Last Updated on February 26, 2025 by Melissa Reome
This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
There are many different books available to purchase and it can be difficult to decide which will fit your needs. I wanted to create this list of the over 30 best new grilling smoker and BBQ cookbooks to make it easier for you to choose. In this guide, I will break the books down into different categories so you can find what suits you best.
I bought and own over 100 books on grilling and/or barbecue cookbooks so you don’t have to. If a book is not on my list, I either do not personally own it yet or I do not recommend it over the others books you see here. As someone who also frequents book stores, the selection is infinitely better on Amazon and the prices are a fraction of the retail bookstore price. You can check out my Amazon storefront to see quick flip through videos of them all.
Call me old fashioned but I adore holding an actual book in my hands. Having said that, there is also a Kindle edition for most books on this list as well if you’d prefer. It sure was challenging to reduce the list to my favorites without it being too lengthy. My favorites within this guide are noted with a gold star.
Real Book Reviews
Why did I make the list for 30 plus books? At some point I may add additional books that deserve a spot on this list. As you go through this list, ask yourself “What am I looking for in a book?”. Are you looking for a great story, a book of only recipes, instructional guides or a bit of everything? I also included some information about the authors to help you decide.
Please note, there are many books from people you may know on social media which I did not include in this guide. It would be unfair of me to just review some as “the best” when I haven’t purchased and read the majority of them. Perhaps some time in the future I will revisit the idea.
Best Barbecue Cookbooks by BBQ Pitmasters
Books in this category include books written by BBQ pitmasters that may own their own restaurant or are famous BBQ competitors. These are the best of the best grilling, smoker and BBQ cookbooks in my opinion from the masters of their craft.
Tuffy Stone
Tuffy “The Professor” Stone isn’t just a man of BBQ, he is one of the most influential and well respected men of BBQ today. He is a BBQ Hall of Fame inductee and winner of six World BBQ Grand Championships with his competition team Cool Smoke.
Cool Smoke: The Art of Great Barbecue 
Cool Smoke, The Art of Great Barbecue, teaches you all of the little nuisances you need to consider whether it be timing, seasoning properly, fire management and more. Tuffy is well-respected in the barbecue community and is clearly a man who cooks with his whole heart. He doesn’t gate keep all of his knowledge as some others do in the BBQ realm and you reap the rewards of that honesty in this book. Here he takes the time to explain the science and technique behind great barbecue and why patience and details matter.
This well-regarded book is packed with information and is substantial at 304 pages. and over 100 recipes. The photography is stunning and inspiring. Included are classic grilling and barbecue recipes and advice on competition barbecue but there is much more. I particularly love the sections devoted to rub, sauces, brines, mops and sprays. Advice on meat trimming, seasoning, resting and slicing are helpful especially for those venturing into smoking brisket and other large cuts. The adaptation recommendations from competition barbecue methods to backyard barbecue are appreciated.
I believe his training in French cooking likely helped boost his creativity and elevate his other recipes beyond just the basics. Recipes include Smoked Pork Belly with Peanut Ginger Sauce, Competition Chicken Thighs Cool Smoke Style, Smoked Loin Back Ribs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce, Collard Greens with Pepper Relish and Competition Brisket Cool Smoke Style. This book is outstanding and a must buy.
Aaron Franklin and Jordan MacKay
What can I say, if you know BBQ, you know Franklin Barbecue and you know Aaron Franklin. He is always imitated by others but never duplicated. Franklin is a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef and has been inducted into the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame.
Franklin Smoke: Wood. Fire. Food.
If you want to learn the love language of making great Texas-style barbecue, this is your book. If you are looking for just a bunch of recipes with no real insight then look elsewhere. Franklin Smoke discusses a number of different types of smokers and grills and the nuances of each. I would say roughly half of this book is great knowledge, insights and tips. The other half will be both smoking and grilling recipes.
You’ll find plenty of the classics including smoked turkey, smoked duck, baby back ribs, smoked chicken, sauce and rub recipes and much more. Don’t worry, pages 179 through 192 are all devoted to The Ultimate Brisket. If you know you know. Franklin’s brisket is legendary.
The only thing missing from that guide is something I call Franklin magic. You can have the exact same ingredients and equipment as someone and have two completely different results. Some talents just come after years of trial and error and he has perfected it. Unfortunately, that is something money just can’t buy.
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
Much like his book Franklin Smoke, Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Smoking Manifesto is not just a big book of “recipes”. In fact, there aren’t truly that many. But recipes aren’t the main focus for this guide. The book is a discussion about how everything matters when learning how to smoke meat (or anything) properly.
From the smoker you choose, the fuel, the type of smoke you generate, the grade of meat, all details matter. Success is in those details. The majority of the book is centered around using an offset smoker as Franklin does. There is some brief discussion about others. Don’t expect a “how to” when cooking brisket on a kamado smoker for instance. There is a heavy focus on offset smokers and Central Texas style barbecue. Bottom line is that many of the principles of smoking remain the same regardless of what smoker you are using.
If you are considering buying this book and love steak, I highly recommend buying The Franklin Barbecue Collection [Special Edition, Two-Book Boxed Set] which includes both Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto along with Franklin Steak. You get two books at a great price in a nice rigid display box.
Chris Lilly
Chris Lilly, is a member of The BBQ Hall of Fame and a winner of 17 World BBQ Championships. He is a record holder of five Memphis in May World Grand Championships and has many other accolades. Lilly is also the executive chef of Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q in Alabama.
Fire and Smoke: A Pitmaster’s Secrets: A Cookbook
This book is a combination of both grilling and BBQ. There is also a nice sized section on different cookers with advantages and disadvantages of each. Here you will find easy to follow and delicious recipes with a very reasonable ingredient list and beautiful photography. What makes this book really shine is Chris’s invaluable tips and techniques that he shares along the way. The personal stories he shares are a charming touch. Both those new to the craft and those who have mastered it will both enjoy this book.
If you are looking for help with competition BBQ, this isn’t the book for that. However, if you are looking for some great BBQ and grilling recipes, it has you covered. Some of my favorite recipes include Peppered Filet Mignon with Roasted Garlic Herb Butter, Grilled Corn Pudding, BBQ Gumbo and Pan Seared New York Strip with Bourbon Cream Sauce.
My favorite section is “Bellies and Bacon”. Notable recipes include: Smoked Pork Belly with Shock Top Honey Mustard Glaze, Smoked Pork Belly Confit and Hickory Smoked Maple and Black Pepper Bacon.
Myron Mixon
You can’t go wrong with any of Myron’s books when you want to learn the world of BBQ as he is the most decorated and “Winningest Man in Barbecue”. Just how much do you ask? Myron’s competition BBQ team Jack’s Old South has won over 200 grand championships, 30 state championships, 8 team of the year awards and 11 national championships. This BBQ Hall of Fame member certainly knows barbecue.
Smokin’ with Myron Mixon: Recipes Made Simple, from the Winningest Man in Barbecue: A Cookbook
This book of 70 award winning recipes goes back to the basics of great BBQ. There is no fluff, just the essential BBQ basics and southern favorites. Recipes and tutorials include: whole hog, rubs, marinades, injections, low country boil, barbecue deviled eggs, basics of brisket, baby back ribs, pork shoulder and smoked bologna to name a few.
Compared to other barbecue and smoker cookbooks reviewed, Mixon doesn’t get into the technical aspects. It is more of a no nonsense approach and better for those who get overwhelmed by too much information. Those interested in competition barbecue will enjoy the tips and tricks he shares. This isn’t a huge book at 192 pages but it is all simple BBQ love.
Andy Husbands & Chris Hart
Andy Husbands is an award-winning owner of The Smoke Shop restaurants, author, philanthropist, and Boston’s top Pitmaster. Together, Andy and Chris make up IQUE, the first New England team to win the Jack Daniel’s World Invitational Barbecue Cooking Contest in 2009.
Pitmaster: Recipes, Techniques, and Barbecue Wisdom
First and foremost, my favorite part of this book are the whole pages written by masters of their craft. Notables such as Billy Durney, Elizabeth Karmel, Sam Jones and Tuffy Stone discuss their background in barbecue. I also really enjoy reading the beginning of the chapters where different regions of barbecue are discussed. The book is sectioned off into 6 chapters including: Backyard Barbecue, North Carolina, Kansas City, Texas, The North and Competition barbecue.
From tips and tricks to using your own smoker, to recipes for different regional barbecue styles, this book has a lot to offer. Per Chris and Andy, “This book is about our barbecue paths. Sharing what we have learned and focusing on the barbecue regions and people that inspire us the most”. Whether you are an at home cook or looking to up your competition game, Andy and Chris’s recipes will inspire you to fire up your smoker.
Rodney Scott
Rodney Scott is a James Beard Award winning chef, pitmaster and author from South Carolina who is famous for his whole hog barbecue. He grew up helping in his family’s barbecue business Scott’s Bar-B-Cue in Hemingway, SC. In 2017, he opened Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston in 2017 and then additional locations in Birmingham, AL, and Atlanta, GA.
Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day
This book is another favorite of mine in my collection. It is a must buy if you love cookbooks that go beyond just recipes. In the first 63 pages you are brought on an authentic journey of Rodney’s life. It is an inspiring memoir of his childhood when working at his family’s BBQ joint and what led up to him owning Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ in Charleston.
People often see your success but not all of the trials and tribulations you endured to get there. From there Rodney goes into his love of and the culture of whole hog cooking. Building a pit, burn barrels, prepping and cooking a whole hog are all discussed in great detail.
Also included are many recipes that are from the grill and beyond. Here you will find classic southern recipes such as potato salad, pork and grits and smoked chicken. If you are looking for a book with a large amount of recipes, this might not be for you. If you are looking for a heartfelt authentic read that includes life lessons, tutorials and recipes, look no further.
Sam Jones and Daniel Vaughn
Sam Jones is the third generation to operate Skylight Inn BBQ in Ayden NC, which was owned by his grandfather in 1947. Skylight Inn won a James Beard Award for “America’s Classics” in 2003. Sam opened Sam Jones BBQ with locations in Raleigh and Winterville, NC.
Daniel Vaughn is the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly magazine and author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat.
Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue with Recipes from Skylight Inn and Sam Jones BBQ
There is one common theme that my favorite BBQ books have, including this one. I will gladly give up multiple pages of recipes to hear the stories the best pitmasters have to tell. Sam Jones is one of those men who inspires the other BBQ greats and therefore, we should listen.
“His reputation for incredible barbecue is exceeded only by his reputation for kindness and generosity”
-Ashley Christensen
This book has nothing but positive attributes. There is an extremely detailed tutorial on whole hog (over 40 pages) which is his specialty. In fact, this is the best guide on whole hog I have seen in any book at all. The focus here is on Eastern North Carolina vinegar-based sauce recipes, a regional staple. Classic BBQ recipes such as pork spare ribs, smoked turkey breast and great side dishes are also included. Not to worry, there are plenty of modifications for the home cook as well.
If you have any interest at all in whole hog BBQ or just love to hear the stories of one of the greatest pitmasters of our time, this book is a must buy. If you are looking for a generalized book on grilling or smoking this isn’t the book for you.
Pat Martin and Nick Fauchald
Pat Martin is a Nashville restaurateur and founder of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint and Hugh-Baby’s BBQ & Burger Shop. Specializing in West Tennessee-style whole hog BBQ, his talent doesn’t stop there. He is a well-respected master of live fire cooking of all types.
Life of Fire: Mastering the Arts of Pit-Cooked Barbecue, the Grill, and the Smokehouse
Live-fire and whole hog enthusiasts rejoice! Beginners and those more advanced with grilling and smoking barbecue will find much value inside Life of Fire. Like some other books in this section, a portion of this book will be recipes and the rest is more guidance and instruction. Martin’s lifelong love for the art of pit-cooked barbecue, open-flame cooking, and grilling is truly reflected. A section is also included on embers cooking and traditional smokehouses.
The photography and attention to detail is superb. This is a hefty book at 320 pages and it covers a lot of territory. He had two goals when he wrote this book: to document West Tennessee whole-hog barbecue and to explore live-fire cooking at a level of detail he wished he had been given in the barbecue and grilling books he read when he was learning to cook. I can vouch that he certainly accomplished both. You will find expansive recipes and all of the classics, but it is all the information in between that ups your grilling game.
For those looking for general grilling and smoking guidance there are better options. For those who love live-fire cooking and learning some other methods, the book is brilliant.
Mike Mills and Amy Mills
Mike “The Legend” Mills is a champion pitmaster and owner of two 17th Street BBQ locations in Southern Illinois. He is a Barbecue Hall of Fame inductee and a four-time World Champion and three-time Grand World Champion at Memphis in May. He has many other accolades and is also a James Beard nominated author.
Amy Mills also affectionately known as “The Barbecue Heiress” is Mike Mill’s daughter and a James Beard nominated author. Her company OnCue Consulting offers barbecue industry education and more. She’s a featured judge on various barbecue shows such as Food Network’s BBQ Brawl, Firemasters, Chopped, Best in Smoke, Kingsford Invitational and Smoked as well as co-star of the Mills family’s own digital series, Peace, Love and BBQ.
Praise the Lard
Praise the Lard is roughly a 50/50 mix of Memphis-style BBQ recipes and great side dishes to accompany BBQ. The insights, history and advice are honestly my favorite part. It is truly a mix of different styles including both competition and backyard barbecue.
There are numerous sauce and rub recipes that are also used in some of the recipes. Mike is known as the “Rib King” and his rib method is certainly a highlight. Though there is a whole-hog recipe, I feel there are better highly detailed guides in other books (Sam Jones, Rodney Scott, Pat Martin). If you want to consult a master of ribs and pulled pork, look no further. In addition, there are recipes for brisket, chicken, side dishes and dessert. This is a well-rounded book that will be enjoyed by all.
Kevin Bludso
Kevin was born in Compton, CA, but spent summers in Texas with his grandmother. There he learned the art of BBQ from her at her BBQ stand and the rest is history. Kevin now owns multiple Bludso’s BBQ locations in California and also locations in Texas and Australia.
Bludso is a recurring judge on the hit Netflix BBQ competition show The American BBQ Showdown, and has multiple television appearances on shows like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Bong Appetit (that is not a typo) and as a recurring guest judge on Bar Rescue.
Bludso’s BBQ Cookbook: A Family Affair in Smoke and Soul
I love a well-written cookbook with great stories so you feel you get to know the author. This book is more than just BBQ, it is BBQ, soul food, fried food, grilled food and everything in between. From flavorful holiday meals to delectable desserts, this book excels at them all.
This isn’t just a cookbook. This is the story of a man from humble beginnings that rose above it all to become a respected and successful man of BBQ and so much more. The recipes and guides are a mix of Texas-style barbecue with a West Coast influence and a touch of soul food. Kevin tells of the challenges of being a black pitmaster and how he rose and overcame adversity. He is charming and witty and it makes for an enjoyable read.
I believe that backyard books will truly enjoy this book as it is a great mix of recipes. If you are looking for other regional barbecue types you may prefer something different.
Moe Cason
“Big” Moe Cason is larger than life, full of personality and most of all, heart. Moe was a former Navy man who eventually found his way into BBQ and went on to be a familiar face on the competition BBQ circuit.
Moe hosts BBQ classes and participates in competitions not just in the US, but around the world. He was a regular on BBQ Pitmasters, has been featured on Destination America’s BBQ Pit Wars and the Food Network’s The Kitchen and Chopped. He even has a National Geographic series, World of Flavor with Big Moe Cason.
Big Moe’s Big Book of BBQ: 75 Recipes From Brisket and Ribs to Cornbread and Mac and Cheese
Some people write special books and you truly feel as if they are sharing family recipes. This book makes you feel as if Moe is actually in front of you sharing these stories and his family’s recipes they love. From choosing the right smoker, the best wood, caring for your pit, or picking out the right tools for the job, this book goes over them all. The full color photography is stunning and inspiring. I love seeing pictures of his loved ones throughout the book.
This book has a good mix of “classic BBQ recipes” and some great grilling recipes. I love that he included Big Mama’s Lasagna which is his wife’s (also an outstanding cook) lasagna recipe. From ribs to wings to gumbo, collards and smoked turkey, this book is definitely a winner.
Best Cookbooks for Recipes and General Knowledge of BBQ and Grilling
America’s Test Kitchen
Master of the Grill: Foolproof Recipes, Top-Rated Gadgets, Gear, & Ingredients Plus Clever Test Kitchen Tips & Fascinating Food Science
What can I say, I love any cookbook that America’s Test Kitchen puts out. You are guaranteed that the recipes are well tested, thoroughly explained and easy to follow. This book is extremely large for cookbook standards at a whopping 454 pages. It includes 692 recipes, ratings, tips and techniques for grilling. I am actually hard pressed to find a topic this book does not cover in the grilling realm. The photography and illustrations are both beautiful and helpful. Honestly, recipes aside, all of the tip sections on the sides of the pages are my favorite part. For example: Why Use a Water Pan in Your Grill, Shrimp Basics (a guide for buying and defrosting shrimp), How to Engineer Your Fire, Domestic vs Imported Lamb etc. This is a book anyone who loves to grill will enjoy and it would make an excellent gift.
Note: This book had a cover art change so if you purchase it, it may appear different.
Adam Rapoport
Bon Appétit is an American food and entertainment magazine that contains recipes, entertaining ideas, restaurant recommendations, and wine reviews. Adam Rapoport was the editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit magazine from 2010-2020.
The Grilling Book: The Definitive Guide from Bon Appetit
If you are a fan of Bon Appétit magazine recipes, then you will love this book. This book includes more than 380 recipes, all which were published in the magazine. While true that the book doesn’t include a lot of photographs, it doesn’t lack good content. There are some full page photographs but don’t expect that for every recipe. There are plenty of internationally oriented recipes and plenty of domestic favorites as well. You’ll find plenty of your favorites in all the major categories and new inspirations as well.
For those newer to grilling, there is a section in the front of the book giving you tips for grilling success. Because of the vast number of recipes, there are plenty for those of all levels of grilling mastery. This book gives you the recipes without much extra narrative. In other words, it is a straightforward recipe book. If you are someone who doesn’t need step-by-step photographs to show you how to make a recipe then this book is truly a great value and I highly recommend it.
Jamie Purviance (Weber)
Jaime is both a Sanford and Culinary Institute of America graduate, a master griller and author of 17 books. I am a huge fan of Jaime’s books and a big fan of his writing style. Jaime is an author I can trust to consistently put out great content and his books are all packed with information. His books all have beautiful photography, step-by-step thorough directions and so much more. His books have never disappointed me.
Big grilling companies have big budgets and with these books, you certainly get your money worth and then some. Don’t worry, you don’t have to have a Weber grill to make any of these recipes. You can easily adapt any of the recipes for any grill.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Weber’s Ultimate Grilling: A Step-by-Step Guide to Barbecue Genius
I LOVE this book! This book would be an excellent gift for the beginner griller because it is loaded with 750 photos and 200 techniques and tips. Step by step photography is a dream for someone learning how to cook. I don’t mean to imply it is only for beginners at all. As someone who knows her way around a grill, I appreciate the illustrations and all the effort that went into creating this. The tips alone are worth the price. If you could only purchase one book from the Weber collection, this is the one I would buy.
Weber’s New Real Grilling: The Ultimate Cookbook for Every Backyard Griller
With 250 recipes and over 400 full-color photos, this book is another gem. Mastering the basics of grilling or cooking anything is essential for any cook professional or not. Much like Jaime’s other books, this is loaded with a ton of tips and tricks to create successful meals. Like Weber’s Greatest Hits, it has a section for rubs, sauces and marinades.
This book includes sections on how to start grills and the different cooking techniques. The other sections are broken down into red meat, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables and desserts. Another great book for the beginner and intermediate griller.
Weber’s New American Barbecue: A Modern Spin on the Classics
If you are growing tired of all the overdone classic barbecue recipes, this book is for you! Weber’s New American Barbecue puts a little twist on classic barbecue recipes to make them exciting again. Just as in Jaime’s other books, you get all of the tips and tricks you’ll love, beautiful photography and step-by-step instructions. There is still plenty of information at the beginning of the book about different grill types and how to fire them up. At 304 pages, there are plenty of recipes to love.
Weber’s Greatest Hits: 125 Classic Recipes for Every Grill
Weber’s Greatest Hits is just that, a collection of 125 of their most popular recipes throughout the years all in one book. From starters to desserts, this book has 320 pages of fool proof fan favorites that you are sure to love. The section in the back of the book for sauces, rubs and marinade recipes is a nice touch. As with every other Weber book, the recipes are easy to follow with great photos, tips and instructions.
Mark Bittman
A well-known author of over 30 books, Mark Bittman was the lead food writer for the Sunday New York TImes and became the country’s first food-focused Op-Ed columnist for a major news publication. His How to Cook Everything Series of 9 books is wildly popular.
How To Grill Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Flame-Cooked Food: A Grilling BBQ Cookbook
This is a beast of a book at 576 pages and featuring 1000 recipes and variations. This grilling cookbook covers a lot of territory and you’ll find everything from simple to more complex. I love that at the end of each recipe, he gives you three possible recipe variations. It is actually my favorite part about this book aside from the large amount of content. This is also a hardcover book with no dust cover and so well made. It is definitely a great buy.
Steven Raichlen
Author, journalist, lecturer, and TV host, Steven Raichlen is said to be “the man who launched the barbecue revolution”. Raichlen is the author of 32 books, and winner of five James Beard Awards, three IACP Julia Child Awards and various other accolades. He hosts the popular TV shows Steven Raichlen’s Project Fire and Project Smoke, Primal Grill, Barbecue University and Planet Barbecue. His books have been translated in 17 languages.
How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques
This huge 512 page grilling manifest is packed with so much great information. It has 1000 full-color photographs, more than 100 recipes and techniques. Is bigger always better? In this case yes! This IACP Cookbook award winning book is worth every penny.
I don’t care if you’re a novice or more advanced griller, there is always much to learn. The step-by-step pictures aid in learning tremendously. It is the perfect gift for someone just adventuring in the world of grilling. From direct grilling, indirect grilling, smoking, rotisserie grilling and old-style barbecuing, this book has it all.
Project Smoke: Seven Steps to Smoked Food Nirvana, Plus 100 Irresistible Recipes from Classic (Slam-Dunk Brisket) to Adventurous (Smoked Bacon-Bourbon)
New to smoking and don’t know where to start, get this book. Raichlen starts by discussing his “Seven Steps to Smoking Nirvana”. Choosing Your Smoker discusses all different varieties of smokers and differences between them. Source Your Fuel talks about charcoal, different wood types and properties of them all. I love the chart on all of the different woods and food it pairs well with.
Assemble Your Tools goes through a multitude of items you may need to use your smoker and cook. Flavor Your Food discusses salting, seasonings, marinades, rubs, injections and more. Select Your Smoking Method discusses cold vs hot-smoking, barbecuing, smoke-roasting and much more. Light Your Fire discusses different methods to build, light and maintain fires. Know When Your Food Is Done includes just that, subjective and non-subjective to tell when your food is properly cooked.
After that section are all of the recipes so you can apply what you have learned. Between the recipes are great pages of information including a full page on brining and another on the ins and outs of injecting. The tips and techniques alone make this book a great buy.
The Barbecue! Bible
The Barbecue! Bible includes all of the knowledge, tips and photos that you expect from one of Raichlen’s books. I love this book in particular for all of the recipes from different regions all around the world. Recipes for Grilled Clams with Colombo Butter from the French West Indies and Grilled Tuna with Red Wine, Caper, and Olive Sauce from France look delightful. This book is loaded with excellent recipes and is huge at 556 pages and it includes over 500 recipes. It truly is a comprehensive grilling guide and then some.
If there is one thing Steven Raichlen does well, it is to explain techniques and give detailed instructions. It truly is a great buy and in my opinion, a must for any grill lover.
Best Cookbooks About Food Science for Cooking Barbecue and Grilling
Meathead Goldwyn and Greg Blonder
Meathead Goldwyn is a Barbecue Hall of Fame member and creator of AmazingRibs.com, the world’s most popular BBQ and grilling website. Greg Blonder is a professor Ph.D. at Boston University. As a physicist, he conducted original experimental research for this book and Goldwyn’s website. Together, they created this masterpiece.
Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling
This is a New York Times best seller and an essential guide for your grilling and barbecue library! Named one of the 100 best cookbooks of all time by Southern Living Magazine, it is easy to see why. This book is an absolute must for anyone who wants to learn the science behind different cooking techniques.
I love to geek out on all the science that cooking actually involves. It explains the science of barbecuing and grilling with easy to understand terms. This book challenges a large number of cooking myths and explains why they are incorrect. It is the Myth Busters of the grilling and barbecue world.
If I had my way it would be the first book people should read when learning how to cook outdoors. Make no mistake this book includes more than 100 recipes and is 400 pages of incredible knowledge. Don’t just take it from me, this book has an abundance of accolades from the best in the business. To me, it is legendary.
His highly anticipated new book
Best International Style Grilling Cookbooks
Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat
The Japanese Grill: From Classic Yakitori to Steak, Seafood and Vegetables
This book was such a treat! The recipes are fast and easy and many build off of marinade or sauce recipes that are also included in the book. For example, Two Minute Steak with Shiso Butter has the garlic soy marinade. Grilled lobster with ponzu brown butter and notables such as Japanese-style Turkey Pastrami look divine.
This book is the brainchild of a Japanese born chef and an American food writer and the result is just lovely. The photography is beautiful and the recipes are straightforward and well explained. I can’t wait to explore this book even more.
Bricia Lopez, Javier Cabral
Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling
There is so much I adore about his book. The pictures are stunning, the recipes inviting and the history inspiring. I would buy this book for the various salsa recipes alone. My mouth waters just looking at the recipes and pictures in this book.
Pollo en Guajillo, Pibil-Style Pork Chops, Arrachera Verde are just a few recipes that stand out. Trust me on this one, if you love authentic Mexican food, you will love this book. In fact, I love this book so much that I purchased Lopez’s award winning book Oaxaca and it is just dreamy. Both books are a must for lovers of authentic Mexican food.
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabandhu is a writer and illustrator. She has authored three books: Simple Thai Food: Classic Recipes from the Thai Home Kitchen, Bangkok: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Thailand, and Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill: Classic Recipes for Meats and Seafood Cooked over Charcoal. She writes on her booking blog SheSimmers.com and her work has appeared in multiple publications.
Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill: Classic Recipes for Seafood and Meats Cooked over Charcoal
Stop spending too much money on going out for Thai food because now it has been simplified for your home. This book includes a large number of dishes with minimal ingredients that are still bursting with flavor. Yes, some are more involved but no more than a recipe you would usually make at home. Recipes such as Green Curry Beef Skewers with Fried Basil Oil and Honey-Roasted Duck, look tantalizing. The Lemongrass Grilled Chicken with Crispy Garlic and Spicy Bamboo Shoot Salad looks both adventurous and delicious. The Ghee-Smoked Chicken and Rice with Spicy Mint Sauce will be on repeat. I love the author’s wit and the education piece of the book as well. Don’t pass on this one, it’s a great buy.
Bill Kim, Chandra Ram
Award-winning chef Bill Kim got his start in the restaurant industry and honed his culinary skills at world-renowned establishments Charlie Trotter’s and Le Lan. Chef Kim would eventually venture out on his own in 2008, bringing his imaginative Asian-inspired cuisine to his highly acclaimed Chicago restaurants Urbanbelly, bellyQ, and Belly Shack.
Chandra Ram is a cookbook author and food writer, and the senior digital food editor of Food & Wine. She has degrees in journalism (Loyola University Chicago) and culinary arts (The Culinary Institute of America). Chandra is a member of IACP, Les Dames d’Escoffier, the Southern Foodways Alliance and the James Beard Foundation Journalism Award committee. She won multiple awards for her writing and editing work including a James Beard nomination, an IACP nomination, several Jesse H. Neal awards and Folio awards, an Association of Food Journalists award, and the McAllister Editorial Fellowship.
Korean BBQ: Master Your Grill in Seven Sauces
Korean BBQ “translates Korean flavors for the American home cook in a way that is friendly and accessible”. The book is based on a central seven sauces and three rub recipes. Most of the 80 recipes are then based off of those main sauces and rubs. I adore that all of those recipes are duplicated on the inside back cover and the preceding page for accessibility.
Some recipes that really catch my eye are Hoisin Baked Beans with Bacon BBQ Crust, Coconut-Peanut Pesto Chicken Satay and Korean Chicken Saltimbocca. The little commentary that is included with each recipe makes such a nice personal touch. As someone who wouldn’t know where to start when adventuring into Korean-American cooking and grilling, I appreciate the details.
For ingredients that might be hard to purchase, the authors have given suitable substitutions. Korean BBQ was a James Beard Award finalist and deservingly so.
Best Cookbooks for Grilling Wild Game
Steven Rinella
Steven Rinella is an outdoorsman, writer, and wild foods enthusiast who is a passionate advocate for conservation and the protection of public lands. Rinella is the host of the MeatEater podcast and The History Channel’s Hunting History with Steven Rinella.
The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for Every Hunter and Angler
For those who love to fish, hunt and cook, this book is outstanding. The information is detailed yet easy to follow on how to properly butcher, store, and prepare wild game and fish. He gives step-by-step instructions with stunning photography on how to break down virtually every variety of North American fish and game in a way that is best for cooking. Steven offers advice on which types of fish or game and which cuts work best in different preparations. Also included are recipes and cooking tips from other renowned hunters and chefs.
The instructions for making basic stocks, sauces, marinades, pickles and rubs that can be used with a variety of wild game are very helpful. This fish and game cookbook includes recipes for outdoors and indoors. Compared to Steven’s book The Meateater Outdoor Cookbook (below) the focus here is more on perfecting technique and then cooking. The book includes over 100 recipes and is packed with information at 368 pages. It is easy to see why this book has been wildly successful.
Some recipes include: Rabbit Cacciatore, Pickled Pike (Or Sucker), Grilled Grouse with Cayenne Butter and Wild Goose Pastrami.
The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook: Wild Game Recipes for the Grill, Smoker, Campstove, and Campfire
I loved Steven Rinella’s first book and this one is such a great complement to it. The different chapters each cover a different outdoor cooking method such as grilling, smoking or cooking over hot coals. This book includes over 100 easy to follow recipes all for wild game. Some of the recipes include: smoked duck, grilled wild boar ribs with peach glaze, salmon jerky, hot smoked trout, venison kofta kebab and goose and dumplings. From more common to obscure game, this book covers it all and it is packed with great ideas.
Compared to his book The Meateater Fish and Game Cookbook, this book is purely for outdoor cooking and the recipes are more quick and simple to prepare. You won’t find all of the detailed techniques on processing fish and wild game and that’s why I love them both as companion books.
Best Grilling, BBQ and Wine Pairing Cookbook
Mary Kressler & Sean Martin
Oregon wine country based Mary Kressler and her husband Sean Martin founded Ember and Vine, an award-winning catering and events firm specializing in wood-fired cooking. Together, they have two decades of experience in recipe development, entertaining, education, writing, and professional cooking. Mary and Sean write about food and wine on her website, Vindulge. They together also own the award-winning wine country based catering company, Ember and Vine.
Fire + Wine: 75 Smoke-Infused Recipes from the Grill with Perfect Wine Pairings
I added this category to this guide because Mary Kressler and Sean Martin have created something wonderfully unique. Fire + Wine to my knowledge is the only grilling cookbook to include inspired wine pairings. Even if you removed the wine pairings from this book, the book itself is immaculate. The photography is stunning and the 75 recipes are a mix of classic grill and barbecue classics. Whether intentional or not, the feel of the book is similar to the upscale feel of the well known Food & Wine magazine.
Some notable fish recipes include Perfect Smoked Salmon Fillet with Beurre Blanc and Maple-Chipotle Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon. For the meat lovers, Lamb Meatballs with Orange Marmalade and New York Strip with Savory Duck Fat Granola look simply divine. The authors have shown that combining a pitmaster and a sommelier also make a perfect pairing.
Best Cookbooks by Professional Chefs and Food Writers
Matt Moore
The South’s Best Butts: Pitmaster Secrets for Southern Barbecue Perfection
The South’s Best Butts is a book of adventure and exploration of barbecue. Moore visits a multitude of different states in a quest to share regional barbecue recipes from pitmasters of the South. The book is divided into three sections: “Fuel=Flavor,” “Smokehouse Stories” and “All the Trimmings”. Imagine a BBQ roadtrip where you get not only to speak with the pitmasters but you are also shared recipes. That would be a dream for many.
A lot of pitmasters protect all of their recipes and here you’ll see they are willing to share. That collection of recipes and anecdotes make up this cookbook. The book is pork-centric (as per the name) and there are plenty of sides to impress anyone.
Tyler Florence
Tyler Florence is a chef, bestselling author, restaurateur, and beloved star of Food Network’s Tyler’s Ultimate.
American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire
This was the first Tyler Florence book I’ve purchased and I now know it won’t be the last. I cannot stress enough how stunning the photography is. Of course, it has lovely recipes and in-depth instructions which make this book a gem. Some of the recipes are elevated beyond the basics and others are the grilling favorites everyone loves. It includes 125 recipes including: Smoked Prime Rib, Braised Pork Loin with Apple-Braised Cabbage, Pork Chile Verde, Cowboy Beef Chili, Grilled Green Curry Mussels and Grilled Peach Panzanella.
Some of the different categories include Apps and Grabs, Grilled Breads and Spreads, Quick Fire, Steaks and Chops, Low and Slow, Cowboy Cooking, Sweets, Rubs Oils, Sauces and Extras. You will want to cook everything in this book because it all looks that good. The book itself is a hard cover with no loose jacket but we all know it’s what is inside that truly counts.
Best Vegetable Grilling Cookbooks
Often meat gets center stage on the grill but vegetables deserve a spot as well. Many of the grilling cookbooks listed in this guide do include some vegetable recipes but nothing significant. There were a few books in this category I did not include because they pale in comparison.
A little bit of attention to vegetable dishes sure makes them shine. Books on this list are based mainly off of grilling vegetables (and even fruit), not recipes that may be considered vegan or vegetarian. Please consult individual recipes for more information.
Steven Raichlen
Steven Raichlen, in addition to the books previously mentioned, released How to Grill Vegetables: The New Bible for Barbecuing Vegetables Over Live Fire in 2021.
How to Grill Vegetables: The New Bible for Barbecuing Vegetables Over Live Fire
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helps you decide which book might suit you the best. I also created this because often, people are buying books for others as gifts and they don’t know where to begin.
If you enjoy reviews, and love live-fire cooking, check out my review of the Arteflame grill.