Released in 2005, The Cook’s Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue holds up incredibly well in today’s age of techno-wizardry now invading the art of fire and meat. If you’re not familiar with The Cook’s Illustrated, their labs are among the most impressive in the world, a kind of “Consumer Reports” of cooking that can only be accomplished with years of empirical and quantitative testing. For this book, they lit over 6,000 fires (no, I didn’t add a zero). Their goal was to find the absolutely best way to grill and they deliver. With hand-drawn fine illustrations explaining the basics and advanced techniques, there is something in here for every chef. Broken into eleven chapters by Meat type with special break outs for Pizza, Bruschetta, Sides and Salads, and Rubs and Sauces, you’ll find the best techniques and simple tips such as using a potato ricer to more efficiently squeeze lemons.
The book also provides helpful links to recommended products and services. While a bit dated, we’ve compiled our favorites into a list here for easy access. As a reminder, we receive a small Amazon associates fee every time you make a purchase big or small from our store. That helps fund the products and services we test here.
Link: The Cook’s Illustrated Grilling and Barbecue Equipment List (and a few bonus items too)
