Quintessential Cookbooks --> Top 10

500 · February 27

I found this APL chicken recipe, @beteez; http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=10616434#.US4Dq3li4y4.email From what I see, Serious Barbeque is like his "bible" or vision, BBQ 25 is like a greatest hits album, and Charred and Scruffed is like his next thing, like what the Beatles did after Sgt. Pepper. Am I close there? I skimmed through Charred and Scruffed at a book store yesterday. There was a lamb recipe, I think, that called for microplaning a piece of lump for what he called "charcoal salt". That's one way to get wood flavor in your food. Interesting stuff. I think I'll pick up BBQ 25.

rustypotts · February 27

GrannyX4 said:

I have a LARGE collection of cookbooks and by far my favorite is a Houston Junior League cookbook " Stop and Smell the Rosemary".

Like GrannyX4 I like regional cookbooks. I always comb used book store when I travel. The best that I've found is "Bayou Cuisine". It was put out years ago by the Episcopal Church of Indianola Mississippi, the home of BB King and Craig Claiborne. It is a bible of southern cooking. Another favorite is "Sea Island Seasons" published by the Beaufort county Open Land Trust of Beaufort, South Carolina. A third is "Seasonal Florida" ....."a taste of life in north Florida". I recently scored a few from my aunts estate in New Mexico. I'm looking forward to some of those regional recipes.

Truthfully though, even though I collect cookbooks I usually do an internet search if I'm looking for a recipe. I look at several and then work off of those.

Focker · February 27

500 said:

I found this APL chicken recipe, @beteez; http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=10616434#.US4Dq3li4y4.email From what I see, Serious Barbeque is like his "bible" or vision, BBQ 25 is like a greatest hits album, and Charred and Scruffed is like his next thing, like what the Beatles did after Sgt. Pepper. Am I close there? I skimmed through Charred and Scruffed at a book store yesterday. There was a lamb recipe, I think, that called for microplaning a piece of lump for what he called "charcoal salt". That's one way to get wood flavor in your food. Interesting stuff. I think I'll pick up BBQ 25.

Yeah, that is close. I have Serious Barbecue, Charred and Scruffed. Here is a short video discussing a couple of his eggcellent techniques. Serious Barbecue is by far, my favorite barbecue book.

http://vimeo.com/12099997#at=0

TonyA · February 27

some very good recommendations on here .. The New Professional Chef is a great reference book. I also like What Einstein told his Cook..

I'm going to also recommend Rhulman's Ratio .. excellent reference tool. I also like Bourdain's Les Halles. Bourdain offers some very practical applications for making good quality stocks and sauces at home.

beteez · February 27

@500 that recipe is from 25 I posted around 2 weeks ago when I cooked it http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1148348/tonights-boneless-skinless#latest . The brines in 25 are worth the price of the book. I found a copy of Serious Barbecue at the local books A Million several months ago, so there are a few copies floating around at reasonable prices. APL indicated to a friend on Twitter that it would be back in publication soon. Like you said Scruffed has some very unique techniques that go way beyond an ordinary cook, Generally a seasoning, a brine, a rub, a glaze, a finnishing salt, a bd dressing & a spackle. My favorites from 25 are the thick pork chops in apple compote (best chops I have ever made, comparable to a $25 entree), the bone in chicken parts, boneless rib roast & grilled veggies.

Z_Eggineer · February 27

beteez said:

500 said:

So of all the Adam Perry Lang books, which is best? Maybe a bad question, if they are all different. I want to start with one of his, and go from there.

I would say start with 25. It is 25 basic recipes of the most common cuts of meat you would work with from hamburgers & hotdogs to rib roast & leg of lamb. It is worth the price for his chicken recipes. Serious Barbecue is good also, but hard to find & most sellers are very proud of their copies. If you can find a copy anywhere near the cover price grab it. Scruffed has some great techniques, but not things I would use everyday as I do the techniques in 25.

Now I plan to get Serious BBQ when I can find it <$35 or perhaps library will get it. Going to return "Thai Food". I appreciate how complete it is but MANY of the ingredients are wayy too hard to find/stock. So we are looking for another thai food cookbook. Dancing Shrimp looks good but hard to find and expensive.

I decided to get Peace, Love, and BBQ next. We tried 2 recipes from Stir-Frying to Sky's Edge last night and liked it alot. Still need to get better at wok techniques, but that will come.

As I get through some of the ones I just got, will start looking at even more technique based such as something from AB, Cookwise, Escoffier, Einsten, J Pepin, etc series.

gdenby · February 27

I forgot to mention "Ruhlman's 20." Its on my list of books that get into essential cooking techniques.

BGE Convert · February 27

Very interesting on the Serious BBQ book. I did not know it was out of print. I have all 3 books and all three are worth having. Is the Serious BBQ worth paying several hundred.....nope. Wait for it to come back in print. But those 3 books are great. I also love:

Raichlen's BBQ bible, Big Bob Gibson, Almost all the books by the Jamison's, Another one I love is by Ted Reader...King of the Q's Blue Plate Barbecue. Have most of the Weber books as well. Man I just realized I have way too many cookbooks....

BOWHUNR · February 28

IMO no collection is complete without a vintage copy of The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer. It is the cook book that many of our mothers and grandmothers learned to cook from. You can get good deals on eBay if you're patient.

Mike

RLeeper · February 28

Smokin with Myron Mixon Ribs, Chops, Steaks,and Wings by Dr. BBQ

jlsm · February 28

BOWHUNR said:

IMO no collection is complete without a vintage copy of The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer. It is the cook book that many of our mothers and grandmothers learned to cook from. You can get good deals on eBay if you're patient.

Mike

I have three: One from my ex mother-in-law, who got it as a wedding gift in the '40s; the version available when I married for the first time, circa 1982; and the "new" one. I like the '80s version the best.

gdenby · February 28

BOWHUNR said:

IMO no collection is complete without a vintage copy of The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer. It is the cook book that many of our mothers and grandmothers learned to cook from. You can get good deals on eBay if you're patient.

Mike

We got a copy as a wedding present. Its so beat up and stained. Got way more use than any other cookbook. Was a third printing by a company that was using the 13th copyrighted version.

Did you happen to see "Julie and Julia?" There's part where Julia and partner get to meet Irma Rombauer, who is sort of their hero for getting a cook book out. They ask her if she has cooked all the recipes in the book. Its a hoot. Evidently, some of the early editions had recipes that might not be quite so "tried and true."

Lit · March 5

I was at Barnes and noble this weekend and they said you can order APL serious barbecue for $35.

500 · March 11

Just ordered APL's BBQ 25 and Charred and Scruffed. Got them both used off Amazon.

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