South's Best Butts

April 15, 2017

For chef and food writer Moore (A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen), pork butt is the cornerstone of good barbecue. To collect the stories and recipes that fill this evocative cookbook, he traveled throughout the American South visiting acclaimed eateries Burn Co. Barbecue, Tulsa, OK; Wilber's Barbecue, Goldsboro, NC; and Big Butts BBQ, Leachville, AR. Readers will need to know how to use a smoker before tackling regional specialties such as Bogart's pork butt, spicy Korean pork, and Peak Brothers chipped mutton. In the hours it will take for the meat to become meltingly tender, they can sample quicker recipes for unique sauces (mustard bbq sauce), sides (B-Daddy's jalapeno creamed corn), and desserts (caramel apple blondie pie). Also included is a sizeable selection of leftover-friendly recipes, such as smoked brisket pho and barbecue pot pie with cheese grits crust. VERDICT The breadth of recipes here will satisfy both barbecue traditionalists and trailblazers. Highly recommended.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 3, 2017
The pork butt (aka Boston butt), a cut favored by barbecuers for its delicious ratio of fat to muscle and its forgiving nature, gets a smoky valentine from southern chef Matt Moore (A Southern Gentleman’s Kitchen) in this toothsome collection. Though he’s got plenty of experience manning a pit, Moore modestly opts to take readers on a tour of some of the South’s best locations for barbecued pork butt, highlighting key purveyors as well as the cut’s versatility and including plenty of must-try sides along the way. Readers may be surprised at the simplicity of many of the recipes here—most consist of a simple rub and recommendations for a specific type of smoking wood—but those following Moore’s smoking advice are sure to wind up happy and full. There are plenty of options for sides and appetizers while readers are waiting for their pork to get done: dry-rubbed smoked chicken wings, grilled potato salad, jalapeño creamed corn, beer-batter fried pickles, and bacon and corn hush puppies. Moore acts as a guide and mentor, explaining why certain ingredients and techniques work, offering a handful of iconic regional sauces, and addressing the unforgivable sin of including liquid smoke. This terrific tour is sure to inspire readers to fire up the smoker.