Grilling & Fire

Grilling & Fire distinguishes between two completely different things that are often grouped under the same heading.

One is American barbecue, which means indirect heat, smoke and time. Aaron Franklin in Austin smokes brisket over oak for twelve hours or more at around 110 degrees, and his book explains why the temperature of the meat stops rising partway through the cook, how the bark develops and why the moisture content of the wood matters more than the species. Meathead Goldwyn approaches the same subject scientifically and dispels a number of persistent myths, including the idea that searing seals in the meat's juices.

The other is cooking with fire without equipment. Francis Mallmann works in Patagonia with seven techniques, all based on open flame, embers or iron placed directly over the wood, from infiernillo between two fires to rescoldo buried in the ashes.

Niklas Ekstedt follows the same idea in Stockholm in a restaurant kitchen entirely without electricity, demonstrating that the method is not rustic nostalgia but a distinct approach to flavour.

The section also covers charcoal grills, gas grills, smokers, marinades and rubs.