Feeding the Fire; Recipes & Strategies for Better Barbecue & Grilling

Joe Carroll's Brooklyn barbecue joint, Fette Sau, could not have been expected to be a success. Carroll grew up in New Jersey, far from the great American barbecue states, and other than running a bar for three years, he'd had no experience in food service.

But Fette Sau turned out to be a sensation. And like the restaurant, his book concentrates on a few meticulously prepared smoked meats, simple sides, and some informed exhortations on beers, whiskeys, and wines that will best accompany them.

There's a single signature dry rub and a brief chapter on sauces; Carroll wants you to focus on the flavor of the meat. Throughout the book can be found a welter of instructions on equipment care, the selection of charcoal and wood, and, of course, meat purchasing. A great point of view that will inspire you to start your own fire.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.