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How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques, A Barbecue Bible! Cookbook
Winner of an IACP Cookbook Award, How to Grill is “the definitive how-to guide for anyone passionate about grilling, from the newest beginner to the most sophisticated chef” (Tom Colicchio).
A full-color, photograph-by-photograph, step-by-step technique book, How to Grill gets to the core of the grilling experience by showing and telling exactly how it's done. With more than 1,000 full-color photographs, How to Grill shows 100 techniques, from how to set up a three-tiered fire to how to grill a prime rib, a porterhouse, a pork tenderloin, or a chicken breast. There are techniques for smoking ribs, cooking the perfect burger, rotisserieing a whole chicken, barbecuing a fish; for grilling pizza, shellfish, vegetables, tofu, fruit, and s'mores. Bringing the techniques to life are over 100 all-new recipes—Beef Ribs with Chinese Spices, Grilled Side of Salmon with Mustard Glaze, Prosciutto-Wrapped, Rosemary-Grilled Scallops—and hundreds of inside tips.
A full-color, photograph-by-photograph, step-by-step technique book, How to Grill gets to the core of the grilling experience by showing and telling exactly how it's done. With more than 1,000 full-color photographs, How to Grill shows 100 techniques, from how to set up a three-tiered fire to how to grill a prime rib, a porterhouse, a pork tenderloin, or a chicken breast. There are techniques for smoking ribs, cooking the perfect burger, rotisserieing a whole chicken, barbecuing a fish; for grilling pizza, shellfish, vegetables, tofu, fruit, and s'mores. Bringing the techniques to life are over 100 all-new recipes—Beef Ribs with Chinese Spices, Grilled Side of Salmon with Mustard Glaze, Prosciutto-Wrapped, Rosemary-Grilled Scallops—and hundreds of inside tips.
512 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
324 people are currently reading
1009 people want to read
About the author
Steven Raichlen
120 books77 followersSteven Raichlen is a multi-award winning writer, television host, and novelist. His books include the international blockbusters The Barbecue Bible, How To Grill, Project Smoke, and the New York Times bestselling Planet Barbecue. His novel, The Hermit of Chappaquiddick, tells a story of love, loss, redemption and really good food set on Martha's Vineyard. Translated into 17 languages, Raichlen's books have won 5 James Beard Awards and 3 IACP-Julia Child Awards and have sold more than 5 million copies. Raichlen also hosts the popular TV shows, Project Smoke and Project Fire on PBS; Steven Raichlen Grills Italy in Italy; and Le Maitre du Grill in Quebec. He lives and writes in Coconut Grove, Florida, and on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. His websites are stevenraichlen.com and barbecuebible.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 26, 2025
I am a neophyte griller and want to learn how to grill. This book has great instructions, recipes, photos, and tips.
The Portobello mushroom recipe looks fabulous!
The Portobello mushroom recipe looks fabulous!
July 13, 2013
I'm a pretty good cook. I'm no Anne Burrell, but I have enough of a handle on the skills and techniques that I can go off-recipe and make my own food.
So this summer I decided I would learn to master the grill and use it as comfortably as I use my stove. If I could have only one cookbook for the rest of my life (Other than Joy of Cooking), this might be it.
This is a true, step by step "how-to" book. This is that book. It walks you through how to choose a grill based on your needs. It's one of the most balanced discussions of gas vs charcoal and each recipe contains instructions for both. I can start a fire, but this shows how to build and control the fire. When to use sauce vs marinade and when to put on a sauce depending on the type of sauce. There are relatively few recipes - only 1 per technique. But that's all you need to learn "How to Grill". I'm already starting to think off-recipe - "What about this? How would this taste?"
If you want to learn how to use your grill/bbq, this is the book you want to buy. After this, you can move on to Bobbie Flay or whoever strikes your fancy.
So this summer I decided I would learn to master the grill and use it as comfortably as I use my stove. If I could have only one cookbook for the rest of my life (Other than Joy of Cooking), this might be it.
This is a true, step by step "how-to" book. This is that book. It walks you through how to choose a grill based on your needs. It's one of the most balanced discussions of gas vs charcoal and each recipe contains instructions for both. I can start a fire, but this shows how to build and control the fire. When to use sauce vs marinade and when to put on a sauce depending on the type of sauce. There are relatively few recipes - only 1 per technique. But that's all you need to learn "How to Grill". I'm already starting to think off-recipe - "What about this? How would this taste?"
If you want to learn how to use your grill/bbq, this is the book you want to buy. After this, you can move on to Bobbie Flay or whoever strikes your fancy.
April 19, 2020
What I like most about this book is that it includes grilling and barbecuing techniques and recipes from all over the world. Asia, Marocco, the Balkans, Caribbean, South America... you name it!
The book contains every information you might need to bring your grilling to a new level or even to start you off if you're a beginner - from tips and tricks to actual recipes, all included with step by step illustrations.
Having already tried a few of the recipes I can safely say that this is so far my favourite book on grilling and I'm sure I'll be picking it up again and again for years to come!
The book contains every information you might need to bring your grilling to a new level or even to start you off if you're a beginner - from tips and tricks to actual recipes, all included with step by step illustrations.
Having already tried a few of the recipes I can safely say that this is so far my favourite book on grilling and I'm sure I'll be picking it up again and again for years to come!
March 30, 2022
A great book that you never really finish using. I have the hard copy somewhere in a box after moving but still haven’t found it.
There is something in here for every BBQ user, whether you are a novice or an expert. Great reference for reminding you of different techniques to use on the various types of BBQ’S along with numerous fantastic recipes.
I have 3 of Raichlen’s books and they are in constant use in the BBQ season for great rubs and marinades for all types of meats and vegetables, along with various styles of bastes and sauces.
A bible of everything BBQ that everyone should own
There is something in here for every BBQ user, whether you are a novice or an expert. Great reference for reminding you of different techniques to use on the various types of BBQ’S along with numerous fantastic recipes.
I have 3 of Raichlen’s books and they are in constant use in the BBQ season for great rubs and marinades for all types of meats and vegetables, along with various styles of bastes and sauces.
A bible of everything BBQ that everyone should own
September 21, 2025
This was probably my best read over the previous Summer. Prior to picking up a proper cookbook on the topic of barbecuing, I was only doing very basic recipes. Steve Raichlen changed the way that I approach grilling. I have gone from cooking only basic recipes for porkchops and grilled pineapple to being able to do smoked Kansas City-style side ribs (I have almost perfected this recipe), gourmet chicken breast, pork tenderloin, skewers, and even some really awesome techniques for making burgers from it too. I still don't know if I'll ever do steak on the grill, because pan fried with butter, herbs, and garlic is the food industry standard, but it made me genuinely excited to try new recipes out to see what works for myself and what doesn't, and it's a book I continue to go back to. It's very comprehensive. It covers how to manage heat, how to smoke (including how to make a smoke pouch if you don't have a smoke box), different types of grills, different types of dry rubs and sauces (both standard barbecue, and North Carolina-style vinegar sauce are covered by this). And an outstanding array of different recipes and preparations. I give it a definite recommendation for anybody who is looking to getting into grilling, but are looking for a starting point for it.
July 5, 2023
I want to learn to grill so I’m more confident with it and can help keep my kitchen cooler this summer.
I really like how basic this book is and how it covers a lot. I would buy it on sale (got this one from the library) and probably choose the kindle version for easy reference.
It would have been 5 stars if there were more basic recipes - like cook a chicken breast and any kind of steak or fish. But I was able to pull out generic cooking times on those and some veggies from the recipes provided.
I really like how basic this book is and how it covers a lot. I would buy it on sale (got this one from the library) and probably choose the kindle version for easy reference.
It would have been 5 stars if there were more basic recipes - like cook a chicken breast and any kind of steak or fish. But I was able to pull out generic cooking times on those and some veggies from the recipes provided.
December 26, 2018
This book may be the best presentation of BBQ cooking techniques and recipes. It appears to have exactly 100 recipes which cover the entire "field." It's well illustrated, too. It is the best BBQ book I have seen, and I think better than some others which present more recipes and more illustrations. It is simple, but complete. You don't need anything else (except a BBQ pit, charcoal, utensils, and something to cook!)
Want to read
January 27, 2022
December 8, 2020
I saw this book at a used book store for a couple bucks, and I figured why not. It has been a wonderful surprise as it stepped up my grilling game entirely, all due to this book. Every recipe I have used has been astounding. A great help. The tips on hamburgers alone makes it worth owning. Some of my other faves are the grilled cabbage, and whole chickens....
December 31, 2017
This is without a doubt one of the most useful books I have ever read. It is easily the best cookbook that I have ever bought and has been a mainstay in my kitchen for over 10 years now. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
February 16, 2020
This was a great cookbook. The recipes inside are simple enough to inspire you to try them. There are some follow-along photographs for the recipes as well in case you have a question about what was supposed to be done.
August 17, 2020
This has long been my grilling Bible. It has step-by-step instructions that include photos for every step. Everything I have tried from the book has turned out perfect, and after years of use, it's given me the confidence to grill almost anything at this point. Highly recommended.
July 15, 2017
Because women can cook outdoors too.
December 10, 2019
This was a great book for beginning grill cooks. Lots of great recipes and helpful hints, I would recommend the book for anyone who likes to grill and would like to get better.
May 6, 2020
Great book for anyone that wants to start, or maintain their skill. The recipes are great.
February 18, 2022
Love this book and have used it a LOT! So much so that its falling apart and need a new copy!
August 6, 2022
I’ve had this for almost fifteen years, and never get tired of reading it. The how-to grill parts alone are worth the price of the book! This was my introduction to Steve Raichlen.
June 27, 2012
When this book was taken off the shelf for a "RETRO review" this reviewer first needed to do a double take. Can this really be 10 years old? Its design and styling look as if it had been a 2012 season release. Here is a very thick, heavy book full of advice about how to grill food outdoors. An antidote to burnt sausages and singed corn.
After a time you can get a little fatigued by the sheer number of barbecue and grill-related books that pop up each spring, eager to catch the next crop of people who want to 'live the life and master the grill'. Despite an outdoors grill or barbecue seemingly being a simple thing to do, it can be a deceptively simple process - that is to say simple in principle but in practice... There are certainly many grill books that feature very nice recipes but there are not so many really good ones that teach you the essentials and how-tos of grilling. This is one of those books. Perhaps there is something about many males and asking for help or consulting a reference work such as this...
While the book is written from an American perspective there should be no real practical differences to the information being given out. The book starts with the very basics, such as the best spot to locate your grill, safety concerns and hygiene before considering the different ways in which you can grill something and the various panoply of equipment that is theoretically at your disposal. At the end of the book there is a great little overview to show the different types of grills, how they can fit together and, as you would expect for a typically male-dominated sort of thing, there are lots of very essential and not-so-essential toys, sorry accessories, too. There is a listing for some mail order sources but these may be outdated and not so much use for non-U.S. readers. Just use the Internet to find a source.
The interminable argument of gas versus charcoal as your grill's fuel source will never seem to be resolved as proponents from each side will always throw up enough convincing arguments to bolster their point. This reviewer favours both as both are very good tools for different tasks. Fear not, dear reader, as here you are given advice for both forms of grilling and you are able to make your own determination. Other related forms of outdoor grilling such as smoking are touched upon too.
What this reviewer really liked about this book was how it takes the reader through the real basics. Far too many books of this kind give a hazy overview and then go straight into the recipes, which is OK for the more accomplished griller but for the newcomer it can be a scary proposition. If you look at the start of the meat section by means of an example, firstly the reader is shown exactly how to grill a prime rib - all from the best way to set up the grill, how to cut and prepare the meat and right up to testing it is done. Lots of great full-colour pictures underline the excellent, simple-to-read text. There are over one thousand pictures in this book alone and they make a practical difference. Other related recipes also then appear alongside.
Attention-to-detail and thoroughness has been the keyword from the first page to the last. All of the different key ingredients get their own chapters as well as the accompaniments such as sauces and rubs. Each chapter and ingredient comes under similar scrutiny. This book just works on so many levels. To round it off there is an excellent index too.
This is a great example of a book that meets and surpasses its objectives. Despite it being a few years old it still can kick the backside of many new upstarts. If you are truly an experienced drillmaster (and not just full of hot air and male pride) maybe you won't get as much out of this book than one with just recipes - but then again will you accept that someone else might have some other good ideas? At the very least this book is worth a skim through at the bookstore. If you will admit you are either a total grill virgin or a very hapless amateur, this book has the power to "make you a man".
How to Grill, written by Steven Raichlen and published by Workman Publishing. ISBN 9780761120148, 512 pages. Typical price: GBP12. YYYYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
After a time you can get a little fatigued by the sheer number of barbecue and grill-related books that pop up each spring, eager to catch the next crop of people who want to 'live the life and master the grill'. Despite an outdoors grill or barbecue seemingly being a simple thing to do, it can be a deceptively simple process - that is to say simple in principle but in practice... There are certainly many grill books that feature very nice recipes but there are not so many really good ones that teach you the essentials and how-tos of grilling. This is one of those books. Perhaps there is something about many males and asking for help or consulting a reference work such as this...
While the book is written from an American perspective there should be no real practical differences to the information being given out. The book starts with the very basics, such as the best spot to locate your grill, safety concerns and hygiene before considering the different ways in which you can grill something and the various panoply of equipment that is theoretically at your disposal. At the end of the book there is a great little overview to show the different types of grills, how they can fit together and, as you would expect for a typically male-dominated sort of thing, there are lots of very essential and not-so-essential toys, sorry accessories, too. There is a listing for some mail order sources but these may be outdated and not so much use for non-U.S. readers. Just use the Internet to find a source.
The interminable argument of gas versus charcoal as your grill's fuel source will never seem to be resolved as proponents from each side will always throw up enough convincing arguments to bolster their point. This reviewer favours both as both are very good tools for different tasks. Fear not, dear reader, as here you are given advice for both forms of grilling and you are able to make your own determination. Other related forms of outdoor grilling such as smoking are touched upon too.
What this reviewer really liked about this book was how it takes the reader through the real basics. Far too many books of this kind give a hazy overview and then go straight into the recipes, which is OK for the more accomplished griller but for the newcomer it can be a scary proposition. If you look at the start of the meat section by means of an example, firstly the reader is shown exactly how to grill a prime rib - all from the best way to set up the grill, how to cut and prepare the meat and right up to testing it is done. Lots of great full-colour pictures underline the excellent, simple-to-read text. There are over one thousand pictures in this book alone and they make a practical difference. Other related recipes also then appear alongside.
Attention-to-detail and thoroughness has been the keyword from the first page to the last. All of the different key ingredients get their own chapters as well as the accompaniments such as sauces and rubs. Each chapter and ingredient comes under similar scrutiny. This book just works on so many levels. To round it off there is an excellent index too.
This is a great example of a book that meets and surpasses its objectives. Despite it being a few years old it still can kick the backside of many new upstarts. If you are truly an experienced drillmaster (and not just full of hot air and male pride) maybe you won't get as much out of this book than one with just recipes - but then again will you accept that someone else might have some other good ideas? At the very least this book is worth a skim through at the bookstore. If you will admit you are either a total grill virgin or a very hapless amateur, this book has the power to "make you a man".
How to Grill, written by Steven Raichlen and published by Workman Publishing. ISBN 9780761120148, 512 pages. Typical price: GBP12. YYYYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
April 25, 2015
How-to Book
Steven Raichlen. How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques, A Barbecue Bible! Cookbook (2001). This is a how to book that could very well be the be-all, end-all book to teach you how to grill like a professional. It is in full color and has step-by-step instructions (with photographs!) showing you exactly what to do, and when to do it. I don’t consider myself a cook by any means, but the written instructions along with the pictures make the directions easy to follow. The ingredients found in the book are mostly regular items in a supermarket. There are many different techniques and recipes in this book. It teaches you how to grill prime rib, pork tenderloin, and chicken breast. Not to mention, smoking ribs, making burgers, barbecuing fishes, vegetables, fruits, and even desserts. This is the “everything you need to know about grilling” cookbook.
I was literally excited to read this book and was eager to turn each page. This book is all about grilling. The written steps are easy to follow and even better, the pictures are easy to understand. I’m a big fan of grilling and this book makes me feel more confident just thinking about cooking on a grill. It tells you how to tell when the food is done, and has different tips and tricks to make grilling easier. I would definitely recommend this book for anybody who loves to barbecue and heat up the grill. I think that this book is more suitable for adult readers, but it can be read by teenagers and up. I would say 16 years and up will find this book very useful and everyone who likes to barbecue should read this book in preparation for the summertime… and beyond.
Steven Raichlen. How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques, A Barbecue Bible! Cookbook (2001). This is a how to book that could very well be the be-all, end-all book to teach you how to grill like a professional. It is in full color and has step-by-step instructions (with photographs!) showing you exactly what to do, and when to do it. I don’t consider myself a cook by any means, but the written instructions along with the pictures make the directions easy to follow. The ingredients found in the book are mostly regular items in a supermarket. There are many different techniques and recipes in this book. It teaches you how to grill prime rib, pork tenderloin, and chicken breast. Not to mention, smoking ribs, making burgers, barbecuing fishes, vegetables, fruits, and even desserts. This is the “everything you need to know about grilling” cookbook.
I was literally excited to read this book and was eager to turn each page. This book is all about grilling. The written steps are easy to follow and even better, the pictures are easy to understand. I’m a big fan of grilling and this book makes me feel more confident just thinking about cooking on a grill. It tells you how to tell when the food is done, and has different tips and tricks to make grilling easier. I would definitely recommend this book for anybody who loves to barbecue and heat up the grill. I think that this book is more suitable for adult readers, but it can be read by teenagers and up. I would say 16 years and up will find this book very useful and everyone who likes to barbecue should read this book in preparation for the summertime… and beyond.
August 3, 2015
My go to reference for rubs and sauces on the Barbie. My favourite is his Basic Barbecue Dry Rub. He even has suggestions for flavoured butters. Lots of good solid grill recipes for meat, seafood and vegetables. My most used recipe is his Kansas City Sweet and Smokey Ribs.
The organization of the book is excellent. Also the extensive use of photos illustrating a technique or cooking steps is unmatched in BBQ books.
It even covers smokers and Eggs. I found however it was not of great use for my lump charcoal burning Egg because it assumes you are competent to manage your grill to achieve and then maintain given temperature zones which unfortunately I must say I still am working on. I need to get some consistency in my fire management.
Most of all this book is an inspiration to try new things because of its wonderful illustrations.
Highly Recommended!
The organization of the book is excellent. Also the extensive use of photos illustrating a technique or cooking steps is unmatched in BBQ books.
It even covers smokers and Eggs. I found however it was not of great use for my lump charcoal burning Egg because it assumes you are competent to manage your grill to achieve and then maintain given temperature zones which unfortunately I must say I still am working on. I need to get some consistency in my fire management.
Most of all this book is an inspiration to try new things because of its wonderful illustrations.
Highly Recommended!
April 5, 2008
Grilling has been a challenge for me, partly because up until recently I have had third-rate equipment, but mostly because I just get a lot less practice at it than less time-consuming/weather-dependant methods of cooking. This book is outstanding for teaching you how to get started grilling, including what equipment to buy, how to use the various types of grills, and the various options in terms of fuel and gadgets available. The recipes are excellent and include lots of variations to really teach you the broad possibilities of grilling.
February 26, 2014
Pictures, pictures, pictures... my kind of cook-book. Very clear instructions with photos of how to prepare and cut the meat and of course the finished product. Raichlen starts with the basics and takes you through different meats and veggies. I have been cooking for years and years and still picked up some good tips and tricks. I have tried his memphis dry rub beef ribs and plan to give about 10-15 of the other BBQ recipes a try. I may also ditch my gas grill and go pure charcoal as a result of this book.
August 17, 2007
This book is the secret to our grilling success. Ken's methodical following of Raichlen's directions alway lead to amazing outcomes. Love the Basic BBQ chicken, Chicken Under Bricks, and Grilled Pepper Salad (we use 1/2 summer squash). This guy is a grilling genius who will not usually guide you astray!
January 25, 2008
As a relative novice to charcoal grilling, I have yet to go wrong under the careful instruction of this book. Raichlen offers step by step techniques on how to prepare and grill just about anything (smoked turkey, bbq spare ribs, portabella mushrooms, pizza, whole roast lamb), and he includes a lot of useful info on basic techniques, grilling equipment, etc.
July 3, 2010
An excellent resource! Raichlen provides lots of examples with each recipe. He teaches one what is going on with each cook, what to expect, how to prepare, etc. All cookbooks should be this detailed.
Each recipe comes not only with a description, but a photo-spread of the procedure. I found that to be extremely helpful. This is one of the must-haves when it comes to barbecue.
Each recipe comes not only with a description, but a photo-spread of the procedure. I found that to be extremely helpful. This is one of the must-haves when it comes to barbecue.
July 19, 2014
Love to reference this book when I'm trying to come up with new ways to grill common grill food, and also to come up with something I normally wouldn't think of cooking on the grill.
A lot of great tips for gas and charcoal grilling. Easy to read and tons of pictures showing step-by-step instructions. Highly recommend!
A lot of great tips for gas and charcoal grilling. Easy to read and tons of pictures showing step-by-step instructions. Highly recommend!
September 11, 2015
This is a really splendid book.
Step by step high quality photos showing the prep for a wide range of recipes.
One question.
This book is printed on good quality gloss paper with numerous colour (color for our US readers ) illustrations that costs the same as his ' The Barbecue Bible ' printed on low quality paper with B & W photos. Why ?
Step by step high quality photos showing the prep for a wide range of recipes.
One question.
This book is printed on good quality gloss paper with numerous colour (color for our US readers ) illustrations that costs the same as his ' The Barbecue Bible ' printed on low quality paper with B & W photos. Why ?
March 11, 2008
Buy this for any man who loves to grill and wants to learn! It is so valuable to have. But if it is used a lot it may fall apart, so get it spiral bound or the hardcover edition. This book has incredible descriptions and instructions. And photos for each recipe! It's great!
December 16, 2008
I love to grill in the backyard and this book has made it even more enjoyable. I first saw him on KPBS (he has a grillling show) and then bought the book. He has a recipe for grilled salmon that even my kids will eat.
Viva la Steve!
Viva la Steve!
June 19, 2011
Given to us as a housewarming gift, this book is my Griller's favorite. A fun mix of humor and practical advice, this is where he turns when he wants to try something new. Occasionally a bit too elaborate for our talents, always educational.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews