CyndiA's Full Review: Steven Raichlen - The Barbecue! Bible
As far as I know, I don’t have ADHD, but I sure mentally ping all over the place when I try to look at The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen. I’ve had the book next to my bed (yep—I read cookbooks before bed) for a few weeks now, and every time I try to settle down and get familiar with and enjoy this book, my brain goes to mush. I had really been excited about getting the book, so it wasn’t like I wanted to not like it. I was dead sure it would be one of my favorites. But, nope. I really don’t like this one at all.
I suppose my idea of “barbecue” is more narrow than Raichlen’s. Around here, barbecue is actually pork on a bun, although when something is smoked, it might (with a stretch) be called barbecue. This book covers our local pulled pork, smoking, grilling and all sorts of outdoor cooking methods. One minute you’re learning about gas and charcoal grills and the next sticking meat on a stick over a fire. The book is, definitely, packed full of information as well as recipes. It’s overwhelming and just too much. I can go for a broader definition of BBQ, but this one stretches it beyond my outer bounds. This should be a series of books on outdoor cooking or something.
To further complicate matters, the whole book is set up to highlight these broad definitions of barbeque all over the world. If someone cooks meat (or veggies) over fire, then they probably have a page or so in the book. Raichlen actually traveled when putting this book together, so I’m not saying that the info is off. It’s just all over the globe and so random and scattered that I can’t focus. It takes a whole page of acknowledgements just to name the countries and cooks providing data for the book. I’m all for learning about other cultures and new ways of cooking, but again this is over the top. Too many places. Too many people. Too many ideas.
If you look at the index, you’ll find some order to the book though the topics are so broad that I never know where to start. After an introduction about the “barbecue trail,” the book kicks off with “A Crash Course on Grilling and Barbecuing.” That is followed by “Thirst Quenchers.” See what I mean. I’m looking for outdoor cooking and suddenly I’m getting drink recipes. And, these are from various parts of the world. All sorts of stuff. Then, I’m looking at different kinds of meats with loads of cooking techniques followed by “Sidekicks: Pickles, Relishes, Salsas & Slaws.” Suddenly, I’m seeing desserts and top 10 lists, glossaries, and mail order sources. My heart is pounding and not in a good way.
As far as the tips, Raichlen may be an expert, but I’d beg to differ on many points. He seems to think that it’s hard to tell the difference between food cooked on charcoal and gas. Trust me. There is a huge difference. He also puts salt on before cooking steak, and this can dry out the meat. He notes that some folks think this, but he goes against tradition. Again, I think he’s off. But, opinions especially when it comes to outdoor cooking do vary. I could accept some differences, but he really goes against the grain in some major ways (when I’m able to even focus enough to hear him out).
When I look at the recipes, they are all so long and detailed that I doubt I’ll get around to trying many of them. He includes a lot of specialty items that aren’t even available around here. Grilling/smoking (or whatever outdoors) should not be this hard. I’m put off, and I cook outside all the time. I can imagine how a newbie might feel. I could have someone up and cooking in a few minutes. Here, I feel like I’m going to have to devote the whole week to figuring out what I need to buy and then how I’ll cook it up. I’m too tired to cook by the time I wade through the directions.
The writing is all high brow feeling which is odd with a down home topic like barbecue. I can’t warm up to Raichlen at all. His stories should be interesting, but he sucks the life out of them with the way he words things. I feel like I’m in a college classroom with a very dull professor. He saying stuff, but all I hear is “blah, blah, blah.” I’ll read a paragraph over and over and never really soak it up. It’s like reading economics. Ugh.
Another problem with the book is the general set up and font choices. The whole book looks cluttered and feels like an explosion. There are way too many words packed on every page. The publishers do not know a thing about WHITE space apparently. Most of the recipes cross over pages. The margins are packed full of random pieces of information. The whole thing feels like a rough draft to me. I’d so organize and edit this thing if I was involved.
I suppose you could consider that you get a lot for your money with 556 pages chock full of information here. Certainly, a lot of folks seem pleased with the purchase, and the book did win a Julia Child award. It’s hard to argue that the book doesn’t deliver a lot. But, it’s just an overload and not one that I’d ever really enjoy. I like to relax and enjoy books-even cookbooks. This one just makes me nervous. I think I’m just going to put it away. It sure does not help me relax in the evenings before bed. After a page or two, I start thinking about cleaning out the cabinets or something. It doesn’t even inspire me to go outside and fire up the grill or smoker, so it’s basically a waste of energy and time.
If you’re interested in a barbecue book with a focus on smoking and a fun read to boot, then I’d recommend Peace, Love & Barbecue.
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