The day is here! The Backyard Fire Cookbook: Get Outside and Master Ember Roasting, Charcoal Grilling, Cast-Iron Cooking, and Live-Fire Feasting officially makes landfall in bookstores and mailboxes everywhere, and I cannot wait to hear what you think of it!
The Backyard Fire Cookbook is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository (for non-USA readers — they offer free international shipping!), Books A Million, Indigo (for Canadian readers), or your local independent bookshop.
I’ve always felt that grilling is made to look more intimidating than it really is… the overnight brines, complicated grill accessories, and huge hunks of meat splayed across a Weber, not to mention the macho fanfare and stereotype that grilling is “a guy thing.”
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Grilling, for me, is a low-key weeknight activity, another means to putting food on the table for family and friends. Once your heat is dialed, grilling is often faster and far more convenient than cooking on a stove in your kitchen. There are no grease splatters to contain or clean up, or a pile-up of dirty pots and pans in the sink.
It’s a much more relaxed way to cook and serve your meals, and it keeps the chef in the mix of things. No longer are you a slave over the stove while your guests awkwardly mingle in the kitchen, trying to stay out of your way.
When fire is involved, you’re outside, happily tending the coals with a cold beverage in hand as people crowd around the grill, engaging in conversation and enjoying the company. There’s no worry when someone else takes over the spatula. And it’s more forgiving if they (or you) leave the food on the grill a touch too long… no, it’s not burnt, it’s just charred!
All that savory smoke and wood flavor from cooking over an open flame is what makes these meals so special. They turn out a little differently each time you make them — even if you’re making the same recipes every week — but no less delicious. And that’s what makes the whole experience of grilling so dynamic and exciting.
In my book, I go over all the basics so you can start grilling confidently, even if you’ve never built a fire or lit a chimney full of charcoal before. I offer real-life tips and hacks that help you be a better cook, and provide detailed sidebars and tutorials for choosing and preparing fish, shellfish, steak, and whole chicken.
I also share some of my favorite meat-free recipes that involve things you’ve probably never thought of grilling, like salads, pickles, cheese, whole heads of elephant garlic, and bread pudding.
Even if you don’t own a grill, this is still a useful cookbook to have around. You can learn how to cook common ingredients like winter squash, eggplant, beets, peppers, and a good ol’ porterhouse right on the coals. Yes, right on top of them — no grill grate or special pan needed!
This is the type of book that travels well, too — take it with you camping or use it to inspire the meals at your next beach bonfire. I want it to be a great resource for anyone who enjoys cooking outdoors, whether it’s in your own backyard or the fire pit at your favorite campsite.
If you missed any of my previous posts, you can watch a video preview of The Backyard Fire Cookbook here, get a sneak peek of the inside pages here, read about the making of the book cover here, and learn how it all started when I first signed on to write this book.
If you’ve already ordered your copy, thank you, thank you, thank you! Please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads to help other people decide if this book is right for them.
And if your curiosity is piqued, please head to one of the links below to purchase from one of our awesome online vendors, or support your local independent bookseller and ask them to stock The Backyard Fire Cookbook if they don’t already!
The Backyard Fire Cookbook is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository (for non-USA readers — they offer free international shipping!), Books A Million, Indigo (for Canadian readers), or your local independent bookshop.
I would love to see what you’re making from my book, so please tag @gardenbetty or #thebackyardfirecookbook in your social posts this summer with your delicious creations!
Happy grilling!
