BBQ Pit Boys Book of Real Guuud Barbecue

The founders of the BBQ Pit Boys YouTube channel debut with a wholehearted but slapdash collection of recipes for charcoal grills. Barbecue classics, like bacon cheeseburger deluxe and St. Louis spareribs, and more inventive fare—including Fireball whiskey meatballs, a whole stuffed alligator, and chipotle shrimp stuffed peppers—equally entice. Unfortunately, the instructions often baffle: the beer can bacon burgers call for canned chili and instructs home cooks to “grill” the stew “until it is hot.” Other recipes omit important information, leaving guesswork for readers: the mushroom ragout with venison, for instance, does not specify the amount of mushrooms needed and whether they should be left whole, chopped, or sliced. Sides and desserts, also cooked on the grill using indirect heat and cast iron pots, include cinnamon whiskey pumpkin pie, sweet bacon cornbread, and grilled potato salad­—all of which sound scrumptious, but the instructions are similarly head-scratching. Bacon stuffing, for example, calls for two boxes of baked crackers, with no regard to the box’s size. An exciting array of rubs, sauces, and marinades, including bourbon BBQ sauce, Cajun dry rub, and margarita marinade, round things out. Though the authors’ enthusiasm comes through, those looking to amp up their barbecue skills would be better served by watching the BBQ Pit Boys’ videos. (May)