Project Smoke

May 2, 2016
Raichlen begins this work, a companion cookbook to his latest TV series, with a sage observation: “Smoking is easy, but it isn’t always simple.” Employing a variety of charts and instructional photos, he offers a path to glory with his “Seven Steps to Smoking Nirvana,” where such topics as proper choice of wood and correct steps for lighting a fire are meditated upon. For good measure, he adds his 10 commandments of smoking (such as “Low and slow is the way to go”). Then, the recipes. To be clear, this is all smoke all the time with everything; even the coleslaw, the cocktails, and the ice cream get the smoke treatment. Give Raichlen a round of mozzarella and he’ll lay it onto lit coals, imparting a smoky flavor to the cheese before it has time to melt. Pork shoulder and beef ribs are among the many classic grillables offered, and Raichlen discusses the merits of wrapping a brisket in foil during smoking—a technique known as the Texas crutch.

June 1, 2016
Raichlen brings an encyclopedic knowledge of live-fire cooking to this exhaustive guide on smoking foods, a follow-up to his television series with the same name. The first chapter is a detailed lesson in the essentials of proper smoking, covering the types of smokers, fuels, techniques, and methods to achieving smoked flavor, plus many tips and handy charts (wood types, temperatures). Raichlen, whose cookbooks include Planet Barbecue! (2010) and How to Grill (2001), strikes a conversational tone: he's a natural teacher and leads off each recipe with a tantalizing story. Several are adapted from chefs he's visited in restaurants around the country and worldbarbecued lamb belly from Brooklyn, beechwood-smoked shrimp from Denmark, and even smoked eggs from Israel. Project Smoke faithfully handles classics like smoked ribs, pork shoulder, and salmon, but also gleefully forays into unexpected categories like cheese, desserts, and cocktails. An excellent how-to for those fired up about smoke.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)