BBQ&A by Myron Mixon, Reviewed

Mr. O-P was the grill master in our house and he had a lot of barbecue books upon which he relied. I am truly sorry that he is not around to see this one, because I’m sure it would quickly become his new favorite. BBQ&A by Myron Mixon tells you everything you ever wanted to know about barbecue. This book is the Bible, my friends. If you know absolutely nothing about grilling, barbecuing, different cuts of meat, how to treat those different cuts of meat, how to smoke, how to make sauces, how to serve, even how to butcher a hog, this book is going to tell you.

It’s a personal volume with much of it being conversational, and I like that. It’s like learning from an old friend. There is a section on the barbecue champions that Nixon has won, how he did it, and the difference between competition cooking and cooking in your backyard. You don’t have to have an interest in competitive barbecuing; you can be the champ in your own world. 

You will learn the difference between smoking on a smoker and smoking in a pit. You will learn the different kinds of barbecue, and what they are. You will also find within some of the most amazingly delicious smoking and barbecuing recipes around. In addition to recipes for meaty main dishes, you will also get delicious ones for side dishes like coleslaw, corn bread, and baked beans (the peach baked beans are amazing!). You will even find recipes for wonderful desserts.

On Friday I shared his recipe for basic barbecue sauce, but you will also find recipes for vinegar-based barbecue sauce, tangy sweet sauce, and Carolina mustard barbecue sauce. Personally, it’s worth the price of the book alone to get the recipes for the sauces. There are also recipes for chicken and pork glazes, both of which are super good. If you like meat rubs like I do, you will find many in here.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, this book should be on your “must buy” list. Dad is going to love it, but if he isn’t the one at the grill or in your house, buy a copy for yourself. You can get a copy by clicking here.

This post contains affiliate links.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by Abram Publishers as a part of Abrams Dinner Party of which I am a member.

Sugarfire Smoke House Coffee Barbecue Sauce

It was “picnic supper night” tonight, meaning that I wasn't about to cook after such an exhausting day, so chose my favorite barbecue spot to pick up a bit of dinner. I feel fortunate that I live in an area of great barbecue joints. Now, I'm not picky when it comes to barbecue, I pretty much love it all, but there is one sauce that surpasses every other and that is the coffee barbecue sauce from Sugarfire Smokehouse in St. Charles, MO. The first time I tasted it I was in heaven. I liked it so much that I wrote the food editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asking that she try to get the recipe from the owner. Within weeks my prayers were answered and the recipe appeared in the paper (You can read the entire article here.). The special seasoning called for in the recipe is available at their restaurants, and I bought a large container. I realize that the majority of you can't do this (although, trust me, it's worth the trip), so my experimentation finds that it is similar to Emeril's seasoning used in his coffee barbecue sauce, and can be found here. I keep a bottle of this barbecue sauce in the fridge at all times, using it in place of ketchup in almost every instance. It is oh, so yummy! 

Sugarfire Smoke House Coffee Barbecue Sauce

1½ cups ketchup

½ cup tomato sauce

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

¾ cup Worcestershire

½ cup honey

½ cup strong dark-roast coffee

2 tablespoons brewed coffee grounds

2 tablespoons Sugarfire Smoke House rub

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Notes: For ketchup, Sugarfire uses a West Creek product labeled “33% ketchup” that’s not available to consumers. It tastes a lot like Heinz mixed with some portion of tomato sauce. For tomato sauce, Sugarfire uses a West Creek product labeled “fancy tomato sauce.”

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes until slightly reduced and the sauce coats the back a spoon.

Refrigerate to store but rewarm to serve. Yield: 4 cups

Recipe adapted for home kitchens by the Post-Dispatch.

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Tasty Tuesdays

Foodie Friday