The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining: Spirited Recipes and Expert Tips for... at Chef2Chef

This is a book that starts at ground zero for cooks who want to grill great meals and put on terrific outdoor parties but don't have a clue how to start charcoal. "Of all the methods of outdoor home cooking, grilling is the most misunderstood. Many people aren't even aware that it's a specific method of cooking, assuming its just a generic term to cover anything done on a grill." The Jamisons take a stand for cooking over direct heat, eschewing the indirect and the covered grill. It's the center of gravity of their book, the element that makes them different than any of the other many books on cooking over open flame.

The rest of the story is found in the recipes, the tips, the sidebars, and asides. A word like bountiful hardly comes close to the impact of this tome. You got your rubs and marinades and the like, and your drinks, your starters, tapas, pizzas (yes, pizzas on the grill), burgers galore, fish and shellfish, poultry, pork, beef, all the other four-leggeds, veggies, grilled salads, side dishes (what's barbecue without sides?), and desserts.

If ever you have wanted to take the plunge into grilling and barbecue, The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining is an all-inclusive, user-friendly place to start. --Schuyler Ingle

From Publishers Weekly
Big" is the operative word in this compendium of recipes from the Jamisons (Good Times, Good Grilling). Spanning the globe and a range of ingredients, the authors give grillmaster Steven Raichlen a run for his money. The Jamisons devote their first three chapters to explaining the difference between grilling and traditional barbecue, how to build a fire and how to set up an outdoor kitchen with the proper grill, smoker or big-pot cooker. Next are lessons in Seasoning 101 and 102, with 200 recipes for rubs and sauces, and separate instructions for using them on, say, a fish filet or a side of beef. Most of the dishes, like Herb-Coated Mahi-Mahi with Chermoula (Moroccan marinade) Paste; and tacos of Rajas, Corn and Queso de Cabra (rajas are strips of chiles), are impressive but unfussy. There are more than a dozen burgers (with Gorgonzola and crispy prosciutto, for instance), plus pizza, tapas, salads, pastas, vegetarian entrees and desserts—all of which can be cooked and/or eaten outdoors. With variations, party tips and suggested themed menus, the Jamisons have written the script for many memorable nights on the patio. (May)
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Reader Reviews
I was absolutely thrilled to get a chance to read this new cookbook. I don't entertain as much as I'd like, but I love to eat simple and hearty foods everyday, and this book has some amazingly creative ideas for things that just about anyone could make, but I never would have come up with on my own. The book starts with spice blends, rubs, marinades, salsas, relishes and sauces, and has some great ideas for spice mixes you can make in advance and keep on hand, and loads of tips for getting the best flavor and texture out of your food. Blazing Hot Guava-Habanero Hot Sauce, and Scandinavian Sugar and Spice are just two of the great recipes you'll find in this section. Then they move on to some really fun sounding party drinks and appetizers to get the party started (Gingered Thai Iced Tea, anyone?).Toasted Pecan and Blue Cheese spread, Cheddar Chutney Puffs, and Caramelized Brie are three of the mouthwatering recipes. Then comes the meat of the book, literally. Pizzas, Tapas, Sandwiches, Fish, and each major kind of meat each get a large chapter, followed by salads, pastas, and then desserts (White Chocolate Custard Ice Cream - oh my!). This is a huge and highly useful book. I love that the ingredients are just exotic enough to make things interesting, but not so exotic that I can't find them in my small town. They have a wonderful mix of uniquely American foods and loads of neat foods with an ethnic twist.