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The Barbecue America Cookbook: America's Best Recipes from Coast to Coast

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In The Barbecue America Cookbook: America's Best Barbecue Recipes From Coast To Coast, barbecue experts and contest judges Rick Browne and Jack Bettridge collaborate to provide an impressive and illustrated compendium of barbecue recipes drawn from various American regional culinary traditions. The book companion to a 13-part PBS series of the same name, The Barbecue America Cookbook features more than one hundred savory recipes showcasing the best of barbecuing. Beginning with a section devoted exclusively to the subject of Barbecue Sauces, the recipes that follow cover pork, poultry, fish, beef, lamb and mutton, as well as side dishes and desserts. An informative appendix is offers Smokin' with Gas; Carolyn Wells: The Godmother of Q; Barbecue Shrines; How to Tell if the Griller you Love Has Gone "Q" Far; Barbecue Associations; Festivals; and more. If you are a dedicated barbeque enthusiasts, then The Barbecue America Cookbook is the one for you!!

buy this paperback, what they don't tell you is that it is the exact same book as his hardcover, BBQ across america, don't buy the hardcover for more money

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (07/06)

Rick Browne and Jack Bettridge lived almost a half century deprived of a true culinary experience, "Q". It was love at first bite. Soon they set out on the adventure of a lifetime, the quest to, eat barbecue, visit, photograph and write about barbecue contests. "Before it started, we didn't know barbecues; we didn't know the crazy, charming, giving, irascible, gifted, hilarious, corny, cunning people who make it happen."

"We burned to continue our education back in the land of "Q". And then one of us ... came up with the bright idea that if we did a book about barbecue we could tour all of the shrines of barbecue all in the guise of work." "Soon we were pilgrims to many strange lands: Owensboro, KY; Memphis, TN, Fort Bragg, CA; Lynchburg, TN; Arlington, TX and Kansas City, MS." "As well as enjoying some of the best eats of our lives,..... we learned a thing or two. We learned that barbecuer's are some of the friendliest, most generous people in the world."

Rick and Jack share some myth and facts concerning the history of barbecue. "Politics and barbecue have a long history as bedfellows in the United States. Office seekers, especially in the Midwest, soon figured out there was almost no better way to draw voters out to rallies than the come-hither smell of smoking meat." "Q was on hand at most of the great moments in American history. " In 1978, Memphis held the world's largest barbecue contest.

Jack and Rick kindly share recipes and techniques from the experts. Included are recipes for marinades and rubs. They discuss pork, beef, chicken and mutton. There are photographs of each contest Jack and Rick visited. I was particularly interested in the information and recipes for Owensboro, KY, the Barbecue Capitol of the World.. I find mutton delicious but a rarity in most areas. The restaurants mentioned are some of my favorites, Moonlite, Old Hickory, George's, and Shady Rest all have delicious barbecue and at the top of the menu is mutton. Hey Jack and Rick next time your down this way check out Ole' South. Barbecue.

Just looking at the photos and reading the recipes made me long to get out the charcoal. I've made note of where the contests are located. What a great way to spend a summer, traveling from one contest to the next. This book will make a great gift for Father's Day, after all most southern dad's love to fire up the barbecue pit. However, I can't let go of my copy, I'll be busy using it, plus I'm sure it will have sauce stains.

Book received free of charge.