Hello and welcome to Ainsley’s Ultimate Barbecue Bible! A brand new edition that’s sure to make you feel well-equipped and confident for when the barbie season sets in. Since I wrote Barbecue Bible in 1997, outdoor cooking seems to have become more and more popular, so I’ve taken this opportunity to add in some of my favourite recipes from my book Big Cook Out as well, to make this the essential bible for barbie fans everywhere.
Surely there’s absolutely no better feeling than cooking and eating ‘al fresco’? Some say it’s the ultimate cooking experience, and who am I to disagree? Once you’ve captured the art of barbecuing even novice cooks can achieve superb results and delicious aromas. Forget the days of burnt chicken or charred bangers and burgers – this bumper book will make you a connoisseur of the coals!
My travels have taken me all over the world and I’ve discovered that some countries still use barbecuing as their basic means of cooking, although all have developed their own technique, style and distinctive flavouring. The ingredients of a particular region add to the flavour that the barbecued food absorbs from the smoke produced by the glistening, dripping cooking juices to produce a very individual taste. I’ve picked up some invaluable information, which I want to share with you, so this revised edition is packed full of tasty barbecue recipes and exciting flavours from around the world.
Cooking over coals or an open fire has been practised for hundreds of years, in fact since prehistoric man, yet today the technique remains essentially the same. Now we have lots of wonderful ingredients at our disposal, although the loin cloth has been replaced by designer shorts, shirts and skirts. But like our prehistoric brothers and sisters, you can’t beat finger-lickin’ food. It’s deliciously sociable.
Don’t forget too that barbecuing need not be restricted to summer days – you really can barbecue all year round. Even your Christmas turkey can be a barbecued treat if you’re lucky enough to own a covered kettle barbecue, a hooded barbecue or a gas barbecue with a rotisserie. You’ll also find that this book can easily be used indoors, as well as out. Nearly all the recipes can be cooked in your kitchen: in your char-grill pan, under the grill, in a hot oven or even in a frying pan. This really is a book for all seasons.
So, come on everybody, let’s get sizzling!
