Book Review: Slow Fire (pics)

PatioDaddio · 06-03-2012, 02:01 PM

Book Review: Slow Fire

I was recently sent a review copy of Slow Fire: The Beginner's Guide to

Slow Fire: The Beginner's Guide to

Barbecue

Barbecue

, the latest book from Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe. I've long been a fan
of Ray's books, going back to his first, which I used as a guide when I
started competing in barbecue cook-offs.

Ray is a very accomplished trucker-turned-barbecue-man. You can read
the long list of his achievements at his site. What I like about Ray is his
unpretentious and no-nonsense approach to barbecue. He has strong
opinions and, true to his Chicago roots, he's not bashful about telling you
what's on his mind. In other words, he keeps it really real, and I dig that.

It's interesting to me to see how Ray's books have continually matured
through the seven years that he's been writing.

Slow Fire

really highlights
that maturation. The first thing I noticed is that this is a beautiful book.
The layout is pleasantly clean and the photography is gorgeous. You can
immediately tell that this isn't your average barbecue cookbook.

As the title indicates, this book is intended for beginners. Barbecue is a
paradox. It's a simple cuisine that can be deceptively complicated and
intimidating. Over time cooks have managed to complicate what started as
a very simple and humble cooking process, so much so that the average
Joe is afraid to tackle it. This book cuts through the smoke and gets back
to basics.

A beginner's book has to walk a fine line. It has to be simple and
approachable while providing enough knowledge to build confidence, but
not so much that it scares folks away. That is especially true in barbecue.
One can very quickly get bogged down by expensive equipment, arcane
terminology and philosophical arguments. That's not the case here. Ray
does a great job of providing need-to-know information without
overwhelming the reader. I'd argue that it's missing some basic techniques,
like how to remove the membrane from ribs, but overall it covers the
fundamentals well.

The recipes in the book are a great blend of traditional and creative. It
starts with a wide array of sauces and seasonings. He covers all the
standards and weaves in some really creative recipes. The Banana Ketchup
(yes, you read that right) and Orange-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce are
intriguing.

Next, there are 11 rib recipes that range from Memphis-style (wet and
dry), to competition spare ribs, to Korean-style beef short ribs. My only
small quibble here is that the cooking process is very repetitive, but that
could be argued as a plus. It shows how important it is to master a few
fundamental processes, which is true of all cooking.

Pork is the holy grail of barbecue, and Ray does it justice. Like the ribs, he
brings a lot of variety to the table. I like that throughout the book he
teaches both the "standard" and competition approaches to recipes. I think
that's a great testament to it being a comprehensive beginner's guide. It
also shows the sometimes insane lengths we competition cooks go to woo
the judges.

The beef section includes a few off-the-beaten path recipes, like
homemade pastrami.

All of the basic birds are covered in detail. The barbecued duck recipe uses
that orange-chipotle sauce that I mentioned earlier.

The "Anything But" section includes recipes that don't fall into the typical
barbecue category. The term is used in competition circles to mean
anything that you don't typically turn in for scoring. Here you'll find dishes
like Smoked Scotch Eggs, Barbecued Bologna, and Jambalaya-Stuffed Bell
Peppers.

Rounding out the book are side dishes and desserts. I was disappointed
that there are only two dessert recipes. I would have liked to seen some
grilled desserts.

In conclusion, I think Dr. BBQ has written a very good guide for anyone
who wants to learn how to master barbecue. If you apply the techniques
taught in the book you'll be well-grounded in the basics. You'll also have
some creative recipes to help you expand your barbecue repertoire.

I recommend the book very highly.

-----
John

daninnewjersey · 06-03-2012, 02:29 PM

Great review John....thanks.....

caseydog · 06-03-2012, 02:49 PM

I'm not a beginner, but I gotta' check this book out. I think it is good for everyone to keep learning.

11 styles of ribs? I want to see that. I also can't wait to see if there are rub and sauce recipes I don't already have in Big-Time BBQ Cookbook. And, the lack of a lot of desserts doesn't bother me, as I seldom eat desserts.

I'm also glad to see the use of professional photography. As a pro photographer, I like to see publishers recognize the value of pro photography. That alone is enough for me to buy the book. I like to support those who support my profession at a time when it isn't getting the respect it used to.

Thanks for the review.

CD

PatioDaddio · 06-03-2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseydog

I'm not a beginner, but I gotta' check this book out. I think it is good for everyone to keep learning.

11 styles of ribs? I want to see that. I also can't wait to see if there are rub and sauce recipes I don't already have in Big-Time BBQ Cookbook. And, the lack of a lot of desserts doesn't bother me, as I seldom eat desserts.

I'm also glad to see the use of professional photography. As a pro photographer, I like to see publishers recognize the value of pro photography. That alone is enough for me to buy the book. I like to support those who support my profession at a time when it isn't getting the respect it used to.

Thanks for the review.

CD

The shots are from Leigh Beisch, and they are very nice.

John

campdude · 06-03-2012, 03:06 PM

Great review, John. I'm with CD, it would be an interesting book to check out for the recipes.

Durzil · 06-03-2012, 03:11 PM

Nice review I'll be checking this one out.

PatioDaddio · 06-04-2012, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campdude

Great review, John. I'm with CD, it would be an interesting book to check out for the recipes.

I should have mentioned in my review that, while it's a beginner's book, there
are plenty of recipes that seasoned barbecue cooks would enjoy.

John

deguerre · 06-04-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatioDaddio

I should have mentioned in my review that, while it's a beginner's book, there
are plenty of recipes that seasoned barbecue cooks would enjoy.

John

And that's exactly how I read your review John. Great for a beginner, but still a good reference for anyone. Thanks!

PatioDaddio · 06-04-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deguerre

And that's exactly how I read your review John. Great for a beginner, but still a good reference for anyone. Thanks!

Cool. I'm glad the message came through despite my not explicitly stating it.

John

gtr · 06-04-2012, 06:00 PM

Thanks for putting up the review - looks like a great book. I've been meaning to check out Ray Lampe's stuff, so I guess I'll start with this one!

farklf · 06-04-2012, 07:02 PM

Actually, I like beginner's BBQ books. I like to share my books. (while they are visting).

06-03-2012, 02:01 PM	#1
PatioDaddio Babbling Farker Join Date: 05-04-08 Location: Boise, Idaho	Book Review: Slow Fire (pics) Book Review: Slow Fire I was recently sent a review copy of Slow Fire: The Beginner's Guide to Slow Fire: The Beginner's Guide to Barbecue Barbecue , the latest book from Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe. I've long been a fan of Ray's books, going back to his first, which I used as a guide when I started competing in barbecue cook-offs. Ray is a very accomplished trucker-turned-barbecue-man. You can read the long list of his achievements at his site. What I like about Ray is his unpretentious and no-nonsense approach to barbecue. He has strong opinions and, true to his Chicago roots, he's not bashful about telling you what's on his mind. In other words, he keeps it really real, and I dig that. It's interesting to me to see how Ray's books have continually matured through the seven years that he's been writing. Slow Fire Slow Fire really highlights that maturation. The first thing I noticed is that this is a beautiful book. The layout is pleasantly clean and the photography is gorgeous. You can immediately tell that this isn't your average barbecue cookbook. As the title indicates, this book is intended for beginners. Barbecue is a paradox. It's a simple cuisine that can be deceptively complicated and intimidating. Over time cooks have managed to complicate what started as a very simple and humble cooking process, so much so that the average Joe is afraid to tackle it. This book cuts through the smoke and gets back to basics. A beginner's book has to walk a fine line. It has to be simple and approachable while providing enough knowledge to build confidence, but not so much that it scares folks away. That is especially true in barbecue. One can very quickly get bogged down by expensive equipment, arcane terminology and philosophical arguments. That's not the case here. Ray does a great job of providing need-to-know information without overwhelming the reader. I'd argue that it's missing some basic techniques, like how to remove the membrane from ribs, but overall it covers the fundamentals well. The recipes in the book are a great blend of traditional and creative. It starts with a wide array of sauces and seasonings. He covers all the standards and weaves in some really creative recipes. The Banana Ketchup (yes, you read that right) and Orange-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce are intriguing. Next, there are 11 rib recipes that range from Memphis-style (wet and dry), to competition spare ribs, to Korean-style beef short ribs. My only small quibble here is that the cooking process is very repetitive, but that could be argued as a plus. It shows how important it is to master a few fundamental processes, which is true of all cooking. Pork is the holy grail of barbecue, and Ray does it justice. Like the ribs, he brings a lot of variety to the table. I like that throughout the book he teaches both the "standard" and competition approaches to recipes. I think that's a great testament to it being a comprehensive beginner's guide. It also shows the sometimes insane lengths we competition cooks go to woo the judges. The beef section includes a few off-the-beaten path recipes, like homemade pastrami. All of the basic birds are covered in detail. The barbecued duck recipe uses that orange-chipotle sauce that I mentioned earlier. The "Anything But" section includes recipes that don't fall into the typical barbecue category. The term is used in competition circles to mean anything that you don't typically turn in for scoring. Here you'll find dishes like Smoked Scotch Eggs, Barbecued Bologna, and Jambalaya-Stuffed Bell Peppers. Rounding out the book are side dishes and desserts. I was disappointed that there are only two dessert recipes. I would have liked to seen some grilled desserts. In conclusion, I think Dr. BBQ has written a very good guide for anyone who wants to learn how to master barbecue. If you apply the techniques taught in the book you'll be well-grounded in the basics. You'll also have some creative recipes to help you expand your barbecue repertoire. I recommend the book very highly. ----- John

06-03-2012, 02:29 PM	#2
daninnewjersey Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-01-11 Location: Southern NJ...exit 36	Great review John....thanks..... __________________ Proud owner of 4 VERY ugly drum smokers....and a Greasy Hill reverse flow....

06-03-2012, 03:06 PM	#5
campdude Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-04-10 Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA	Great review, John. I'm with CD, it would be an interesting book to check out for the recipes. __________________ Used to have more stuff... thinned the herd Happy with what I have Life is good

06-03-2012, 03:11 PM	#6
Durzil Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-06-10 Location: Oregon	Nice review I'll be checking this one out. __________________ Oregon Ducks Ugly Drum Smoker! - Smokey Joe Gold with Mini U.D.S. mod

06-04-2012, 06:00 PM	#10
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	Thanks for putting up the review - looks like a great book. I've been meaning to check out Ray Lampe's stuff, so I guess I'll start with this one! __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD?

06-03-2012, 02:49 PM	#3
caseydog somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-08-10 Location: Texas	I'm not a beginner, but I gotta' check this book out. I think it is good for everyone to keep learning. 11 styles of ribs? I want to see that. I also can't wait to see if there are rub and sauce recipes I don't already have in Big-Time BBQ Cookbook. And, the lack of a lot of desserts doesn't bother me, as I seldom eat desserts. I'm also glad to see the use of professional photography. As a pro photographer, I like to see publishers recognize the value of pro photography. That alone is enough for me to buy the book. I like to support those who support my profession at a time when it isn't getting the respect it used to. Thanks for the review. CD

06-04-2012, 07:02 PM	#11
farklf is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-11-08 Location: south bend, in	Actually, I like beginner's BBQ books. I like to share my books. (while they are visting).