cover image The Stubb's Bar-B-Q Cookbook

The Stubb's Bar-B-Q Cookbook

C. B. Stubblefield. John Wiley & Sons, $14.95 (108pp) ISBN 978-0-471-97996-8

This slim cookbook is a testament to the gritty charm of barbecue legend Christopher ""Stubb"" Stubblefield, who opened a 'cue joint in Lubbock, Tex. in 1968. After a few years enjoying Stubb's restaurant, the chef's pals convinced him to bottle his barbecue sauce, and the recipes in this volume make ample use of Stubb's bottled brews, from the soulful Slow Cooked Rosemary-Garlic Pot Roast to the finger-licking Wicked Chimichurri Wings. Graciously, satisfying allowances are suggested for people who don't have Stubb's sauce on hand. Other dishes, like Capers'n'Creole Deviled Eggs or Grilled Cornmeal Trout Fillets, don't require any Stubb's products, but are just as toothsome and appealing as those that do. None of these recipes are for the health-conscious; in keeping with Texas tradition, even the vegetables are doused with cheese, pork, or cream. But who could resist a bowlful of smoky, salty Black Eyed Peas'n'Bacon or a square of Cheddar Corn Bread, which packs a little corn sweetness and a serious jalapeno punch? From appetizers to entrees to sides and salads, almost every tasty-looking recipe begs to be tried; overindulgers can repent, however, by skipping the lackluster desserts, which include a Pecan Pie so sweet it makes even a devout pie-lover's teeth ache.