Review (and giveaway!) of Planet Barbecue by Steven Raichlen
*See the bottom of the review for the giveaway information
Planet Barbecue is an all-new, globe spanning cookbook from Steven Raichlen. It follows the format of his other "big" books, Barbecue Bible
, How to Grill
, and BBQ USA
. It is a monster of a book. Stephen leaves no stone unturned in his worldwide search for recipes.
*He has said that he is going to step away from grilling books for a while; he thinks he has covered the topic in depth, and wants to try something new. I thought the same thing...two books ago. Stephen keeps finding new places to explore, and sniffing out new grilling recipes. So, here's my personal plea. Stephen! Don't go! We still need you!
This book is stuffed with inspiration for a griller looking for something new to try. I've got two dozen recipes tabbed for future use...and that's only because I ran out of tabs.
I've already tried out some of these recipes; I was inspired by his section on Brazilian churrascarias. See my posts for Rotisserie Chicken Legs and Picanha. I can't wait to branch out into other sections of the book.
My only quibble with Planet Barbecue is the index. Specifically, there is no separate listing of rotisserie recipes in the index. (Or spit-roast recipes, as Stephen calls them). As my long-time readers know, I live for new rotisserie recpies. Stephen has always had strong rotisserie selections in his cookbooks, and I was worried he abandoned me. I shouldn't have doubted him; he has more rotisserie recipes in this book than in any other book he's published. But the only way to find them is to read through the entire book.
*Not that this was a great hardship - I couldn't put it down.
**Yes, I read entire cookbooks. I skim the recipes by reading the recipe header to get a feel for it, and to see if I want to read the specifics of how it is done.
Planet Barbecue, like all of Stephen's cookbooks, has a lot of non-recipe information in it.I love his profiles of famous grillers and their restaraunts. His country overviews, where he explains the grilling culture of a specific country, are worth the price of the book alone. The amount of research that went into this book is staggering
*He also has a strong opening section where he explains the basics of grilling. His How To Grill is the best intro to grilling I've found, but this book wouldn't leave a beginner out in the cold. There is enough basic information for them to be able to get started.
Planet Barbecue Giveaway
As you can probably tell, I loved this book. I contacted the publisher, Workman, to see if I could get a copy for a giveaway. They were very generous - they gave me THREE copies. It's giveaway time!
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment with your most inventive grilling recipe. One entry per person, and please make sure there is some way I can get in touch with you through the comment. (In other words...no anonymous comments, unless you identify yourself in the text of the comment.) Entries will be closed at 9PM EST on Sunday, June 6th and I will randomly select three lucky winners at that point. The winners will be announced Sunday. Good luck!
[Update 6/6/2010]: We have our winners! Random.org picked comments #10 (Alex), #6 (Pat) and #8 (Chris). Please email me with your contact information, so I can send you the cookbooks! Use the "Email DadCooksDinner" link in my profile on the top right of the page.
[FCC Disclosure: I received three free copies of this book for my giveaway.]
Steven Raichlen: Planet Barbecue
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Mia Pata
One of my favorite grilling recipes is grilling eggplant. Wash eggplant and poke a couple of times with a fork or knife. Grill with skins on turn with thongs when the skin is charred. When all sides are charred we put it in a metal bowl to cool. Carefully remove the charred skin.
You can make baba ghanoush or our favorite is a Filipino dish my family calls "pooky pooky". Coarsely chop the grilled eggplant. Add coarsely chopped tomatoes and snipped scallions or chives. Add a couple tablespoons of fish sauce (depending on your taste or amount of eggplant). This is delicious at room temp or straight from the fridge. Great side dish with steak or chicken on the grill.
homelessgaffer
garlic butter portabellos with grilled asparagas, bell pepper salad and a red raspberry vinegarette.
so good.
Alex
I am still relatively new to the grill. Well, new to anything beyond burgers and dogs. But I did decide to jazz up some baby back ribs by making a blackberry bbq sauce with the abundant blackberries we had last year.
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp bacon fat
I used 2 pints blackberries
1/2 c blackberry preserves (I did have home made preserves, but store bought would be fine)
2 chilies in adobo sauce, chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup mustard
I carmelized the onions in the bacon fat for about 20-30 minutes, then added the remaining ingredients and cooked down on low heat, stirring frequently. When the berries were broken up, I strained the bbq sauce and slathered the ribs. It was delicious and has become one of our favorite bbq sauces.
http://www.laundryandvodka.com
Chris
Looks like a great book to inspire a summer full of BBQs! My most 'inventive' recipe is not so much inventive as just down right delicious (always!): grilled Moroccan spice-rubbed chicken thighs.
David
Actually, the most inventive thing i've tried was to grill potatoes after tossing them with a little S&P and olive oil. they turned out pretty good, actually. smaller potatoes are a must.
Erin from Long Island
oh, what a great thing to win! I took so long to get grilling this year. I need motivation!
Um...inventive? Hmm...I made a great pizza with 2 kinds of goat cheese, garden herbs, black olives, and red onions. I have also done grilled peppers. chicken, and pineapple specifically for the best damned quesadillas you will ever eat. Oh...and grilled peaches and nectarines that getr topped with nutella to make an oozy delicious mess. yeah, its pretty good
Pat
I would love to win a copy of the book! One of my most inventive grilling recipes.....Grilled Green Tomatoes. I've always loved fried green tomatoes and was looking for a healthier way to cook them. Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thickness, coat both sides with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Grill about 3 minutes over direct medium heat, flip and repeat. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. They are now a family favorite!
Cheryl
I think the most inventive thing we have tried on the grill is BBQed Bacon Wrapped Scotch Eggs.
We raise our own organic chickens and quail and we are always trying to be innovative with recipes. So we came up with this idea and the results were out of this world.
1)Boil 12 quail eggs. Cool and then peel.
2) make 12 sausage patties large enough to wrap around eggs. Then just cover egg and seal seam.
3) Place the raw bacon in a + cross pattern and lay sausage ball in the middle. Now just fold bacon across top of ball.
4) place on grill and turn frequently to even cook all sides. You are just cooking the bacon and sausage cause the egg is already cooked.
These are so great dipped in a stone ground mustard sauce.
yakalom
So far, I think the most inventive thing we've done has been grilled fruit! Thanks for your book reviews, we bought the BBQ25 book and loved it!
Jim Ranalli
I'm a huge fan of Stephen Raichlen's How to Grill. It's the only resource I go to more frequently for grilling ideas than this blog. My wife bought me a copy for my 40th birthday three years ago and I've been gradually grilling my way through it with the goal of trying every recipe. Haven't come across a dud yet.
I don't have a specific recipe to share but can relate a few ideas and experiences. Since reading an influential article in the NY Times Style Section a while back, I've been experimenting a lot grilling with wood instead of charcoal. A local landscaping company where we live sells a variety of nice cooking woods, from the stronger oak and hickory to the milder apple. It takes a bit more time and technique, but I love the flavor it imparts to meat, fish or poultry. Also, it brings me back to my days as a Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia, where I was first introduced to wood-fired grilling in the South African tradition of braaivleis.
In addition, I like experimenting with different meats. My Africa experience left me with an enduring taste for goat: it's similar to lamb but leaner and sometimes a bit tougher depending on the age of the animal, but for my money there are few things tastier cooked over an open flame with just a bit of Piri Piri seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.
Speaking of goat, I've just returned from Portugal, where it's sold in supermarkets, and where my wife's family own a farm at the foot of the Serra da Estrela mountains in the north. My in-laws recently installed an outdoor grill and wood-fired oven, and I had the chance to show off my newly acquired skills. (The local hardwood there is Eucalyptus, which I found very mild.) Over several stomach-stuffing days, I grilled pork chops, rabbit and polenta, and in the oven we made bread, lamb and suckling pig. The key seasonings were classic Meditteranean: olive oil, garlic, rosemary, paprika and white wine. Again, I'd share recipes if I had any, but these folks don't use them. It's all done by eye and to taste.
A Year on the Grill
I am a big fan, would love something to read while trapped without my grill (only 74 more days till I get my grill back)
You asked for inventive, on my nlog last year, I made phyllo dough stuffed fake pralines in my smoker
starcrest86
This definitely sounds like fun... and good food... It is good to have a reference from so many countries. Everywhere I visit i think... how do they do that... perhaps maybe now I will get a hint.