Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint [Paperback]

Chris Lilly (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 12, 2009

Winners of the World Championship BBQ Cook-Off for six years in a row and with hundreds of other contest ribbons as well, nobody does barbecue better than Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. Chris Lilly, executive chef of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q and great-grandson-in-law of Big Bob himself, now passes on the family secrets in this quintessential guide to barbecue.

From dry rubs to glazes and from sauces to slathers, Lilly gives the lowdown on Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q's award-winning seasonings and combinations. You?ll learn the unique flavors of different woods and you?ll get insider tips on creating the right heat?be it in a charcoal grill, home oven, or backyard ground pit. Then, get the scoop on pulled pork, smoked beef brisket, pit-fired poultry, and, of course, ribs.

Complete the feast with sides like red-skin potato salad and black-eyed peas. And surely you?ll want to save room for Lilly?s dessert recipes such as Big Mama?s Pound Cake. Loaded with succulent photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and colorful stories, Big Bob Gibson?s BBQ Book honors the legacy of Big Bob Gibson?and of great barbeque.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Book Description
Winners of the World Championship BBQ Cook-Off for six years in a row and with hundreds of other contest ribbons as well, nobody does barbecue better than Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. Chris Lilly, executive chef of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q and great-grandson-in-law of Big Bob himself, now passes on the family secrets in this quintessential guide to barbecue.

From dry rubs to glazes and from sauces to slathers, Lilly gives the lowdown on Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q's award-winning seasonings and combinations. You’ll learn the unique flavors of different woods and you’ll get insider tips on creating the right heat—be it in a charcoal grill, home oven, or backyard ground pit. Then, get the scoop on pulled pork, smoked beef brisket, pit-fired poultry, and, of course, ribs.

Complete the feast with sides like red-skin potato salad and black-eyed peas. And surely you’ll want to save room for Lilly’s dessert recipes, such as Big Mama’s Pound Cake. Loaded with succulent photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and colorful stories, Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book honors the legacy of Big Bob Gibson—and of great barbeque.

From Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book: White Sauce

People raised in Decatur, Alabama, know that barbecue sauce is supposed to be white. For more than eighty years, Big Bob Gibson’s has been dunking its golden-brown birds, fifty at a time, into a vat of this tangy, peppery white sauce. The steaming, glistening chickens are then cut to order for our customers.

For years and years the restaurant’s early-morning cooks closely guarded the white sauce recipe, which was made each day before the day shift arrived. However, even without doing the math, I can tell you that hundreds of cooks have passed through the pitrooms of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, so I don’t think you can describe this recipe as "closely guarded" anymore.

I do know that Big Bob’s techniques and recipes, including his white sauce, have influenced the flavors of regional barbecue in Alabama. The great thing about passing secrets is that every time they are shared they change slightly. There is now a large number of "authentic" versions of Big Bob’s original secret recipe and cooking method—all different from one another. This is one of my favorite examples.

Ingredients

• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

(Makes 4 cups)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and blend well. Use as a marinade, baste, or dipping sauce. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

From Publishers Weekly

Lilly, a world-champion pit master and executive chef of Alabama's Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q, shares long-held family secrets from the restaurant's founder in this homage to pure barbecue tradition. Lilly covers the process from beginning to end, starting with the setup, varieties of grills and cookers, wood selection and seasoning. Throughout, he provides valuable tips on everything from temperature gauges to positioning chicken on the grill. As acknowledgment that flavor is important but the true measure of barbecue is the tenderness and moistness of the meat, many of Lilly's recipes focus on slow cooking and include more than meat. Bell pepper bundles, big mama's pound cake, honey-garlic tomato sauce and grilled marinated mushrooms show the breadth of his expertise. Beef, pork and chicken are, as expected and deserved, the focus of much of his attention. Mushroom-crusted beef tenderloin, pork shoulder and barbecue ribs are among the gems he includes. 75 full-color photos. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; Original edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307408116
• ISBN-13: 978-0307408112
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.7 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Sauces, Salsa & Garnishes
  • #5 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Meat, Poultry & Seafood > Meats
  • #19 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Outdoor Cooking > Barbecuing & Grilling

More About the Author

Vice president, executive chef, and partner of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, CHRIS LILLY oversees the two company-owned restaurants as well as their new chain of franchises.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply excellent June 7, 2009

By J. Fulton

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book contains a variety of recipes along with ample history of Big Bob Gibson's barbecue.

At present, I have tried from the book:
(1) the pork shoulder recipe, served with the Memphis style sauce
(2) the whole butterflied chicken, served with Bob Gibson's famous white sauce.

Both were outstanding and each was easily worth the price of the entire book, particularly the white sauce-WOW.

both followed classic barbecue techniques and did not require excessive preparation or a half dozen steps.

In addition to covering the most common types of barbecue, the book also includes side dishes, an occassional dessert, and a variety of sauces--most derived from something done at Big Bob Gibson's or by Chris Lilly in competition.

There are lots of great barbeque books out there, what this book brings is (1) recipes that have routinely won awards at barbecue competitions-lots of awards, (2) some unique Bob Gibson sauces that are terrific (3) a enjoyable history of the man and the restaurant.

I look forward to trying more recipes in the future.

NOTE: I tried these on the big green egg, which is well suited for long cooking sessions. Even though the book does not address ceramic cookers, the recipes are not equipment specific. But the obviously amazing results possible (and amply described) with a true barbecue pit and 100% hickory make it clear there is another level of barbecue out there.

71 of 83 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Look carefuly before you buy. August 10, 2009

By Renaissance Consumer

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Chris Lilly is one of the best BBQ chefs in the country. However, I am disappointed with his efforts here. This book is true to the title. Most pages are about the history of Big Bob Gibson's BBQ joint. Lots of pictures. This part is interesting, but not helpful to someone who wants to cook. The recipes are some basics and some off-the-chart stuff with unusual ingredients. He doesn't disclose a lot of Gibson's recipes, but gives something close. He has 4 or 5 recipes for a whole hog, but nothing (or very little coverage) for some basics like a beef chuck shoulder and other cuts. He assumes you will BBQ indirectly on a Weber kettle. All in all, this is not a basic book. His coverage of rubs is great, but doesn't teach anything about other essential topics. After you've mastered BBQ smoking, get this for historical interest.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of The Best May 27, 2009

By CT

Format:Paperback

Chris Lilly is simply the best there is. The man really knows his stuff and shares his award-winning secrets in this beautifully written book. Full of historical and personal anecdotes, it reads like a memoir at times. I couldn't put it down. The recipes are easy-to-follow with readily available ingredients, and complete with suggestions on cooking method, time, and type of wood to use. This BBQ book is so much more than one might expect, going beyond your smoked meats, rubs, marinades, and glazes, and sides of beans, potatoes, and coleslaw (and those delicious recipes are all included along with the whole pig roast for the purist). Keep turning the page and you'll discover appetizers or sides like Scallops with Burnt Ends; Grilled Fruit Skewers with Spicy Maple Cumin; Stuffed Red Bell Peppers with Maple Baked Beans, too.

Once a "rookie Q'er" who may have sat on a stump staring at a pit a few more times than he may care to count to learn the ropes, Chris Lilly now commands that very pit, pushing the envelope, and keeping it fresh and interesting at every turn. Buy the book...then buy it again for your friends. Y'all be glad you did!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Q from the Bottom Up. March 16, 2010

By Tim The Foodman Kaylor

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm from the South. That being said, I believe this to be one of the more complete books on barbecue. It's loaded with tips from a real, practicing pit master. There's page after page of recipes and practical information that both beginning and master barbecue enthusiasts can put to use. The price for this plethora of information is a very good value. Lots of color photos and instructions. There's lots of barbecue history, based mostly on the restaurant. Would I buy this book again? YES, Absolutely! In fact, I bought one for my step-son for his birthday. Buy it; you will not be disappointed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Recipes for BBQ and Grilling June 22, 2009

By Gary L. Varner

Format:Paperback

I did not grow up in northern Alabama, but in southern Alabama, and so I was not familiar with the Big Bob Gibson's BBQ legacy. I read about the book in "Garden and Gun" magazine and knew I had to see what the fuss was about. If you love to barbecue this book is worth the money and time to read it. Not only will it give you a new approach to outdoor cooking, it will inform you as to the cultural heritage of southern barbecue.

First of all the book is well written, interesting and informative. Secondly, the recipes are the best I have EVER reproduced from a book. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about "white sauce" on barbecued chicken (or anything else cooked outdoors) but when I followed the recipe the result was absolutely astounding. The longer the white sauce soaks in the chicken, the better it gets - like magic. My wife followed the recipe for a rub and bourbon sauce for pork loin and the result was the best tasting pork I have ever eaten. The sauce was fantastic, the rub gave the pork a delicious flavor that anyone could be proud of, but the step-by-step instructions regarding the cooking process resulted in a properly "barbecued" ("low and slow") pork loin - and smoked...on a propane gas grill! My wife is an excellent cook, but previously her "grill skill" was somewhat underdeveloped. Now she is becoming quite accomplished in the sacred art of barbecue.

This author's attention to detail in the instruction of the most closely guarded secrets of the "Southern old guard" grill masters is what sets this book apart from any other out there. Recipes range from meats to veggies to deserts.... Big Bob's methodology has changed the way that we cook outdoors and it has given us a skills set that we can use to pamper family and friends and proudly pass to our grandchildren. If you are from the foothills of northern Alabama and have ever visited Big Bob's (in the 80 years of its existence) then this book is a "must have." For the rest of us uninitiated flatlanders I most highly recommend this book. Read more ›