Cookbook Reviews

Planet Barbecue!

With grilling season in full swing I’m sharing another quality cookbook devoted to the barbecue. Back in April I had raved about Francis Mallman’s Seven Fires Grilling the Argentinian Way (Artisan, 2009). Today Steven Raichlen’s Barbecue Planet! (Workman, 2010) has captured my attention and my trusty Coleman. Covering six continents and 60 countries, Planet Barbecue! is aimed not only at globetrotting but also at curious cooks. Filled with color photos and over 300 global recipes, it provides a fascinating glimpse at how people around the world grill food.

If you like to grill, you’ve probably encountered Steven Raichlen in one form or another. He hosts the PBS cooking series “Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen,” possesses a line of grill tools and seasonings, blogs about grilling and writes award-winning cookbooks on – what else – grilling. He’s been called ‘America’s grill expert.’ After reading and cooking from Planet Barbecue! I understand why. This is a highly comprehensive yet user-friendly book.

Planet Barbecue! starts with a brief discourse on the discovery of fire and beginnings of barbecuing. After providing a time line as well suggestions for eco-conscious grilling, it moves into techniques and recipes. Here barbecued starters, salads, breads, meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables and desserts all get their due.

What I’ve found particularly appealing are the sections on grilled salads and breads. Too often I just grill peppers, eggplants, zucchini and tomatoes and serve them with a splash of lemon juice and olive oil. I overlook the fact that, by chopping my veg and adding a few herbs, spices and uncooked vegetables to them, I can create a vibrant salad. A perfect example is Raichlen’s grilled eggplant salad with Jerusalem flavors, which features grilled tomato and eggplant as well as garlic, walnuts, parsley, Greek yogurt and tahini. It’s quick, easy and much more intriguing than my usual barbecued vegetable offerings.

The chapter on grilled breads has equally piqued my interest. As Raichlen points out, baking bread over fire is not a new technique; archeological evidence indicates that as far back as 2600 B.C. people cooked bread over charcoal. Even today South American arepas, Indian papadoms, Turkish pide and South African rooster brood are made this way. Thanks to the inclusion of basic dough recipes and bread grilling tips, I can create these special breads on my own grill.

As one might expect, the cookbook does address such barbecue standards as ribs, steaks, burgers and kebabs. However, the burgers are as likely to be Balkan grilled veal and pork burgers as they are to be classic American hamburgers. The kebabs? They could come in the form of chicken or shrimp or the more exotic lamb, goat or mashed potatoes, the last of which is also known as “knish on a stick.” That’s one of the many aspects that I love about Raichlen’s book — I receive ample portions of both the familiar and the exotic, all for my grill.

Filed under: Cookbook Reviews

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Based on the U.S. East Coast, I am a trained journalist, writer and photographer specializing in food, travel, STEM and education. My articles appear in such publications as the Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Standardization News, VegNews and See All This. I have written two nonfiction books, contributed to two other books and provided the photography for one. A world traveler, I have journeyed through 51 countries and six continents, collecting story ideas as I've roamed.