecuing and grilling.

Knife: Texas Steakhouse Meals at Home

Where’s the Beef? Tesar brings it with how to pick steaks, cook steaks, and eat steaks.

Writers: John Tesar and Jordan Mackay

Photographs: Kevin Marple

Publisher: Flatiron Books, NY 2017


Where’s the beef? From steaks to burgers, cuts, grading, cooking, sauces, and sides, John Tesar knows his stuff. And if you don’t like to read, it will have you drooling just looking at the pictures.

Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling

Best reference book on out-door cooking including techniques, science, equipment & tool evaluations, and recipes.

Writers: Craig “Meathead” Goldwyn and Greg Blonder, Ph.D.

Photographs: Craig “Meathead” Goldwyn

Publisher: A Rux Martin Book, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston/New York, 2016

Rating: 10

Founder of the best website dedicated to barbecue and grilling, amazingribs.com, Meathead approaches outdoor cooking with passion and science. He focuses on understanding why cooked meat tastes so wonderful and how anyone can produce it. He explains the science behind the magic in a way that is easy to understand while debunking common myths like letting meat come to room temperature before cooking. From smoke to meat to equipment to cooking techniques, this is my go to reference about anything having to do with outdoor cooking. It also includes some really good recipes.

Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto

From meager beginnings to barbecue rick star, Aaron Franklin shares his passions, techniques, and recipes.

Writers: Aaron Franklin & Jordan Mackay

Photographs: Wyatt McSpadden

Publisher: 10 Speed Press, Berkeley, 2015

Rating: 10

Aaron Franklin and his wife, Stacy, opened up a small barbecue trailer in Austin, Texas, in 2009. Now one of the most well know barbecue restaurants in the country, where people stand in line outside for hours just to get a plate of food, Aaron shares his story along with his techniques and recipes. An enjoyable read, a wonderful how-to guide, simple recipes. This is what barbecue is about.

Grilled Fish in Fig or Grape Leaves

  • 1 whole Talipia (fresh-water bass) per person
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Sumac
  • Sprig of thyme
  • Sprig of hyssop or oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
  • Fig or grape leaves (soak fig leaves in water for at least one hour). You can substitute aluminum foil.

Build a charcoal fire until ash white.

Brush the outside of each fish with olive oil. Season the fish with salt, black pepper, and sumac. Place a spring of thyme and a sprig of hyssop or oregano inside each fish (substitute dried spices if necessary). Wrap each fish in grape or fig leaves and secure with a toothpick or string.

Please fish wrapped in fig leaves or foil directly on the coals. Cook fish wrapped in fig leaves for 2-3 minutes on each side until the fish flakes with a knife and is white throughout. Cook fish wrapped in foil for 3-4 minutes.

Place fish wrapped in grape leaves on an oiled grill over the coals for 3-4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle fish with fresh lemon juice and enjoy.

Recipe adapted from:

Food at the Time of the Bible, Miriam Feinberg Vaosh.

The Food and Feasts of Jesus, Douglas Neel and Joel Pugh

Rib-Eye Steak Cooked in an Ice Chest

  • (2)6 2” Rib-eye steaks, prime
  • Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium shallot, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 sprigs thyme

Cook steaks in ice chest with water at 133 for 1 to 3 hours. (see Ice Chest Steak) Check water temperature every 30 minutes and add hot water as needed. Remove steaks from bags and pat dry.

Transfer steaks to a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Add shallot, garlic and thyme to a skillet and cook on high for 30 seconds. Pour over steaks. Transfer steaks to cutting board and serve. Transfer drippings from baking sheet to a grave bowl.

Enjoy!

Source: The Food Lab