The 6 Best BBQ Books of 2021
It seems like each year the number of great barbecue books that get published keeps growing, and 2021 was no exception. Each week, we try to highlight new publications in our Watch/Listen/Read section and occasionally are even lucky enough to interview some of the incredible authors behind the works. With so many great books that came out this year, it was hard to pick which titles we enjoyed the most.
In case you are still looking for a last-minute holiday gift for the barbecue fanatic in your life or are looking for something to read during the cold winter months, we’ve got you covered. Here are six of our favorite barbecue books from 2021.
Rodney Scott's World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day by Rodney Scott and Lolis Eric Elie
Rodney Scott was born with barbecue in his blood. He cooked his first whole hog, a specialty of South Carolina barbecue, when he was just eleven years old. At the time, he was cooking at Scott's Bar-B-Q, his family's barbecue spot in Hemingway, South Carolina. Now, four decades later, he owns one of the country's most awarded and talked-about barbecue joints, Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ. In this modern American success story, co-written by award-winning writer Lolis Eric Elie, Rodney Scott details how he made his way from the small town where he worked for his father in the tobacco fields and in the smokehouse, to the sacrifices he made to grow his family's business, and the tough decisions he made to venture out on his own in Charleston. It's a story that speaks to how hope, hard work, and optimism built a rich celebration of his heritage — and of unforgettable barbecue. ORDER HERE.
Hot and Fast BBQ on Your Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker: Master the Quickest Method to Smoking Mouthwatering Meats by Bill Gillespie
Bestselling author Bill Gillespie is the undisputed champion of all things barbecue, and he’s back to help you master the art of hot and fast smoking on your Weber Smokey Mountain. He will teach you how to shave off hours of grilling time without sacrificing any of the flavors with his best hot and fast recipes. You’ll love how quickly you can make timeless barbecue favorites, such as Monster Beef Short Ribs, Maple-Chipotle Glazed Pork Tenderloin, and Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Horseradish. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, try his grill-seared twists on familiar recipes, such as his Chicken Cordon Bleu Wrapped in Bacon or Crab-Stuffed Haddock. And be sure to check out his “Hotter and Faster Competition Dishes” chapter for meals that will win over anyone ― whether it’s your friends and family or a panel of judges. After reading this, you’ll have everything you need to make your fastest, smokiest, and tastiest barbecue yet. ORDER HERE.
BBQ Revolution: Innovative Barbecue Recipes from an All-Star Pitmaster by Mitch Benjamin
Mitch Benjamin has helped open BBQ restaurants in Paris, served his smoked meat to baseball legends at Yankee Stadium, and taken home some serious hardware from just about every major BBQ competition. Learn the ins and outs of competition BBQ, including some of Mitch's award-winning recipes for sauces, rubs, and meats from brisket and burnt ends to short ribs and pork butt in his book BBQ Revolution. Take a trip behind the scenes of Kansas City's Char Bar, with some of their most popular recipes like their smoked cocktails and smoked chicken nuggets. He showcases recipes with reverse smoking, sous vide, and other techniques. Whether you're relatively new to BBQ or a seasoned pitmaster, you're sure to find new ideas, techniques, and flavors in BBQ Revolution. ORDER HERE.
Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue by Adrian Miller
In Black Smoke, Miller chronicles how Black barbecuers, pitmasters, and restaurateurs helped develop this cornerstone of American foodways and how they are coming into their own today. It's a story of Black perseverance, culinary innovation, and entrepreneurship. Though sometimes pushed to the margins, African Americans have enriched a barbecue culture that has come to be embraced by all. Miller celebrates and restores the faces and stories of the men and women who have influenced this American cuisine. ORDER HERE.
How to Grill Vegetables: The New Bible for Barbecuing Vegetables over Live Fire by Steven Raichlen
How to Grill Vegetables was released in mid-May and may have caught some of Steven Raichlen’s meat-loving fans by surprise. In the book, Raichlen explores many aspects of vegetable-forward cooking with 125 recipes, including elote quesadillas with grilled corn and poblano peppers; smoke-roasted German-style potato salad; Nashville hot cauliflower, ember-grilled barbecued onions; and Hasselback apples grilled on cedar planks. As hardcore barbecue lovers, we loved this book and Raichlen’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of barbecue. Be sure to read our interview with Raichlen about the book and much more. ORDER HERE.
The Four Fundamentals of Smoking: Pit Master Secrets to Making Incredible BBQ at Home by Chris Sussman
Louisville-based pitmaster Chris Sussman, also known as The BBQ Buddha, wants to help backyard cooks learn how to use their senses to make amazing barbecue. Rather than focusing on time and temperature as cooking guides, he believes you must use the environment around you to get the results you want. In this latest book The Four Fundamentals of Smoking, which was released this past April, he shares what he has discovered to be the most important principles that impact whether your barbecue comes out flavorful or not. As a bonus, Sussman spoke with us this summer about the book and his great backstory. ORDER HERE.
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These are just a few of our favorite barbecue books that came out this year. Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter what your favorite was and don’t forget to check out our list of all-time great BBQ cookbooks.
Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist) & Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Shee
Raikes Beef Co. specializes in 100% Nebraska born and raised American Wagyu and Angus beef. Grass fed, grain finished, and always hormone free. Learn more about Raikes Beef Co.
—Rob Magee, pitmaster and owner of Q39 in Kansas City, passed away from colon cancer last week. (Photo via Q39)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Rob Magee, the owner, pitmaster, and chef of popular Kansas City barbecue restaurant Q39, passed away this past Friday. His family said Magee passed away following a “five-and-a-half-year journey with colon cancer.” Magee was a long-time barbecue competitor before starting Q39, which would routinely be named among the top BBQ joints in the Kansas City area. “Rob will always be known as a high energy innovative team-player participant in life, as well as a beloved individual in the barbecue community,” BBQ Hall of Famer Ardie Davis said. “Our hearts go out to Rob’s family, and I know Rob would insist that we all move forward to make this the best world possible, one day, one detail, one person at a time and one flavorful outstanding serving of Q39 barbecue at a time!” Our thoughts and prayers go out to Rob’s family and friends. READ MORE.
Austin Monthly reports that in Austin, one of the biggest barbecue cities in the world, Brown’s Bar-B-Que has remained hidden in plain sight. Pitmaster Daniel Brown has mostly stayed out of the limelight despite being a masterful barbecuer. “I usually see it as a good thing that we’re one of the last barbecue secrets in Austin,” says Daniel Brown of Brown’s Bar-B-Que on South Lamar. “I’ll let it fall in my hands before I chase it. I just do word of mouth with my customers, and I think we get a better relationship with them as a result.” READ MORE.
The Dallas Observer profiled Judith Covarrubias, the pitmaster who is breaking stereotypes at Loro Asian Smokehouse’s Dallas location. Covarrubias, a 39-year-old originally from El Paso, has worked in many kitchens around Texas until she was the head chef at Uchi. Now, she’s running the show at the new Loro location. “One thing that surprised me about Loro was that you’re working from pretty much the beginning to the end,” Covarrubias says. “When you work in the line, you’re a prep cook, you prep, you know how to do it, but you don’t work or touch the food in the line. So you don’t know how it’s used in the line. Here, it’s like you have to make sure it’s perfect from beginning to end.” READ MORE.
Feast Magazine wrote about the successful St. Louis-area BBQ team Heavy Smoke BBQ, who recently won big at the KCBS World Invitational. The guys behind Heavy Smoke BBQ, Chad Brewer and Chris Schafer opened a restaurant in St. Peters, Missouri, last year, but they’ve been cooking together since 2017. So now they’ve got a successful restaurant and a much bigger profile on the competition barbecue circuit. "The only real difference is that in the restaurant, we kind of got to slow that process down, where [as] I cook hot and fast in a competition," Schafer told Feast Magazine. READ MORE.
Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn ate a lot of barbecue joints in 2021 while assembling this year’s TMBBQ Top 50 list. But what were Vaughn’s favorite individual bites while he was crisscrossing the state? Some of the items on this diverse list might surprise you, including the Brisket Torta from BBQ on the Brazos in Cresson or the Smoked Oxtails from Charlie’s Bar-B-Que in Beaumont. READ MORE.
The Middleby Corporation announced the acquisition of Masterbuilt Holdings LLC, makers of the popular Kamado Joe and Masterbuilt brands of grills. The announcement of this big deal notes: "Headquartered in the Atlanta area, the brands are known for their outdoor residential products designed for cooking with charcoal. The purchase price of $385 million will be funded in cash and financed under Middleby’s existing senior credit facility. The transaction is expected to close in December 2021, subject to completion of closing conditions." READ MORE.
ADDITIONAL READS
Memphis pitmaster Brent Little, whose Hassleback Sausage Bacon Cheeseburger recipe we featured in last week’s issue, won the Johnsonville Titanium Tongsman award last weekend.
Aaron Franklin and Bun B will host a free preview of the new Loro location in Houston this Saturday.
Texas Monthly has released a great new guide that shows where to eat BBQ in Fort Worth, including Goldee’s Barbecue, Panther City BBQ, and more.
Here’s the secret to perfectly cooked bacon, according to Diva Q.
After being named the top spot on Texas Monthly’s latest Top 50 list, Goldee’s Barbecue is still getting a lot of attention.
Don’t miss the barbecue breakfast at Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin, Texas.
A new pit from Cen-Tex Smokers is part of the recipe for success at Sunbird Barbecue in Longview, Texas.
After the closure of Smiley’s Barbecue, here’s what’s next for pitmaster Brendan Lamb.
Reveille Barbecue Co. recently opened a brick-and-mortar location in Pinehurst outside of Houston.
In February, Doug Pickering will open Douglas Bar and Grill at Snider Plaza in Dallas.
Chef Paul Toussaint celebrates the many forms of barbecue at Americas BBQ, which recently opened at Time Out Market in Montreal.
Eater Portland reports that influential vegan BBQ restaurant Homegrown Smoker is for sale.
Last week we shared our gift guide, but if you are still looking for a BBQ gift for that special someone, both Kevin’s BBQ Joints and Barbecue Bros have some great gift suggestions.
Use the code BBQTOURIST10 to save 10% off your order of DennyMike's seasonings. Learn more about DennyMike's here.
—Guga celebrates hitting 3 million subscribers on YouTube by cooking a whole wagyu cow with some friends.—
WATCH
I Cooked a Wagyu Cow — Guga Foods
To celebrate hitting 3 million subscribers, Brazilian chef and YouTube star Gustavo Tosta from the channel Guga Foods decided to make an extra special video where some top names in barbecue came together to cook a wagyu cow in a 1000-gallon smoker. The team consisted of Mad Scientist BBQ, Tim Scheer, Baby Back Maniac, Ballistic BBQ, Joe Yim, Josh Skipper, Jay Austin, and more. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Ryan Cooper and Sean Ludwig from The Smoke Sheet — Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
With 2021 quickly approaching the finish line, the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast explores some of the storylines from the Year in Barbecue with two of open-fire cooking’s top authorities. Ryan Cooper and Sean Ludwig co-produce The Smoke Sheet, a weekly newsletter that curates the latest national barbecue news, upcoming events, top recipes and more. Ryan and Sean provide insight on what we’ve seen and what might be ahead for barbecue in 2022 while also giving us a rundown of their barbecue backgrounds and how The Smoke Sheet came to be. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Smoking Foods: More Than 100 Recipes for Deliciously Tender Meals — Ted Reader
Smoking food is an ancient method for preserving meat that has been transformed into a superior way to infuse your food with more flavor. Smoking Foods will show you how pairing ingredients with specific woods will bring out the richness in everything you smoke. You'll also learn how rubs, marinades, sauces, and more can further enhance the foods you smoke. Renowned chef Ted Reader will share all the smoker techniques you need to create fall-off-the-bone, mouth-watering, and taste-bud-tantalizing foods. But you can smoke more than just meat, including seafood, vegetables, and even ice cream, honey, and martinis. ORDER HERE.
—Pitmaster Dayne Weaver joins Meat Church to give his unique spin on pork belly with this recipe.—
Bacon Brisket with Dayne Weaver of Dayne's Craft Barbecue
By Meat Church
Dayne Weaver, owner & pitmaster at Dayne's Craft Barbecue recently made his way on to the coveted Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joint list. Dayne, his wife Ashley and their team, make some of the most beautiful BBQ platters you have ever seen. In this week’s Recipe of the Week, Dayne joins Matt Pittman in the Meat Church kitchen. He shows how he makes Bacon Brisket, which is technically pork belly that is treated like a brisket. This is one recipe you’ll want to try at home.
—The Jacksonville BBQ Festival will be one of the last big barbecue events of the year.—
December 10-12, 2021: Jacksonville BBQ Fest — Jacksonville, Florida
The inaugural Jacksonville BBQ Fest is happening this December at TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jaguars. Don’t miss this chance to grab an ice-cold brew and sample pure smoked bliss from award-winning pitmasters from across the country. MORE INFO HERE.
February 19-20, 2022: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Auckland edition) — Auckland, Australia
Meatstock will feature a stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The two-day event brings American pitmasters Down Under; sees BBQ teams go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks, and pop-up bars. Additionally, American BBQ joints such as Sugarfire Smokehouse will be putting on demonstrations. MORE INFO HERE.
March 12, 2022: Tex Mex BBQ Festival — San Antonio, Texas
This event will be full of the best food, education, and entertainment ever assembled in one spot. The menu will be masterminded by Miguel Vidal of Valentina’s Tex-Mex from Austin, Tx. The food will be executed by some of the most talented pitmasters, chefs, and cooks coming in from all over the nation. Mark your calendar for an amazing experience! MORE INFO HERE.
March 18-21, 2022: AmazingRibs.com Meat-Up in Memphis — Memphis, Tennessee
Join Meathead Goldwyn and the AmazingRibs.com crew at the Meat-Up in Memphis. There you can hang out and toss a few back with experts. The Meat-Up will be based in the famous historic grand Peabody Hotel. Things will kick off with a whole hog cooking demonstration Friday afternoon followed by a welcome dinner Friday evening at the famous Rendezvous. Saturday be will be a day of pork-centric seminars in the hotel, with special porky meals because Memphis is most famous for pork. The hotel's kitchen is highly regarded and we have ordered their best meal packages. Sunday, attendees will board buses and visit four BBQ joints for a deep dive into the historic tastes of Memphis barbecue before concluding the weekend with a bash on Beale Street! MORE INFO HERE.
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