Synopses & Reviews
“Grass-fed.” “Organic.” “Natural.” “Pastured.” “Raised Without Antibiotics.” “Heirloom Breed.” Meat has never been better, but the vast array of labels at today’s meat counter can overwhelm even the savviest shopper. Which are worth the price? Which are meaningless? Bruce Aidells, America’s foremost meat expert and the founder of Aidells Sausage Company, makes sense of the confusion and helps you choose the best steaks, chops, roasts, and ribs and match them to the right preparation method.
The definitive book for our time, The Great Meat Cookbook includes
• hundreds of extraordinary recipes, from such “Great Meat Dishes of the World” as Whole Beef Fillet Stuffed with Prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano to economical dishes that use small amounts of meat, like Thai Pork Salad, to American classics like Steak House Grilled Rib Eye
• handy recipe tags like “Fit for Company,” “In a Hurry,” and “Great Leftovers” that help you match each dish to the occasion
• at-a-glance guides to all the major cuts, with a full-color photo of each
• recipes for handcrafted sausages, pâtés, confits, and hams
• recipes for newly popular meats like bison, goat, heirloom pork, and grass-fed beef, veal, and lamb
• recipes for underappreciated parts that make delicious dishes without breaking the bank
With straight talk and an affable voice, Aidells provides every single bit of information you need to get comfortable in the kitchen, from which thermometers are the most reliable, to instructions for thawing frozen meat from the farmers’ market, to tips that will make you a grill and barbecue pro.
Review
"A great reference for today's meat lovers."
-Library Journal
"Cooks everywhere will find this magnum opus practical and inspiring despite its daunting heft. In addition to dozens of intriguing recipes reflecting just about every culinary tradition on this carnivorous planet, Aidells offers prodigious, authoritative data on cuts of red meat, how to identify and select them, how to prepare them optimally, and even what to do with those inevitable leftovers. Aidellsand#8217; reputation and the comprehensiveness of this volume make this an indispensible reference work for any cookery collection."
-Booklist
and#8220;Carnivores rejoice! For those of us who put meat on the table many days of the week, this book will quickly become our best friend.and#8221; and#8212; Sara Moulton, host of the PBS show Sara's Weeknight Meals, and author, Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners
and#8220;I bow before Bruce's Great Meat knowledge. You could not be taken by the hand by a nicer chap to guide you through the delights animals have to offer. So go and make a dry Martini, sit down with his book, and enjoy a meaty moment or two.and#8221;
and#8212;Fergus Henderson, author, The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating
and#8220;The Great Meat Cookbook is loaded with recipes for tasty but less-understood cuts, and Aidells covers the globe in search of recipes that will bring delight and good eating for many yearsand#8217; worth of meals.
and#8212;Rick Bayless, chef/owner of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and XOCO, Chicago
and#8220;Bruce Aidells's magnum opus spans every possible cut and cuisine. For intrepid carnivores, it's the perfect all-in-one guide, from sausage making, to sourcing and searing the perfect steak.and#8221;
and#8212;Dan Barber, executive chef and co-owner, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns
and#8220;When I want sound guidance on cooking meat, (and I generally do need guidance), I turn to Bruce Aidells, and especially this book. Itand#8217;s richly informative and thorough in scope.and#8221;
and#8212;Deborah Madison, author, Local Flavors and Vegetable Literacy
and#8220;Rarely has the title of a cookbook so thoroughly captured its essence as this carnivoreand#8217;s treasure does. The Great Meat Cookbook is simply the best, most comprehensive cookbook about meat of all time.and#8221;
and#8212; Nancy Silverton, founder, La Brea Bakery and co-owner, Mozza
and#8220;Thankfully, people are paying more attention to what happens to meat before it reaches their table. Bruce Aidells has now put together an invaluable resource to be their guide and inspiration.and#8221;and#160;
and#8212;Bill Niman, rancher and founder, Niman Ranch and B N Ranch
and#8220;Bruce Aidelland#8217;s The Great Meat Cookbook is an amazing reflection of the authorand#8217;s depth of knowledge. From the pictures and recipes, to the cooking techniques and definitions of local, sustainable, and organic meat, you will find an answer to any question you might have.and#8221;and#160;
and#8212;Nell Newman, president, Newmanand#8217;s Own Organics
and#160;and#8220;Bruce is our nation's most pleasantly loquacious and intellectually curious meat man. After perusing his new tome, I know how to define cow pooling, understand that grass-fed beef is a seasonal product, believe that meat can be employed as a condiment, and can cook feijoada and#8212; a traditional Brazilian dish and#8212; with a very nontraditional hunk of pastrami.
and#8212;John T. Edge, author, The Truck Food Cookbookand#160;
Review
"Rambling good humor . . . inventive, eclectic recipes." The Los Angeles Times
"The Text is fun to read, and the recipes are . . .diverse . . . Highly recommended." Library Journal
Synopsis
Sixteen years after his authoritative Complete Meat Cookbook, America's favorite meat expert and the founder of Aidells Sausage Company offers a completely new, comprehensive tour of the modern landscape of beef, pork, lamb, veal, bison, and goat, with an emphasis on sustainable meat and more than 250 recipes.
Synopsis
In the last decade since the publicationand#160;of Bruce Aidells's hugely successful
The Complete Meat Cookbook, called by the
Washington Post "authoritative" and "all-encompassing," the world of meat cookery has changed radically. With the rise of small farmers and the Internet, a more diverse supply is availableand#8212; not only of beef, pork, lamb, and veal, but also of bison, venison, and goat.and#160;Today's shopperand#160;confrontsand#160;a host ofand#160;bewildering, often misleadingand#160;labels: "certified organic," "humanely raised," "vegetarian diet," and many more.
Whether the cookand#160;shops atand#160;the local farmers' marketand#160;or the supermarket, The Great Meat Cookbook is the definitive guide to the new landscape. In sidebars illustrated with color photographs of each cut, Aidells shows how to pick the best steaks, chop, roasts, and ribs. With hundreds ofand#160; recipes, including "Great Meat Dishes of the World" like Beef Fillet stuffed with Parmesan andand#160;Proscuitto; budget-friendlyand#160;dishes like Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pork Shoulder; speedyand#160;dinners like Mushroom-Stuffed T Bone Lamb Chops,and#160;and charcuterie and sausage selections,and#160;Aidells provides all the information needed for juicy results every time.
Synopsis
America is proudly falling in love again—with meat. Whether it's a grilled beefsteak, a succulent lamb chop, a juicy pork loin, or a well-seasoned veal shank, there's nothing like red meat. We're eating it with gusto—about twenty pounds more than we did a decade ago, according to the New York Times. In the past few years, more than one thousand new steak houses have opened. And because today's cuts are leaner than ever, they need special treatment and cooking techniques to make them flavorful, tender, and juicy. Now two colorful collaborators and Julia Child Award winners tell us everything we need to know about cooking meat. In The Complete Meat Cookbook, readers will find: Straight talk on how to make sense of the bewildering variety of meats at the supermarket—the authors discuss their favorite cuts and provide tips on which butchers' favorites to request; Advice on how to season with innovative techniques like dry rubs, wet marinades, brining, herb pastes, and fast sauces.
About the Author
Bruce Aidells is the owner and founder of Aidells Sausage Company, whose products are distributed nationally. He has recieved many awards from the National Association for Specialty Food Trade, and he writes a food column for the San Jose Mercury News. He lives in Kensington, California.