After thirty books, seven TV series, two decades of Barbecue University classes, 60 countries and 6 continents traveled, one might wonder what else Steven Raichlen could possibly say about grilling. Turns out, it’s a lot. Never before have home cooks used a wider range of grilling techniques, nor had access to a more diverse array of flavors and ingredients. The once ubiquitous briquette has given way to specialty charcoals from as far away as Paraguay and Japan while tongs and grill brushes are now joined by sophisticated digital thermometers and high-tech rotisseries. Even the grill itself has changed–from kamados to pellet grills, plancha grills to hybrid wood burners—the options are dizzying.
In his latest, PROJECT FIRE: Cutting-Edge Techniques and Sizzling Recipes from the Caveman Porterhouse to Salt Slab Brownie S’mores [Workman; MAY 2018; $22.95], Steven provides an indispensable guide to this ever-evolving world of live-fire barbecue, delivering both a complete step-by-step handbook to mastering the essential techniques—including how to caveman grill (directly in the embers) and make a smoker pouch—and a hunger-inducing collection of over 100 innovative recipes for grilling every kind of food, from beef tomahawks to sangria, starters to desserts. Grilling is the world’s oldest and most universal cooking method, using the power of fire to unlock bold, irresistible flavors.