Rodney Scott's World of BBQ - Every Day Is a Good Day by Rodney Scott
Product Details
Web ID: 14235774Real Good Food
I'm an Ambassador for Clarkson Potter's Review Program and I was actually hoping I would receive this book from the publishers, knowing the potential lineup in advance from their catalogues. It was a little bit of an effort to get into because there were at least 60 pages regaling his life story which I think could have been done more concisely, or at least more spread out throughout the rest of the book. It was simply too much to read in one go for someone expecting recipes and techniques from a pitmaster. That being said I did find his life story incredible. I’d heard of Rodney Scott before but only in passing and I am glad I received this book to be able to learn more about him. Once you get into the “main meat” of the book, it’s all great from there. Rodney introduces you to his particular style of cooking, giving you very valuable advice along the way. He explains the process of smoking step-by-step and what it should and shouldn’t look like from a practical perspective. I love how he simplifies it and really makes me confident that with just a few basic items I can get anywhere I too can setup a fire pit like his and achieve the same mouthwatering results, so while I do, in fact, keep a Kosher home and don’t eat pork, I love adapting recipes and I can totally picture myself roasting a whole lamb or goat on a spit in my backyard. I thought his use of a mop and bucket to baste the hog during cooking were genius. It’s sounds so simple and intuitive and yet, it’s not something I ever would’ve thought to do. Once he gets through the fire pit roasting method, he segways straight into his regular grill cooking technique. His very first recipe is a smoked ribeye roast which I am beyond looking forward to making for my husband, but knowing him he’ll probably want to make it himself. Getting into the recipes here was most enjoyable. The food photography is raw and beautiful, closeup and dripping with gravies and juices, bringing his meats to life. Being a kosher-keeper I was actually pleasantly surprised to find many recipes here that require little to no adaptation. The Honey-Butter Fish, Lemon and Herb Chicken and Smoked Turkey Breast are among many examples. I was a little disappointed at the lack of flavour variety in this book; so many of the recipes call for the same rib rub and Rodney’s sauce either alone or a combo of both. Once you get into the other recipes past the grilling/smoking sections there are longer ingredient lists involving more vegetables and other flavour enhancers, but almost all still include the signature rib rub and/or the sauce. I definitely appreciate the fact that all the additional recipes in the snacks and salads section are smart and pair incredibly well with the cookout fare at the beginning of the book. Marinated Tomatoes and Onions, John T. Wedge Salad, Coleslaw, Potato Salad, Grilled Veggie Salad and Coco’s Smoked Chicken Salad are all dishes I’d expect to see on the table at a potluck waiting for the Main Event meats and poultry to arrive steaming off the grill. It really does make me want to close the book and invite 20 of my closest family and friends and just cook. Now, I’m honestly much of a dessert person (I’d rather load up on proteins and comfort food) but I do have to say that Angie Mo’s Cracklin’ Layer Cake sounds incredible, the salty-sweet, crunchy-soft combo is brilliant. For those that are more into desserts however, there’s a very limited amount here. Same for the cocktail drinkers. There are about 10 recipes between the two sections. At the end of the book is where Rodney includes all of his pantry staples: Rib Rub, Rodney’s Sauce, something he calls The Other Sauce and a few other interesting sauces and accompaniments. Overall, this book is chock-full of good food, the kind of food that really brings people together. It’s the kind of food people truly enjoy eating, down to Earth, real and deliciously simple. Thank you to Clarkson Potter for this free copy in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Go-To for all things BBQ!
Firstly, I’m happy to report that this book was the foundation of the menu for a recent family gathering, using the variety of homemade sauces featured in the “Pantry” section of this cookbook, which I paired with cooked shredded chicken and pork I already had in my freezer. Such a hit! Rodney’s White Barbecue Sauce was especially popular! The recipes for cornbread with honey butter, and the marinated tomatoes and onions were delicious, yet not complicated sides that together made for a perfect party menu that didn’t require a lot of fuss or time consuming advanced preparations. I substituted Italian parsley for the basil in the marinated tomatoes because basil is not readily available now in my area, and I was pleasantly surprised and delighted by what Rodney’s vinaigrette and spice rub did to wake up out-of-season hothouse tomatoes! I also thought it was very smart, how so many of Rodney’s recipes weave his spice rub and sauces in as components. There is a lot of continuity in the recipes presented, and this book will be my go-to for BBQ sides as summer approaches. It is not yet grill season where I live, but I am looking forward to putting some of Rodney’s advice and technique into practice. Aside from a comprehensive and varied collection of recipes, this book also provides a detailed, behind-the-scenes picture of what really goes into not only a restaurant business, but also a family business...both the positive and the negative. I really appreciated Rodney’s authentic voice and optimistic outlook, even if the story was sometimes heart-wrenching. Thank you, Clarkson Potter, for the free copy of this book in exchange for a free and unbiased review. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves BBQ, and for those who aren’t good at math, but would like to scale Rodney’s Signature Sauce to something more approachable for the home cook, I provide the following measurements right down the line for the ingredients on page 211: 1 cup white vinegar; 1 thin slice of fresh lemon; 1-½ teaspoons; 1 teaspoon; scant ¼ teaspoon; and ¼ cup. To find out what the actual ingredients are, you’ll have to buy the book!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
part memoir, part how-to, and part cookbook
I was recently sent a copy of Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ: Recipes & Perspectives from the Legendary Pitmaster by James Beard Award-winning chef Rodney Scott and award-winning co-writer Lolis Eric Elie. This book is part memoir, part how-to, and part cookbook, with the first recipe showing up nearly 100 pages in, after you get to know Rodey and his approach to seriously tasty BBQ a bit better. I’m inspired to upgrade my summer BBQing and try my hand at smoking meat after learning the ins-and-outs of building your own pit -- even if only to properly enjoy some of the seriously tasty recipes in this book like the delicious-looking Chicken Perloo (pg 122), which includes smoked chicken. I also particularly enjoyed the section on “Jesus’s Tears” aka MSG toward the end of the book, dispelling some of the myths associated with MSG and how it got its nickname. Because the warm weather hasn’t quite reached us in Portland yet, the first recipe I selected to make was the Macaroni and Cheese (pg 167), which includes a measure of cream of chicken soup to make things extra rich and creamy. Instead of classic elbow pasta, I opted to use penne because that’s what I had on hand. The cast iron skillet that I baked it in ensured that the creamy noodles in the middle stayed melty and soft, but the edges got beautifully crisp as a good baked macaroni and cheese should. This was one of those dishes that I kept stealing bites of straight out of the pan. Even if you don’t have the equipment to smoke your own meat at the moment, there are lots of tasty recipes that make this book worth the read. The Honey Butter Fish (pg 109) is one of the first things I plan to make on our grill, in addition to the Grilled Vegetable Salad (pg 151) which sounds especially delicious drizzled in Rodney’s Vinaigrette (pg 143), and the King Street Corn (pg 168) which looks perfectly salty with a sprinkle of crushed pork skins. I also look forward to baking a batch of Roscoe’s Blueberry Cornmeal Pound Cake (pg 184) now that blueberries are coming into season again. I received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
going whole hog
Rodney Scott was only 11 when he cooked his first whole hog. He’d spent years in his family’s restaurant watching his dad cook a hog, helping to chop the wood, keeping the fire going for hours, so when he asked his dad if he could cook a whole hog by himself, his father agreed (Scott didn’t know it at the time, but his dad had another cook there supervising him the whole time). Scott’s first hog was a success. As was his second and third and all the hogs he’s cooked since. Garnering the attention of the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Danny Meyer, John T. Edge, and Nick Pihakis, Scott’s reputations as a pitmaster grew as more and more people tasted his barbecue. He was invited to cook with other legendary pitmasters in Charleston and in New York City. Rodney Scot’s World of BBQ pulls back the curtain on how a young man from the small town of Hemingway, South Carolina took his family’s small business and grew it into a successful chain of barbecue restaurants, feeding the South and beyond some of the best South Carolina barbecue they can find. This unique book is part memoir, him telling his stories of failures and successes, and part cookbook, where he shares recipes for grilling at home as well as cooking at the stove. There are stories of growing up and recipes for rubs and sauces. There are cocktails and desserts as well as how he recovered the restaurant after two different fires (thankfully, no one was hurt, but the damage to the buildings was extensive). There are the stories of racing cars as a teenager, having to work extra hard at the restaurant before every holiday, learning from mentors how to become more professional and grow his business. And there are recipes from his family and friends that help put Southern heart and soul on the table. Scott includes recipes for snacks, salads, and vegetables, and all the recipes are deep Southern comfort foods. Fried Chicken and Fried Catfish, Rodney’s Spare Ribs and Rodney’s Wings, Pimento Cheese, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Macaroni and Cheese, Rodney’s Reluctant Collard Greens, Hushpuppies, Corn Bread with Honey Butter, Apple Hand Pies, and Banana Pudding. But we all know what we’re really here for. We want to know his secrets for cooking that whole hog. And Scott does not disappoint. From building the pit to starting the fire to the actual cooking, Scott takes you through the process step by step with lots of photos to help you stay on track. Whether you come for the BBQ recipes, the Southern comfort foods (and drinks!), or the stories of growing up working hard and growing a humble family business into a BBQ restaurant hailed by The New York Times, Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ serves it all up with honesty, frankness, and modesty. I live in a part of the country that is also known for its barbecue (Kansas City), and I really enjoyed reading about South Carolina ‘cue from one of the generals on the front line. And I appreciate how candidly Scott shared the stories of his family, of growing up in the South, and of finding his place in the kitchen. Scott, with the help of cowriter Lolis Eric Elie, puts some very personal stories on these pages, I came away from Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ with not only a new understanding of growing up in the South but a genuine admiration of Scott and everything he’s accomplished. This is one impressive cookbook. A copy of Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ was provided by Clarkson Potter for an unbiased review, with many thanks.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Vacation to the South
Rodney Scott put out a versatile book with this one. It has three distinct sections that go together well. It begins with a long narrative of Scott’s path to fame and his unbridled optimism. It’s a great origin story and mirrors the process of whole hog cooking, which is a long road of transformation. For me the narrative section got to be a little long, but the pictures accompanying the story are beautiful and you can always flip through to the recipes if you want. The following section describing building a pit and the process of cooking a whole hog are not things I will ever do but it’s still interesting to learn about how it can be done. The instructions are very open ended. If you don’t have certain materials then there are suggestions for things to substitute and Scott does a lot to describe those key moments in the process that might go unnoticed to a novice; a disambiguating of all the “you just know when it’s right” parts of the cook. It’s a pretty in depth and useful summary of a type of cooking that Scott has taken most of his life perfecting. Then this is all followed by recipes. There are mains, sides, sauces. They’re all fairly simple and unpretentious projects with big flavor yields. They’re also heart warming in the way that makes you feel like any meal in the South has the possibility of being like a little Thanksgiving or Sunday roast. This was a great vacation to a world of cooking and culture that I’m not familiar with having never been to the South. I’ve received a free copy from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free unbiased review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Wood Fire BBQ Master Class
Welcome to your BBQ Master Class! Rodney Scott gives away all the knowledge a life long pursuit of firing up hogs teaches you. This is an amazing look into what it takes to master something. 10,000 hours plus here people. This book is 8 Chapters of tasty deliciousness. Starting with 1) A must read Introduction 2) Barbecue 3) From the Grill 4) From the Stove 5) Snacks, Salads, and Vegetables 6) Desserts 7) Cocktails 8) The Pantry I want to start by saying that I did not do this cookbook justice (yet). I was super excited to get going and I did not read the introduction (which reads like a biography ) first. I jumped right in and I got cooking without knowing the history of Rodney Scott and his cooking. My meal was still great but it was not done right in some aspects. First of all this is wood fire cooking. Yes, as you can see in the chapters above there is a lot more to this book than that but as far as BBQing meats you want a wood fire grill. This was my mistake number one. I attempted to slow cook my chicken at 220F on a gas grill. The flame get going out and I had to improvise to get it cooked in time for guests. I literally posted my BBQ for sale the next day and will custom make a new grill this Summer. Rodney suggests a Big Green Egg for home BBQ if you do not have something already. Rodney writes "My cooking has been focused on trying to get one dish right- our style of barbecued pork." A whole lifetime on one dish. Buy this book and absorb the essence of that. I made a four recipe dinner for family and friends. It was super easy to put together and the taste was amazing. I started by applying Rodney's Rib Rub to a spatchocked chicken for the Smoked Chicken recipe. This was then put on a grill and sauced all the way with Rodney's Sauce. A pepper - vinegar BBQ sauce local to his part of South - Carolina. The rub and sauce are used on a lot of the books recipes and it is worth making a bunch of it. As I stated above the gas grill was not the right source of fire for this. You need the smoke and flavor of wood and I ended up putting it on a cast iron grill on the stove and then in the oven. It tasted good but I know I can do better next time. Rodney writes: " smoke is my primary seasoning" - remember this. With this I served potato salad and grilled vegetables. I have been winging my potato salad for years just throwing in a bunch of unmeasured ingredients and I was due learning something new. This was super flavorful and had a small bite to it. The secret ingredient is the Rib Rub ! It says to use Duke's Mayonnaise which I could not find so I did have to substitute that. Is that a Southern thing? The Grilled Vegetable Salad was quite honestly the hit of the evening. You know I messed up the meat when the vegetable is the winner right? I loved that the recipe specifically told me which vegetables to cook in what order and for how long each. They were perfect. They also got a shake of the Rib Rub and a vinaigrette that including the Rodney Sauce that went on the chicken. So good. For dessert I made the Apple Hand Pies. Hand pies seem to be all the rage these days and there was no way I was not going to make these. The dough was easy to throw together and the apple insides cook super fast. This was so good. The dough has 3 sticks of butter and you can taste it. These were the flakiest, most buttery apple pie anything I have ever eaten. I served them with vanilla ice cream and my kids loved them. If you are on edge about getting this book check out Chef's Table BBQ on Netflix and see the episode on Rodney. If that does not convince you then its time to hand up your grilled tools. Can not wait to start a fire this Summer! I have received a complimentary book from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
BBQ and so much more!
I thought this book looked interesting but I was not expecting to love it so much. Not only is it full of great BBQ tips and recipes, but it has great appetizer ideas, cocktails, salads and deserts. They are all unique and the ones I have tried have been simple, delicious and fun. We really enjoyed the pimento cheese and the King Street Corn. Summer Grilling season can not come soon enough. I received a copy of this book from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
BBQ A Whole Hog
I've read plenty of bbq/smoking cookbooks and this cookbook shows you how to do it from a hog pitmaster. From building the pit and burn barrel to supply the pit to the recipe for bbq'ing the whole hog. The cookbook touches on hamburgers, prime rib, fish, poultry and fried food and of course sides for that delicious bbq and desserts. This is a must have cookbook for those wanting to bbq a whole hog and tick that off their recipe bucket list. I've received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com