Grilling for Dummies Book

Hot for your Hibachi, warming up for the Weber? Grilling for Dummies is the perfect guide for the home grillmaster. It doesn't matter if you can't tell a briquette from a Rockette or if you just won your third Michelin star cooking on your grill, this book is one of the best guides available. Like all books in the popular Dummies series, Grilling for Dummies is clear, concise, and thorough. Part reference, part cookbook, and part cooking class, no coal is left unturned. The book covers the gamut with 130 recipes, including everything from the basic burger to wild game to fruit (yes, grilled fruit, and it's not bad). There is an excellent section on vegetables and vegetarian fare, and many ideas and recipes are given for low-fat grilling. Different techniques are presented in depth, including barbecue, smoking, marinades, and rubs. Authors Marie Rama and John Mariani cover every step in the grilling process, from lighting the fire to setting the table. Especially good are the technical sections that address ingredients and prep work, covering subjects as diverse as working with chilies or butterflying lamb chops. Rama and Mariani also win the food diplomat's award for deftly avoiding the regional squabbles that define the barbecue world. Lexington, Kansas City, Texas, Ohio, and other styles are touched on without playing favorites. Read the section on ribs, prepare them all, and draw your own battle lines. Unusual for the Dummies series, but welcome, is the section of full-color photographs illustrating what your food should and can look like with a little effort. This is a solid book for anybody interested in becoming a better backyard chef. --Mark O. Howerton