Jay Ducote's Louisiana Outdoor Cooking - by Jay Ducote & Cynthia Lejeune Nobles (Hardcover)

About the Book

"From blackened peach and chicken salad to coconut chili-chocolate tarts and much in between, "Jay Ducote's Louisiana Outdoor Cooking" features 150 recipes easy enough to make in the backyard. It also tells the story of the winding road this Baton Rouge chef took to reach national culinary celebrity. Fans of the reality cooking show "Food Network Star" remember Ducote as the runner-up in season 11, a strong finish that led to appearances on "Chopped," "Cutthroat Kitchen," and many other programs, including a recent besting of Bobby Flay. Ducote's love of anything culinary started in college, when he cooked under the oak trees before LSU football games. Over the years, his popular tailgate parties showcased Cajun favorites, such as chicken and andouille gumbo, crawfish hushpuppies and fritters, grilled shrimp, and jambalaya, as well as a rich array of smoked and grilled meats. He went on to create specialty dishes including Barbecue Popcorn, Crawfish Etouffee Arancini, Loaded Barbecue Cheese Fries, Pimento Cheese Stuffed Jalapeänos, and his award-winning Blackberry Bourbon Bone-In Boston Butt. Now an in-demand caterer and media personality, Ducote follows the cooking philosophy that food should be as locally sourced as possible, and that it is important to layer flavors. He also celebrates the nuances of Louisiana's many craft beers and adult beverages. His cookbook provides readers with colorful tales from his career, tips for using regional ingredients, and succulent recipes for dishes and drinks to enjoy at their next tailgate, family get together, or whenever the weather feels right for cooking outside. "Jay Ducote's Louisiana Outdoor Cooking" celebrates the glories of barbecue pits, cast iron cauldrons, and propane burners, conveyed with passion for the foods, flavors, and cultures of south Louisiana"--

Book Synopsis

From Venison Grillades to Coconut Chili-Chocolate Tarts and much in between, Jay Ducote's Louisiana Outdoor Cooking features more than 150 recipes fun and easy enough to make in the backyard. It also tells the remarkable story of how this Baton Rouge-based chef achieved national culinary celebrity.

Fans of the reality cooking show Food Network Star remember Jay Ducote as the runner-up in season eleven, a strong showing that led to appearances on Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, and many other programs, including an episode of Beat Bobby Flay in which he outdueled the acclaimed chef. As Ducote and coauthor Cynthia LeJeune Nobles explain, his love of all things culinary started in college, when he cooked under the oak trees on the LSU campus prior to football games. Over the years, Ducote's popular tailgate parties showcased Cajun favorites, such as chicken and andouille gumbo, crawfish hushpuppies and fritters, grilled shrimp, and jambalaya, as well as a rich array of smoked and grilled meats. He has gone on to create specialty dishes, including Barbecue Popcorn, Crawfish Étouffée Arancini, Loaded Barbecue Cheese Fries, Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeños, and his award-winning Blackberry Bourbon Bone-In Boston Butt.

Now a popular radio host, caterer, and restaurant owner, Ducote provides readers with a wealth of surefire recipes for dishes and drinks to enjoy at a tailgate, a family get-together, or whenever the weather feels right for cooking outside. Celebrating the world of barbecue pits and cast-iron cauldrons, Jay Ducote's Louisiana Outdoor Cooking conveys a passion for the cultures, foods, and flavors of south Louisiana.

Review Quotes

Chef Jay Ducote, Baton Rouge native, radio host, and former contender on Food Network Star, knows southern Louisiana cooking as only a native could. Ducote got his start cooking at LSU football tailgates--eventually for several hundred people per game--before becoming a full-time food blogger, radio talker, and restaurant owner (of the popular Gov't Taco in Baton Rouge), but has always channeled his grandmother's deep knowledge of Cajun cooking into his food. If you need smart, delicious recipes for chicken andouille gumbo and crawfish rolls, or less traditional but no less addictive variations like crawfish étouffée arancini and wild duck and oyster gumbo, look no further. And do you need to cook them outdoors? Not necessarily; but then again, even in the fall, the grill often beckons.--Ray Isle, executive wine editor, "Food and Wine"

Jay Ducote has evolved simple outdoor recipes into masterpieces of the grill, smoker, 'Cajun microwave, ' and cast-iron cauldron. Let the outdoor cooking begin!--Chef John D. Folse, author of "The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine"

Jay Ducote is the man when it comes to combining modern culinary trends with the classic traditions of Louisiana cooking, and his new book is a real winner. Jay and I share a great love of all things meat, fire, and football. I just like the Florida Gators a little more than he does.--Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe, author of "Flavorize: Great Marinades, Injections, Brines, Rubs, and Glazes"

To so many of us, not much beats football, family, and amazing outdoor cooking. Jay Ducote has combined these ingredients to become an authority in the Louisiana culinary world. From tailgate cuisine good enough for a National Champion to my personal Cajun favorite, jambalaya, Ducote covers it all!--Andrew Koster, author of "Master the Wood Pellet Grill: A Cookbook to Smoke Meats Like a Pro"

What's the best way to experience Louisiana's heat and humidity? Follow Jay's lead, and cook and eat outdoors to make it just a little bit hotter.--Rien Fertel, author of "The One True Barbecue"

Jay Ducote's Louisiana Outdoor Cooking is a brilliant collection of youthful anecdotes, bold barbecue delights, and Ducote's dynamic, contemporary approach to building flavors.--Lynnae Oxley-Loupe, pitmaster and owner of Sugars Barbecue

Jay Ducote has always been a great advocate for Louisiana food and culture, and this book captures his love for our state and its incredible cuisine.--Jack D. Walker, vice president of marketing, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Products

About the Author

Jay Ducote is a chef, blogger, food and beverage writer, radio host, and culinary personality. He has appeared on numerous cooking and reality competition shows. His Bite & Booze radio show received a Taste Award for Best Food or Drink Radio Broadcast and the Uniquely Louisiana Award from the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters.

Cynthia LeJeune Nobles is a New Orleans-based food writer and the author of several books on cooking and Louisiana foodways, including "A Confederacy of Dunces" Cookbook: Recipes from Ignatius J. Reilly's New Orleans and The Delta Queen Cookbook: The History and Recipes of the Legendary Steamboat.