The Meathead Method … Book Review

By Carlene Phelps

Editor

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It’s difficult for me to believe there is even one person reading this review or involved in any way with the BBQ World who does not recognize the person known as “Meathead”. While a contributor to the pages of the Barbecue News Magazine each month, he is also the creator and publisher of AmazingRibs.com — the go-to website for people who want to know “all of the options” when it comes to cooking barbecue. He is a member of the BBQ Hall of Fame and a New York Times bestselling author following his first published masterpiece; Meathead: The Science of Great Barbeque and Grilling.

Now, his second masterpiece, released in May, finds us searching for just the right words to describe his new book, The Meathead Method. It’s taken more than a week, checking out the pages of information to even begin to share with our readers why this book is so special. Let’s begin at the front of the book with eight pages to just list the CONTENTS and follow thru to the end with twenty (that’s 20) pages in the INDEX! And, to include everything, there are over 400 pages total including over 100 unique recipes. So, after careful consideration of everything I’ve seen in this book, The Meathead Method, I have finally reached the conclusion on how it can be described — it’s a BBQ Encyclopedia! After a few days of looking, reading, and examining … my first thoughts were, ‘This is a How-To BBQ Manual when it comes to cooking almost anything.’ Then, after several more days and hours of searching these pages, there were no words more appropriate than BBQ Encyclopedia! Meathead referred to the book as a tool box and this may be true for the men cooking, however for the ladies, it might just be that “junk drawer” in the kitchen. No matter what we’re looking for, it’s usually found in the junk drawer!

I’ve also come to another conclusion — those of you even thinking about lighting a BBQ fire — need this book near the fire. Meathead has already done all of the prospecting when it comes to cooking about anything outdoors so just thumb through the CONTENTS or INDEX and find the answers to any questions that might arise with the smoke! As Alton Brown said, “The only book on outdoor cookery you’ll ever need.” Congratulations Meathead … you’ve done it … again! Of course, it’s available at all major book locations.