How to Cook Everything Fast Revised Edition

Starred review from May 7, 2018
As with previous works (How to Cook Everything; How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, etc.), Bittman’s broad coverage and clear instructions yield a wealth of reliable, practical dishes well within the range of even novice grillers. Although the book contains 1,000 recipes, Bittman doesn’t overwhelm; he includes only a few variations on main ingredients, such as the grilled chicken breast (in the form of salt-and-pepper boneless chicken, crunchy breaded cutlets, and lemon chicken paillard with asparagus and feta), steak (stuffed flank, carne asada tacos), leg of lamb (butterflied, shawarma style), and tofu (steaks, smoked, and as scallion-sesame sliders). He includes instruction on grilling duck breast, fries, savory bread pudding, and naan. Bittman offers solid grilling tips, and maintains, perhaps controversially, that soaking wood chips is pointless (the hardwoods commonly used are water-resistant, resulting in steam instead of smoke, he asserts); his easy-to-execute recipes and imaginative approach is unassailable. Regardless of one’s grilling experience, fans of outdoor cooking will find this volume to be essential.

June 15, 2018

Head outdoors with the latest entry in Bittman's decade-spanning "How To Cook Everything" series. Featuring more than 1,000 recipes for grilled foods (e.g., Madeira-style beef skewers, tofu steaks, rack of lamb with sesame dipping sauce, sugared peaches with candied ginger ice cream), the collection aims to meet the needs of both grilling experts and novices. Bittman's introduction covers essential grilling concepts and techniques (e.g., buying a grill, direct vs. indirect heat, smoking) in a straightforward, even-handed way--readers won't feel any guilt if they choose to save time by using a gas grill or charcoal briquettes, for example. VERDICT Offering value and practicality, this is an excellent choice for beginners and most grilling collections. Highly recommended.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2018
From one perspective, grilling is a step backward. Electric and gas stoves, with their focused and instantaneously adjustable heat sources, replaced more primitive open fires, whose temperamental vagaries modern appliances were meant to overcome. But backyard cooks and restaurant professionals understand that a grill's smoky, charring effects add incomparable dimension to all kinds of foods, from red meat to seafood, vegetables, and even to dough. In his signature, overflowingly generous style, Bittman has documented how just about every food can profit from some time on a grill. For serious carnivores, he cooks beef, lamb, and even fish directly atop a bed of blazing coals for perfect charred crust and juicy interior. He gives advice on tastily grilling all sorts of vegetables. Many varied ethnic traditions are included in these hundreds of recipes, and every basic recipe comes with variations to stimulate adventuresome imaginations. Photographs give grill masters a sense of the look of finished dishes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)