The Barbecue Lover's Big Book of BBQ Sauces

July 6, 2015
The Jamisons, powerhouse authors of seven collections on grilling and barbecue, take a deconstructive turn here, advising how to create a Thai-style white-hot peppercorn rub, a Peruvian marinade, and 223 more sauces, mops, rubs, and other condiments, but stopping short of providing actual grilling instructions once the spice has been applied. The essential principle of this work is nicely spelled out in the introduction: "A concoction that works great on a pork dish won't necessarily taste equally right on a hamburger, chicken breast, or ear of corn." Thus, the chapters are arranged by what is being sauced, rather than what type of sauce is being built. Pork, beef, poultry, fish, game, vegetable, and fruit are the substrates, each receiving its own appropriate spectrum of flavorings. Among the diverse sauce offerings for pork are pomegranate cream, rye whiskey and maple, and ginger-tangerine. Toppings for veggies include a smoky sweet paprika rub, spicy hummus sauce, and blood orange mayonnaise. The authors also toss in over 50 "spicing tips," with suggestions ranging from the proper wood to use when smoking fish to which outdoor cooking tools one should always have on hand.

June 15, 2015

The increased availability of spices and flavoring ingredients inspired Santa Fe-based barbecue masters Cheryl and Bill Jamison (Smoke & Spice) to develop this sauce cookbook, which covers dry rubs, marinades, bastes, mops, and more. They've grouped 225 recipes (e.g., buttery Cabernet baste, Peruvian marinade, Thai-style white-hot peppercorn rub, tangy dulce de leche) into chapters named for main ingredient pairings (e.g., "Beefing up Beef and Bison," "Singular Seasonings for Fish and Shellfish," "Vegetable Love"), making it easy for readers to vary their favorite grilled, smoked, and barbecued foods. Some recipes can be mixed and used immediately, while others will need to mingle or marinate for up to several hours. VERDICT The Jamisons' latest provides straightforward instruction on how to effortlessly enliven your outdoor cooking.

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