The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining: Spirited Recipes and Expert Tips for Barbecuing, Charcoal and Gas Grilling, Rotisserie Roasting, Smo

by Bill Jamison and Cheryl Alters Jamison

America's outdoor cooking experts Cheryl and Bill Jamison have something big to say. So it takes a book this big to hold it all. They have put their knowledge about outdoor cooking and entertaining into one gigantic, colossal, humongous, comprehensive guide. Bursting with more than 850 recipes and hundreds of tips and how-tos for grilling, barbecuing, smoking, rotisserie roasting, planking, big-pot frying, and boiling, The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060737840
• ISBN13: 9780060737849
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 548 Pages
• Weight: 3.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 8.4" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Exploring Outdoor Cooking at Its Flavorful Best!

This book was written to clear up some misunderstandings about grilling, and it exceeds in a winsome and delightful fashion! Many wrongly think anything on a grill = grilling. This is dispelled and corrected with this book, so get it to learn on! It is about flavor at the right temp to match with the ingredient being cooked, and here is the full range of methods and equipment: planking and big-pot frying and boiling and charcoal and gas and fire-pit and rotisserie and smoking and deep frying, et al. It is a big collection well done! Idea is to dine and cook together outside and enjoy, so exploring new recipes, new methods, new equipment, will inspire and delight the cook and the fed, plus there are recipes for sides and desserts which require inside type preparation. It's almost 600 pages of advice and inspiration to take the journey. From the plethora of offerings here thus far, I've sampled only a few but they were outstanding: Salmon Fillets with Chile Honey Butter; Grilled Lamb Chops with Dill Yogurt Sauce; Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches; The pleasure from trying these mouth watering delights is the vast untried collection that now awaits. This is truly nice addition to the seasonsed griller as purchase or gift, as well as for the novice or in-betweener. Only downer which would have spiced up this offering is some color photos.

A must-have for the outdoor chef

To say this book is complete is an understatement. I bought this book after using their "Smoke & Spice" book for several years. "S & S" is strictly about low and slow cooking of beef and pork, while this one is much more broad, with excellent recipes and ideas for entertaining. If you're mainly concerned with making great BBQ pork and beef, I'd start with the "Smoke & Spice" book. The rubs and sauces recipes are super. But my guess is you'll soon graduate to this book if you like outdoor cooking and like to entertain.

Authoritative, thorough and friendly

With 850 recipes, including 200 sauces and rubs, big and thorough are the operative words for this James Beard Award-winning team's latest (after "Good times, Good Grilling"). They begin with solid definitions of the various outdoor techniques. Grilling, for instance, is always done over direct heat, with the cover up. Does that mean you can't make beer can chicken? Sure you can, but don't call it grilled. Actually in the Jamisons' version it's smoked and takes leisurely hours. Then there's rotisserie roasting, planking, and big-pot frying (corn dogs, catfish, fried Oreos) or boiling or steaming (blue crabs, lobster). But the majority of receipes employ their favorite cooking method - grilling. There's even a skewered grilled cheese sandwich appetizer and grilled fruit parfaits in addition to authoritative instructions on grilling burgers, steaks with mouthwatering sauces, suckling pig, ribs, game, and poultry of all kinds and cuts. In addition to Smoked Beef Tenderloin, Ground Lamb Kebabs with Black Olive and Lemon Relish, and Planked Salmon, the Jamisons also include chapters on drinks, vegetables (Middle Eastern Peppers with Pomegranate Sauce, French Fries, Lacquered Tofu and Vegetable Skewers), breads, salads and desserts. Geared to entertaining, most recipes serve six or more. The tone is opinionated, knowledgeable and friendly and we amateurs are encouraged to be creative and reflect our own flair and taste as long as we can refrain from doing anything scandalous, like flattening burgers with the spatula. There are menus scattered throughout as well as boxed party tips, variations, and sidebars. Recipes cover an international gamut and all occasions from holiday parties to backyard picnics. A primer on grills and smokers explains what to look for and even includes brand names. Dare I say it? This could be the only American outdoor cookbook you'll ever need. --Portsmouth Herald

Satisfy your hunger for the best

The Jamisons have done it again. If anyone knows grilling and bbq-ing and entertaining it's this amazing couple. This book is a great collection of classic recipes, many with an unsual twist. Not to mention the drinks, the rubs, marinades. Ilove to entertain out int he backyard, and I think it's the best book on outdoor entertaining perhaps ever. It's a party from the very first page. I can't recommend it enough.

Tips, advice, mouthwatering recipes, and entertaining writing make this a hit

I was absolutely thrilled to get a chance to read this new cookbook. I don't entertain as much as I'd like, but I love to eat simple and hearty foods everyday, and this book has some amazingly creative ideas for things that just about anyone could make, but I never would have come up with on my own. The book starts with spice blends, rubs, marinades, salsas, relishes and sauces, and has some great ideas for spice mixes you can make in advance and keep on hand, and loads of tips for getting the best flavor and texture out of your food. Blazing Hot Guava-Habanero Hot Sauce, and Scandinavian Sugar and Spice are just two of the great recipes you'll find in this section. Then they move on to some really fun sounding party drinks and appetizers to get the party started (Gingered Thai Iced Tea, anyone?).Toasted Pecan and Blue Cheese spread, Cheddar Chutney Puffs, and Caramelized Brie are three of the mouthwatering recipes. Then comes the meat of the book, literally. Pizzas, Tapas, Sandwiches, Fish, and each major kind of meat each get a large chapter, followed by salads, pastas, and then desserts (White Chocolate Custard Ice Cream - oh my!). This is a huge and highly useful book. I love that the ingredients are just exotic enough to make things interesting, but not so exotic that I can't find them in my small town. They have a wonderful mix of uniquely American foods and loads of neat foods with an ethnic twist.