The Outdoor Chef's Bible

by John Weiss

This invaluable guide for anyone who enjoys cooking outdoors--whether it's on the trail, in a campground, or even in the backyard--covers every possible outdoor cooking technique. Weiss provides 275 imaginative recipes that will inspire outdoor chefs to new culinary achievements. 170 photos & drawings.

181 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1995

Reviews

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book encompasses all sorts of outdoor cooking (including barbequing and home smoking – as well as brining and other preservation techniques), the majority of it focuses on camp cooking. It has all of the basics (cooking over coals and open fire, Dutch oven cooking, outdoor baking, reflection ovens, cooking on spits, et al.), but also a ton of details on all aspects of eating and drinking while camping (food selection, equipment, best methods for keeping food hot and cold – including a discussion of which forms of ice are best for what conditions -, freeze-dried food, preparing game and fresh-caught fish, freshness times, etc.). The author also includes a substantial amount of do-it-yourself techniques – from making your own smoker out of an aluminum garbage can to doing a week’s worth of cooking with nothing more than aluminum foil and some wire coat hangers. There’s also a chapter on building and stocking a “grub box”. All aspects of outdoor cooking are discussed, including weight, durability, cost, time factors, and convenience. Fair range of recipes; nothing too complicated, but decently representative. No period recipes and any period techniques are only modern adaptations, but this book is excellent for any camp cook. 4 stars.