Celebrating Barbecue - by Dotty Griffith (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Like jazz, barbecue is a uniquely American original, and few subjects ignite more passion, excitement, controversy, and competition. In Celebrating Barbecue, Dotty Griffith, restaurant critic for The Dallas Morning News, gives readers the lowdown on real barbecue, identifying the four great regional styles of American 'cue (Carolina, Memphis, Texas, and Kansas City), as well as what Griffith calls "micro-styles" like Santa Maria Beef Barbecue or St. Louis Barbecued Snouts. Though reducing barbecue to a set of rules and specifications is, as Griffith says, "like teaching a cat to bark," Celebrating Barbecue attempts (and succeeds!) in doing just that, beginning with the history of barbecue, defining each region's preferences for meat, fuel, and seasonings. There are classic authentic recipes for slow-cooked meats such as Texas Brisket and North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork, with cooking temperatures, seasonings, woods, and techniques (including fail-safe techniques for bad weather or uncooperative equipment or fuels) explained in detail. Griffith includes recipes for mops, rubs, sauces, and marinades, as well as sources for ready-made flavor enhancers. A full complement of appetizers, sides, and desserts rounds out the more than 85 recipes. Menus are provided for each regional style so you can create your own barbecue feast. Travelers will find lists of barbecue restaurants, cook-offs, and festivals, and stay-at-homes will find the best places to mail-order 'cue, as well as a directory of pit masters and a section on cookers.

Opinionated and informed, Celebrating Barbecue is written with wit, passion, and verve. A pleasure to read and to cook from, it's the only book you'll need to enjoy this most American of foods.

Review Quotes

Jim "Trim" Tabb of Tabby's Dotty Griffith very effectively blows aside the smoke of barbecue to show how eclectic this old and controversial subject can be.

Jim White "CBS Radio Dallas, The KRLD Restaurant Show with Jim White""Celebrating Barbecue" is filled with great recipes and 'cue rivalries. Get ready to take a delicious journey of discovery across America for the best barbecue you ever wrapped your lips around!

John Egerton author of "Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History" Dotty Griffith deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for attempting to bring the warring tribes of American barbecue into a demilitarized pit zone for a serious exchange of meats and sauces. Only the most narrow-minded true believer could resist her ecumenical appeal to the higher virtues of pan-American 'cue.

John F. Mariani food and travel columnist for "Esquire" magazine; author of "The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink" and coauthor of "Grilling for Dummies" A lot of grilling books have gotten away from where the real focus on outdoor cooking should be -- celebrating barbecue -- which just happens to be the title and great appeal of Dotty Griffith's delectably comprehensive and rigorously authentic book on America's greatest contribution to the culinary arts.

Michael LeMaster of the Pit Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse Yee-haw! "Celebrating Barbecue" is a hoot and holler!

Paul Kirk author of "Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces""Celebrating Barbecue" has what I look for in a cookbook. It's not just a barbecue cookbook, it's history and tradition. It's a celebration of some great food and gives you the means and direction to achieve great barbecue yourself. It will be one of my prized cookbooks in my collection of over two thousand.

Smoky Hale author of "The Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual""Celebrating Barbecue" reeks of barbecue aromas and of Dotty Griffith's reportorial skill and writing expertise. Her enthusiasm for barbecue glistens and gleams like the glaze on a gorgeous goody from a gourmet's grill.

W. Park Kerr founder, El Paso Chile Company, and distiller, Tequila Nacional BBQ: it's not about a food, it's about a lifestyle. In "Celebrating Barbecue, " Dotty tempts, teases, torments, and slow-cooks us through the world of 'cue. She leaves me with four questions: Memphis or Kansas City ribs, Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding or Fried Fruit Pies for dessert, how soon can I get the grill going, and does she offer home delivery?

About the Author

Dotty Griffith is the dining editor and restaurant critic of The Dallas Morning News, and has judged numerous recipe contests. She is the author of nine cookbooks, including The Texas Holiday Cookbook, and has written for magazines, including Gourmet and Travel & Leisure. She lives in Dallas, Texas.