"Having grown up in a barbecue restaurant family, I bond immediately with anyone who has a master's touch at the grill and barbecue pit. Elizabeth Karmel is the genuine article, understanding (and able to clearly articulate) that delicate interplay between food and fire, flavor and finesse."
--Rick Bayless, chef and owner of Frontera Grill/Topolobampo and host of Public Television's Mexico: One Plate at a Time

"Elizabeth Karmel was born in North Carolina, weaned on pulled pork, and has spice and smoke in her bones. This authoritative, opinionated, and just plain mouth-watering book will tell you everything you need to know about barbecue from someone who's spent a lifetime walking the walk and talking the talk."
--Steven Raichlen, author of How to Grill and BBQ USA and host of Barbecue University on PBS

"Finally, the woman who has taught me everything I know about grilling has come out with her own book. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned grillmeister, Taming the Flame is the book for you."
--Sara Moulton host, Food Network's Sara's Secrets, and executive chef, Gourmet magazine

"Just when you thought grilling could not get any more straightforward or delicious, Elizabeth Karmel shows you what you were missing: skillful techniques and remarkable flavors. Great grilling starts here!"
--Chef Charlie Trotter, Chicago

"Elizabeth Karmel is a breath of fresh air on the barbecue circuit. In Taming the Flame, she gives expert instruction and she tells all the barbecue secrets we boys tend to keep to ourselves."
--Mike Mills four-time World Champion,Memphis-in-May BBQ competition

armel brings a feminine flair to a masculine domain with this A-to-Z roadmap to grill-based cuisine—from fast, high-heat methods to slower roasts and barbecue that rely on an indirect flame. Some may disagree with Karmel's assertion that there's no taste difference between gas and charcoal, although she does give tips on using old-fashioned briquettes. Her extensive introduction to techniques, tools and pantry basics make up the meat of the book; the 350 recipes that follow, organized by ingredient, rely so heavily on the methods set earlier that novices will frequently find themselves flipping back and forth. Karmel aims to be encyclopedic, offering a guide to cuts and a cooking timetable in every section, and she's at her best with natural variations on grilling, from simple Chicken Paillard to ambitious Hung-Your-Momma Braised Short Ribs. Karmel has never met a dish she can't make on the grill, and her attempts at grilled versions of Pot Roast and Veal Scaloppini are unnecessary. Her chatty, "girlfriend" point of view leads to a few lapses: for example, the beef section omits "rare" from its cooking timetable, and Grilled Lobster 101 devotes more time to avoiding killing the lobster (getting someone else to do it being the top choice) than it does to cooking it. Overall, though, this is a welcome guide for members of either sex. Photos. (May) (Publishers Weekly, April 11, 2005)

Introduction.

GETTING STARTED.

Telling Grilling Secrets.

Flavoring the Fire.

Tools of the Trade.

THE MAIN EVENT.

Poultry.

Beef.

Pork.

Lamb.

Burgers and Ground Meat.

Sausages.

Fish.

Shrimp and Other Shellfish.

Vegetables and Fruit.

Pizza.

Low-and-Slow Barbecue.

BBQ Ribs, Rubs, and Sauces.

ON THE SIDE.

Nibbles and Bits.

Salads and Sides.

Libations.

Sweet Endings.

BBQ EXTRA.

Menus.

Grilling Dictionary.

Sources.

Acknowledgments.

Index.