THE GREAT AMERICAN BARBECUE AND GRILLING MANUAL
By C Clark 'Smoky' Hale

This book was the author’s sequel to his 1985 effort - The Great American Barbecue Instruction Book. The books are sometimes referred to as the 'Old and New Testaments of Barbecue' which will give you some idea of how highly regarded the author is in some US barbeque circles.

I remember pre-ordering this book and waiting patiently for months as Smoky battled production delays. In the end, he had to complete many of the illustrations himself (and some of them do show the scars) to get the book published. But it was worth the wait as this is one of the most comprehensive and authoritative books on barbecuing, grilling, roasting and smoking I have ever seen.

It's all here - from choosing the right equipment (even building it yourself) right through to buying, storing and, of course, cooking the meat. Smoky, a self confessed 'ol baster’ cuts his way through the half truths and outright lies that buzz like flies around the subject of barbecue while cautioning readers about the terrible threat to world peace posed by food stylists.

He explains the origins of the word barbecue, describes how to prepare a whole hog, gives recipes for pigs' feet and frogs' legs, takes the reader through the preparation of the perfect steak and shows how to maintain, repair and clean barbecue equipment. This book has it all - absolutely appalling alliteration, references to Shakespeare, guidelines on investing in stocks, advice on how to get off the food fashion freeway and, most importantly, the first rule of barbecue: "Have fun!"

ORIGIN: United States
FIRST PUBLISHED: 2000
VERDICT: A very authoritative and often very amusing take on US style barbecue. Unique!