Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking »

Adam Perry Lang trained with the world s best chefs before giving up four-star kitchens for the thrill of cooking with just meat and fire. Now he s on a mission to turn everyone into an expert.

In Serious Barbecue, Adam Perry Lang has translated his intimate understanding of culinary technique into easy-to-follow advice to help a nation of backyard cooks unleash the raw power of one of the most flavor-packed cuisines around: American barbecue.

Perry Lang begins by breaking down the fundamentals of barbecue---what tools you ll need to begin, how to master cooking with charcoal and wood, how to choose the perfect grill, and more. Then he takes readers on a trip through the butcher s case, describing exactly what makes each kind of meat special, explaining how to select with the skill of a master, and providing his favorite recipes for almost every available cut of pork, beef, veal, lamb, chicken, and turkey.

These original, mouthwatering recipes, which include step-by-step seasoning instructions and a flip-by-flip grilling or smoking guide, will have amateur and expert cooks firing up their barbecues and enjoying perfect results every time---whether they re impressing a group of friends with Perry Lang s insanely delicious Salt and Pepper Dry-Aged Cowboy-Cut Rib Eye or wowing half the neighborhood with his massive, slow-cooking, succulent "Get a Book" Whole Pork Shoulder. Whatever the recipe, his goal is for everyone to achieve the holy grail of barbecuing: bragging rights.

Publishers Weekly

Lang is serious about being serious, and that starts with his credentials. His career began at Le Cirque; he then moved on to Daniel, Carnevino in Las Vegas, and a stint as a private chef. Along the way, he opened Daisy May's BBQ, one of Manhattan's best barbecue shacks. Thus, with four-star knowledge, he brings pork, beef, lamb and the lowly chicken to the open flame with a mix of science, anecdote and a wide array of seasonings. The chapter on pork begins not only with a look at the importance of fat but also the importance of collagen and the differences between commodity and heirloom pork. There's an interview with Dave Arnold of the French Culinary Institute that explores the relation between heat and meat and why foods stick to hot surfaces. His recipe for a marinated wet-aged rib eye explains that the wonders of Worcestershire sauce have to do with the flavor-enhancing qualities of anchovies and tamarind. Nearly every entry is composed of several brief preparation recipes, since each meat is uniquely paired with a seasoning combination for specific reasons. Before cooking the spit-roasted spring lamb, for instance, one must make a basting butter, seasoning blend, herb bundle and glaze. Even something that looks simple, like the delicious classic, burnt ends (a take on barbecued brisket), involves a mustard paste, a seasoning blend, a wrapping mixture and a finishing sauce. Seriously. (May)

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