Hello all, Can anyone recommend any good smoking books. I have the "Smoke & Spice" by Cheryl & Bill Jamison and enjoy the recipes. But there are so many others at the bookstore that I don't know what to choose. Any input would be appreciated.

Lots of info in the following threads:
What do you think is the best BBQ/Smoking Book?
bbq books
Your favorite BBQ book
Whats your favorite bbq book?

Tim,I went to the local library and checked out several. The ones I liked,I wound up buying. The title's are slipping my mind,though.

those threads have some good info. i have kirks championship bbq book and it is ok for the basics but that's about it. if you want a good all around grilling book, i love "mastering the grill" a ton of usefull info is in that book.

let me know if you find a good book on smoking. I don't think there's one out there.

Sure there's plenty of bbq recipe books, but nothing that explains the nuts and bolts of smoking. Maybe I'm over thinking it, but I'd like to know more about how it all works, and info that's based in actual science, not anecdotal info or general boasting.

My strategy has been to rely on books by Alton Brown and Harold McGee for the ins and outs of meat (roasting, brining, aging etc.). For specifics regarding bbq, I generally sift through the tons of stuff posted on the internet, assuming most of it is false. Anything piece of info that seems promising gets passed by Kevin.

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Originally posted by Tim Quon:
Hello all, Can anyone recommend any good smoking books. I have the "Smoke & Spice" by Cheryl & Bill Jamison and enjoy the recipes. But there are so many others at the bookstore that I don't know what to choose. Any input would be appreciated.

Start with Low and Slow for technique, Smokestack Lightning for discussion of BBQ but not how to, and then Paul Kirk's books and Peace, Love, and BBQ for combination of the two. Legends of Texas BBQ for the history if not for a recipe or two. That should get you started. Like I do with most of the books now, I check them out of the library (love the interlibrary loan they have now) and buy them if I like them. Headed today to check out Smoke and Spice. Calvin Trillin wrote a couple of magazine pieces on the topic, which I enjoyed but not necessarily agreed with all of....hope this helps...if you look at the links here, and then check out the Listmania at Amazon, I would use that to see where the overlap is too...although Smokestack Lightning doesn't seem to be as popular as I would have thought. Good luck, and let us know what you come up with, I'm always eager to read more about it!

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Smokestack Lightning doesn't seem to be as popular as I would have thought.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I read a sad depressed mood as they were lamenting the loss of true bbq around the south. However, from what I experience daily, here on this forum, at comps, and with our local restaurant scene, it seems quite the opposite. True bbq is alive an possibly more popular than ever.

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Originally posted by j biesinger:

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Smokestack Lightning doesn't seem to be as popular as I would have thought.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I read a sad depressed mood as they were lamenting the loss of true bbq around the south. However, from what I experience daily, here on this forum, at comps, and with our local restaurant scene, it seems quite the opposite. True bbq is alive an possibly more popular than ever.

It is a tough fence to decide which side to get off of, I think they view bbq, in the US, particularly the South, as something that evolved from a time when big cookers and competitions didn't exist. Now, was that time, 20 years ago, 30, 50, 100? That's for them to explain, but I think they were looking for the essence of the beginning of it, and I'm not sure they find it, although maybe they weren't looking in the right places, in BBQ competitions and in big motorized cookers. But I'm like you, I'm on the fence with it too...still a good read I feel though.

I just read Smokestack Lightening. I thought the stories were great. And I agree: IMHO, the best bbq is home-made. Most restaurants just can't make the real thing. It's a time/money thing.
I do recommend it for great reading, but I also loved Mike Mill's Peace Love and BBQ. That one has good recipes (including sides)and good, sound advice.