Mastering the Grill: The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking

by Andrew Schloss, David Joachim, Alison Miksch (Photographer)

Grilling is a science, and it's only when you understand the science of grilling that you can transform it into an art. That's what makes Mastering the Grill a standout on the cookbook shelf. From equipment (grill types and tools) to fire (wood, charcoal, or gas) to ingredients (meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables), the authors have shared their impressive grilling know-how to explain the whys and the hows and the wows clearly and comprehensively. In addition to hundreds of tips and techniques, this ultimate guide is packed with how-to illustrations and mouthwatering photographs plus 350 surefire recipes everything from rubs and marinades to appetizers, entrees, side dishes, and desserts. Mastering the Grill is a master class in cooking, destined to become a sauce-stained, well-thumbed classic

Genres: Cooking, Cookbooks, Food, Reference, Nonfiction, Food and Wine, Juvenile

416 pages, Paperback

First published March 29, 2007

About the author

Andrew Schloss is a restaurateur; the author of 12 cookbooks; a writer whose articles have appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, Bon Appetit and Family Circle; and president of product development company Culinary Generations, Inc. He is the former president of The International Association of Culinary Professionals and former director of the culinary curriculum for The Restaurant School in Philadelphia.

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you enjoy using a grill? Or do you aspire to begin grilling? Want to expand your storehouse of grilling recipes? If yes to any of those questions, this book is a treasure. It is massive and a bit unwieldy, but its contents make up for that. I first learned of this book when the authors were guests on the Food Networks "Emeril Live." Emeril introduced the two authors and then proceeded with an hour of grilling. After that, I felt the need to acquire this volume.

The upfront stuff, in some ways, is really important. I sort of bumble along on my gas grill, learning by doing, using recipes that I like, experimenting on different ways of cooking. But I really only know a handful of ideas and techniques (Including some simple maxims as some things need to be cooked on the side without flame; others are to be cooked directly over the flame). The authors assert that there is something unique about this book (Page 10): "In this book, we approach the grill from the perspective of science and mechanics. Our goal is to impart an understanding of what occurs during grilling, so that you can make better-tasting grilled food."

Introductory sections in Chapter 1 discuss the type of grills that can be used (from hibachis to gas grills and so on), how grills work, grill cleaning and maintenance (oops; I learned that I should do a better job cleaning the grill grates), requisite grill tools (I have a bunch, but could probably add some additional items, based on their discussion).

Chapter 2? "Mastering Your Technique." This explores what I always thought of as exotica, mastering the fire, the science of heat transference (conduction, convection, and radiant heat), grilling techniques (e.g., indirect versus direct grilling, and so on), and mastering temperature (judging doneness and making sure that one let's what is grilled "rest" at the end). Resting? Goodness. I take the food right off the grill and on to my family's/guests' plates. Not good! Grilled food (and other typed of cooked foods) should rest a bit, so that you don't get parts that are too dry. I am now trying to be a batter cook and let the meat thus cooked "rest" for 5-10 minutes.

Chapter 3 looks at the different foods that you can grill and a boatload of information about each.

Finally, the piece de resistance! Recipes! There are a lot of these; the text notes about 300 of them. They are divided into sections on burgers and their like; steaks and chops; roasts, ribs, and slow food; major, complex cooking projects; vegetables and side dishes; fruit, dessert, etc.; marinades, glazes, rubs, and the like.

The one downside of a number of recipes is that they take a great deal of upfront work and are complex. I prefer interesting but simpler recipes. However, for those who want to experiment, there are plenty of opportunities to do so with the recipes in this book. A few quick examples of recipes.

Buffalo blue cheese burger: Based on hot Buffalo wings. I'm interested, since I used to enjoy visiting the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, home of the chicken wing! Create a hamburger by mixing together ground chuck, celery seed, onion, garlic, blue cheese in a bowl. Then, separately, melt butter and mix in hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco Sauce). Put the hamburger patties created from the hamburger mix on greased grill grate. Cook. Put burgers in the hot sauce, coat, and eat with knife and fork (although I might be inclined to put the resulting burger in a nice Kaiser roll!).

With steaks, there is a nice looking recipe for Porterhouse au poivre that captured my interest. Or Tandoori chicken with Vidalia chutney (a little more complicated than I'd like, but boy does it sound yummy!), grilled summer vegetables with brown-butter vinaigrette, grilled maple-crusted apple rings. . . .

This is a terrific resource for those who want to go beyond simple grilling without really knowing what you are doing (that's been me!). Some of the recipes are over the top, I think, but these will doubtless appeal to some who are likely to be rewarded for their efforts. Worth a look!

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has the basic recipes I felt was missing from How to Grill. For that reason, I purchased this one after checking it out from the library. I enjoyed the information on the science and mechanics of grilling, it made sense and covered the basics. The recipes in this one I am more likely to try, but especially appreciate the basics so I can learn and build from there.

[Paschalis]

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[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, but I just lost interest in the topic.

[Missy]

Be sure to read all about the science of grilling and the best ways to cook the various meats. This book has revolutionized the way my husband grills our food! For example, you add cold water to hamburger so the patties cook from the inside (from steam). This allows the burger to be cooked properly without charring the outside.

We have had some amazing meals as a result of this book. My only criticisms are: 1) A lot of the recipes are complicated and require purchasing unusual ingredients which will likely go bad before you use them again; and, 2) The book is not set up properly for a cookbook. You should have a recipe on an entire page without having to flip pages to read the next step or understand the flow. This is an oversized book so the publisher had the real estate to use for proper layout. It's such a shame they made this big of a mistake in printing!

There is an electronic version of this book that I hear has a better layout but I have not played with it and, to my understanding, not all of the recipes are included.

Long story short: You cannot go wrong with this book. If you choose your recipes wisely, you won't waste money on unusual ingredients and you'll certainly learn some things which will improve your grill master skills considerably!

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive! And not snobbish about gas grills. I tried out the London Broil BBQ marinade a few days ago and it was a hit. There was a helpful sidebar explaining that butchers used to sell flank steak as "London Broil," but now you'll find round being sold under that name. And, then, suggestions on how to modify the recipe to accommodate the other cut of meat.

Complaints: the font size is impossibly tiny, which is impractical while cooking, and the index is useless.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted a book about grilling that wasn't just recipes; that would teach me some of the science of grilling. This book was perfect. It covers beef, pork, poultry, and fish and preparations like brines, marinades, mops, and rubs. Not only does it explain why to do certain things (like brine pork ribs and then slow cook them over indirect heat), but it also has great recipes. I've gotten some great brines and rubs from it.

[Mr. Hecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book on grilling that I've ever seen. It gives extremely specific advice on the grilling techniques that are best for every cut of meat, fish, and vegetable. Included are fantastic recipes, cooking times and suggestions, rubs, sauces, and marinades, and tons of great pictures. I highly recommend this book as a resource.

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, we don't grill much at all. Still, this book is helpful. The first part is about equipment, techniques, and ingredients and flavors (very good). That's followed by recipes. After the first half, the recipes were a bit of a let down - - mostly burgers, kebabs, shrimp, and a couple for scallops, crabs.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot that looks and sounds good in this here cookbook of the grill. Sometime later, when grilling doesn't mean standing in a foot of snow, I'll post up my favorite recipes from this book.

To be cont...

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much valuable information, recipes and inspiration. Has helped my confidence grow with dealing with meat. I am frequently unsure how to make my meat taste as good it should be. This is an immense help!

[Eric Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much the best grilling book I've ever come across. Lots of helpful color photos. Recipes look sooooooo tasty. It is absolutely comprehensive and full of great explanations. It tells you a lot of the "why" of grilling. Not just the "how". Recommend to own.

[Pierre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book approaches the grill from a science and mechanics perspective. Finally, a book that understands that grilling is more than an art.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent reference guide for grilling exotic as well as standard grilling items. I acquired this from the library and liked it so well I will be buying the print edition for future reference.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides making me hungry,it's a good book

[Zugaii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holding onto this one.

[Ken]

Product Description

Grilling is a science, and it's only when you understand the science of grilling that you can transform it into an art. That's what makes Mastering the Grill a standout on the cookbook shelf. From equipment (grill types and tools) to fire (wood, charcoal, or gas) to ingredients (meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables), the authors have shared their impressive grilling know-how to explain the whys and the hows and guarantee the wows clearly and comprehensively. In addition to hundreds of tips and techniques, this ultimate guide is packed with how-to illustrations and mouthwatering photographs plus 350 surefire recipes everything from rubs and marinades to appetizers, entrees, side dishes, and desserts. Mastering the Grill is a master class in cooking, destined to become a sauce-stained, well-thumbed classic.

About the Author

Andrew Schloss is a well-known teacher, food writer, cookbook author, and food industry consultant. He lives in Pennsylvania.

David Joachim has authored, edited, or collaborated on more than 25 cookbooks. He lives in Pennsylvania.