Cheryl Alters Jamison - The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & Entertaining: Spirited Recipes and Expert Tips for Barbecuing, Charcoal and Gas Grilling, Rotisserie Roasting, Smoking, Deep-Frying, and Making Merry

the BIG BOOK of

OUTDOOR COOKING

and ENTERTAINING

Spirited Recipes and Expert Tips
for Barbecuing, Charcoal and Gas Grilling,
Rotisserie Roasting, Smoking,
Deep-Frying, and Making Merry

Cheryl and Bill Jamison

To Betty Alters, Cheryls mother

No pair could have a finer
family cheerleader to inspire
and support their efforts.

*

May your flame burn ever brightly.

M ost Americans spend more time in their hall closets than in their kitchens. Even if they have invested a fortune in appliances, gadgets, cabinets, and an island bigger than Barbados, they seldom venture into the room except to grab a bite or a beverage made by someone else. The obvious conclusion, widely assumed, is that we hate to cook.

Not so. Americans love to cook, at least when we can do it outdoors. Almost three-quarters of the population, according to a recent survey, prefer their backyards, patios, or balconies to their kitchens as the place to make meals. Even more families than that own a grill, and nearly one-third of us boast two or more grills, smokers, deep-fryers, and other kinds of outdoor cooking equipment. More than half of us keep the fires burning all year, even for traditional occasions such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Maybe if architects designed the main home kitchen without roofs and walls, we would use them more often.

We cook out basically because its fun. When interviewers ask, the pleasures cited include great-tasting food, enjoyment of the great outdoors, quality family time, casual and relaxed atmosphere, and easy entertaining. We turn something that we often consider a chore inside into a party outside, and much of the time we invite friends, neighbors, and colleagues to join us in the celebration.

This is the complete guide to all the joys of outdoor home cooking. Weve written numerous books and articles on various aspects of the subject, but this time we cover it comprehensively. We aim to make cooking outdoors even more fun than it already is, helping you improve the flavor of the food, broaden the range of your repertoire, and capitalize on the casual, easygoing spirit to create memorable parties. Well even suggest a few fun ways to use that indoor kitchen.

The following two chapters discuss the myriad forms of outdoor home cooking and the kind of equipment required. Be prepared for real advice and pointed opinions that often run counter to accepted notions. Were dealing with topics that interest us personally and passionately. We know it would be prudent to equivocate, to go along with the conventional wisdom, to report facts rather than assess them, but that wouldnt be like us and it would result in a much duller book.

The Art of Outdoor Flavor, the next chapter, puts the focus where it belongs in describing cooking methods. Grill flavor in particular is not well understood or appreciated, which presents some obvious problems in getting it right. We tell you exactly what you want in taste and texture and how to achieve it every time.

We do the same with barbecue smoking, rotisserie roasting, deep-fat frying for turkeys and fish, and big-pot boiling for shrimp, crawfish, and more. We also indicate here and illustrate later in the recipes why particular methods bring out the best in different foods. You can cook every cut of pork outdoors, for example, but there are compelling reasons for roasting the loin, grilling the chops, and smoking the shoulder.

The Complete Outdoor Kitchen then gives an overview of the phenomenal range of outdoor cooking equipment available today. If you dont have enough toys in your backyard now, or need to replace some older ones, well help you through the maze of options. We cover all kinds of grills-charcoal, gas, wood, electric, and infrared-vertical and horizontal smokers, pots and burners for frying and boiling, and also tools and cool gadgets that you may have needed for a long time without even knowing iL

The recipe chapters follow up on these subjects, providing lots of tips about cooking techniques, great ingredients, and special equipment. The advice is dead practical, but its also meant to bolster your showboating flair, so you can more splendidly parade your outdoor cooking talents for your family, friends, and neighbors. After youve mastered outdoor flavor and filled the gaps in your outdoor kitchen, these little tricks will make you the life of your own outdoor party.

In fact, unless youre on the debutante circuit, or campaigning for the presidency of the opera board, forget the garden-party image of outdoor entertaining. A little low-key elegance works at times, but light the table with candles instead of a chandelier and leave the matching china in the dining room. Put the accent on fun, not high fashion.

In later sections of the book, well describe many of the great American outdoor food celebrations that have inspired our national passion for cookouts. If you want to replicate a New England clambake or a Door County fish boil, well guide you through the tradition. We also offer hundreds of Party-Time Tips and celebratory menus that will help you tailor any gathering to your own needs and budget. Just keep a few basics in mind for any kind of outdoor event.

KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE FOOD AND FRIENDSHIP. Dont fret if your flower beds arent freshly weeded, the deck needs staining, your cloth napkins dont match, or you dont even have cloth napkins. None of that really matters. An outdoor party is all about sharing good food and good times with good friends. Pay attention to what youre cooking. You want to spoil your friends, to show them theyre special, and you do that by putting your energy into pleasing them at the table.

FIX FOOD THAT FITS YOUR PERSONALITY AND ABILITIES. Are you a natural performer? You might want to try paella over an open fire or devote your talents to splashy seafood boils. Never cooked much? Master a couple of simple specialties, such as pork tenderloin or salmon steaks. By the third time, youll be able to make them with your eyes closed. On a budget? Dogs done right are hot, as are burgers and potato salad made well. Its not what you spend in cash that counts but what you spend in care.

KNOW THE CAPABILITIES OF YOUR OUTDOOR COOKING EQUIPMENT. Work with what youve got, matching your menu to the potentials of your equipment. Plenty of people have gas grills that lack real searing power but cook fine over a lower heat. If youre one of them, make your culinary claim to fame tacos al carbn rather than T-bone steaks. Some superhot infrared grills crucify chicken but do a dandy job with shrimp. An inexpensive water smoker wont do justice to barbecued brisket, but itll produce smoked seafood that Neptune would envy. If youve got a problem with grate space, feed a crowd with kebabs instead of burgers.

PREPARE AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF FOOD.You dont want to stuff guests-that really isnt very satisfying-but you need to be prepared for contingencies. Have a little extra food just in case the dog sneaks a pork chop, the teenage guests eat like Goliath, or your boss pays an unexpected visit. If you dont finish everything, youve got good leftovers for tomorrow.

CONSIDER THE OCCASION. Playing poker with friends? Theres a reason the sandwich was invented at a gaming table. Babysitting the grandkids? Grilled pizzas with help-yourself toppings entertain all ages. A Thursday evening get-together with the neighbors? Sausages and peppers go on the grill without any preparation. Thanksgiving? Deep-fried turkey will leave the oven available for other dishes.