New books

I got 3 books from Amazon yesterday. Links are here...

 

I can't bear to have another recipe book added to my 2-shelf collection, let alone 3 more, but these looked like they would have actual grilling techniques in them, and not just more ways to make a chicken.

I flipped through Mastering the Grill last night, and what impressed me was that for each recipe they have instructions for gas, charcoal, and wood grilling. The first 80 pages or so just describe technique, why rubs work better than marinades in some instances, etc. Kind of like Alton Brown, getting into the science of cooking and grilling. Personally, I think offering instructions on grilling over logs of wood is a bit narrow, but kudos to the authors for trying out all ways to cook.

The other two are written for Weber by Jamie Purviance, who's apparently quite the grilling guru. I was more interested in the charcoal book because that's where I need the most instruction. Still need lots of practice on the Summit 620 gas grill, but you don't have to monitor gas as much - there are a lot more variables with charcoal, and in the end I think I'll like charcoal grilling more because of the added flavor, plus the ability to do real slow BBQ and smoking.

The last Weber book was just cheaper when bought with the first Weber book, so why the hell not?

Looking to be a great weekend here in central NJ, with fireworks tonight and only Ratatouille on schedule for the weekend. Other than that, I plan on doing a lot of grilling and puttering around the house fixing things while smoking brisket on Sunday. Oh, and drinking... there will be beer. Come on down if you're hungry!