The Barbeque Bible by Steven Raichlen

The Barbeque Bible by Steven Raichlen was a Christmas gift to me from a co-worker. I have been using this book for a couple of years and I love it. Mr. RAichlen includes some great recipes from all over the world. This makes the title a bit misleading, since barbecue is an American phenomenon.

What this book has is grilling. Most people refer to any form of grilling outdoors as barbecuing, so I can forgive him for the mass marketing appeal.

He travelled the six continents gathering recipes, reaching across many styles of cuisine from Afghanistani to Uraguayan. Most of the spices are obtainable in the US, although he admits that some must be found in specialty ethnic markets. For spices that cannot be found in the US, he suggests alternatives.

I like how he includes every aspect of a meal for an outdoor party. He starts with mixed drinks then goes to appetizers, salads and the different kinds of meat.

Since he does call it "The Barbecue Bible", he includes many recipes from the American styles of barbecue. My favorites are the Memphis and Texas styles. He includes home made sauces and rubs. He also gives a good disertation on the history and differences in the four styles as well as pointers for grilling and smoking.