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In a grilling rut? Maybe you need a new cookbook. These summer releases prove there's a vast world of culinary potential just waiting for you to explore over a smoky open flame. Don't get us wrong. We love no-fuss classics like chicken breasts and hot dogs, but these books are full of enticing smoky alfresco meal ideas that stun. And while there’s plenty of attention paid to the meat of it all, vegetables get to shine on the grill in this set of books. Take a look below at the best grilling cookbooks of 2022, and then get your butt outside and light a fire.
Josh Katz trained under Yotam Ottolengh— and his 2018 cookbook Berber&Q, named after his hit London restaurant, took a broad look at Katz’s Mediterranean-style barbecue. His follow-up book is decidedly more vegetable-focused, if you couldn't guess by the title. But it still isn’t short on smoke or flavor. For example, a Grilled Halloumi with Pineapple Ketchup and Fennel Salad is a textural marvel, with just the right amount of tang. And he helps you get smoky flavors even outside of the grill, like, say, by searing carrots on high heat until they're crisp and charred, before dressing them in streaks of walnut pesto and creamy saffron yogurt. Bonus points if you have a pizza oven: There are several enticing Lebanese flatbreads you should check out.
Vegetables also star in Argentine chef Francis Mallman’s new cookbook dedicated to cooking over open flame. Of course, you could use a grill or stovetop, but if you want to be true to Mallman’s intent, you'll set to work over a stack of burning hardwood logs. Organized by vegetable, the recipes reflect the Patagonian cuisine and cooking a la plancha Mallman is known for but with the wholly inventive flavors expected of a world-class chef. He does his riff on the whole roasted cauliflower™, drizzling it with a sesame seed and vermouth salsa on top of a bed of crunchy rice. There’s also an incredible-looking rosti dripping with raclette we're desperate to make.
Bring up New York City–style barbecue anywhere outside the five boroughs and you’ll likely encounter a lot of eye rolls and dismissive remarks about city types cribbing better-known regional American styles. But Pig Beach and its new cookbook prove that NYC barbecue reflects the diversity of the city (and the country). And the restaurant always gives credit where credit is due. Take the rib section of the book: You have St. Louis cut ribs dressed with two types of mojo, za’atar-seasoned ribs with glugs of classic NYC white sauce (IYKYK), and ruby lacquered pork char siu. The book opens with a whole section breaking down the history of barbecue going back to pre-colonial cooking, and includes a thorough description of each U.S. barbecue region. Sure, there are a few recipes that might make a Texas pitmaster spit out their sweet tea—see Brisket Ravioli with Truffle Butter and Red Wine Jelly (page 167)—but if the long lines at both Pig Beach locations are an indication of anything, it’s that they know how to make damn good food.
If you're a technical cook at heart, you’ll appreciate Genevieve Taylor’s take on barbecue. Taylor spent years teaching cooks how to work over an open flame—and she's authored 11 previous cookbooks on the subject. In Seared, Taylor takes care to break down the science involved in cooking with fire: She details at length what constitutes a “good fire,” and how to set one up for stellar outdoor cooking. These aren’t just quick weeknight recipes. Taylor asks you to do as much over the open flame as possible, meaning, for example, that a bubbling pot of oxtail and beans sits directly on the barbecue for over four hours. These are outdoor cooking recipes perfect for those dedicated “project recipe” types.
Take it from Katy Beskow, there’s plenty a vegan can do on a barbecue—and if the other vegetable cookbooks on this list aren’t proof enough—this book is. You'll find plenty of plant-based substitutes for traditional meat dishes here, like smoky jackfruit “lobster” rolls and grilled panko-crusted tofu katsu burgers. But most of the recipes celebrate fruits and vegetables in their own right. Take her spin on Thai green curry, which features glistening chunks of grilled watermelon that get luscious and tender over the heat.
When Kevin Bludso transitioned from being a corrections officer to opening Bludso’s BBQ in Compton, he was cooking food the way his grandma taught him when he helped out at her illicit barbecue joint in Corsicana, Texas. Bludso has since established himself as a bona fide authority on barbecue. But don’t let that intimidate you. In this cookbook he promises to teach you how to “kick back, have fun, and make some good-ass BBQ.” Each recipe reads like a lesson, with Bludso walking you through how to prep, season, smoke, and serve each type of meat. And you'll find more than just Texas-style barbecue, like recipes for smoked pork Pho and Spicy Curried Oxtails that reflect the culinary diversity of Los Angeles.
We tend to talk about barbecuing and grilling as a summer activity, but why not make it a yearlong endeavor? Helen Graves likes to think of her grill as simply an “extension of her kitchen” and for that reason she uses it all year long. Live Fire takes the ethos of seasonal cooking and throws it right onto the coals. You might be surprised to find that some of the classic meaty fare—like mustard-braised sausages and crispy pork belly sandwiches slathered in tart applesauce—are in the autumn and winter chapters of the book. For summer Graves turns toward the bounty of seasonal produce. In the warmer months, turn to a delicious blackened zucchini panzanella or caramelized ripe plantains, which she serves either with honey butter and lime or with a side of coconut ice cream.
