Perfectionism is a debilitating condition that kept a new electric smoker unopened in the garage for over six months. Yet for some inexplicable reason the fears of horrible barbecue failure parted this week.
I drug the box out onto the back porch, unpacked and assembled the smoker, seasoned it, and threw in two pork roasts. I don’t quite know what happened, but they were stunning even without any experience. Now I’m obsessed. I have checked out or special ordered nearly every book on the subject in the public library system. One of my early favorites (full disclosure: I have yet to try a single recipe), is Paul Kirk’s book on Championship Barbecue Sauces.
The reason I am intrigued is he builds his book not around rote recipes but around step-by-step explanations of how to create your own personal sauces, marinades, dry rubs, wet rubs, and the like. He explains ingredients, suggests proportions, offers tips, and describes techniques rather than just expecting you to duplicate his concoctions. Of course he offers plenty of by-the-book options, but the build-it-yourself approach sounds like so much more fun.
This said, I’d love for any or all of you with smoking and barbecue experience to weigh in with your favorite books, techniques, tips, or…. why not… recipes.
