Cookbook review: Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction

Bobby Flay is known for turning up the heat. In his latest cookbook, Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, he also takes things low and slow.

Related story Alex Guarnaschelli Wrote a Cookbook With Daughter Ava Clark & You Can Pre-order It Now

When you think about well-known chefs who grill, Bobby Flay settles in at the top of the list. Whether you’ve seen him grilling mouthwatering meats on one of his Food Network shows, or perhaps you’ve dined at one of his several restaurants, you know Bobby is basically all about the grill.

Get your copy of Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction >>

Ignite your appetite

Bobby’s latest cookbook, Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction, provides a slew of recipes that are prepared in many fashions using outdoor cooking methods. That means more than simply using standard gas grills. Bobby covers the basics of several different cookers (think charcoal grills, smokers, the Big Green Egg — a smoker, grill and oven all in one, and more), as well as how to tend to the cooking methods of each. You’ll also find added tips that cover grilling utensils like skewers, brushes and thermometers as well as hints for what you need (and need to do) to host a perfect backyard barbecue.

Grilling around the world

Getting to the heart of things, you’ll find several festive and flavorful cocktail recipes as well as recipes for starters, poultry, pork, beef and lamb, and fish and shellfish. You’ll certainly find American barbecue favorites throughout the pages of this cookbook, like Southwestern marinated grilled salmon with tomato-red chile chutney and New York street-cart dogs with onion sauce and red pepper relish.

Bobby also includes globally-inspired dishes like his open-faced Cuban pulled pork sandwiches with sour orange-jicama slaw, and grilled halibut with corn-coconut curry sauce and grilled cherry tomato chutney. He says that as a result of his international travels, he realized that, “almost every country, every culture, has its own version of barbecue.” Flip through the pages, and you’ll discover dishes that are seasoned, smoked and sizzling with the flavors found in the Southwestern United States, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, the Caribbean, Northern Italy and additional locales.

These 150 recipes will inspire you to take to the backyard and fire up the grill, whatever type you prefer.

Try a recipe from Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction:

Mole-rubbed lamb tenderloin quesadillas with ancho-cherry jam

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the quesadillas

• 3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon New Mexican chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chile de arbol powder
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/4 pounds lamb tenderloin, trimmed of extra fat
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup crema, creme fraiche or sour cream
• Canola oil
• 12 (6 inch) white corn tortillas
• 1-1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese

For the ancho-cherry jam

• 2 dried ancho chilis, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon clover honey
• 1 pound fresh sweet red cherries, pitted and halved
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

For the quesadillas

1. Combine the chili powders, cocoa powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub each tenderloin with some of the mole rub and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Heat your grill to high for direct grilling.
3. Stir together the goat cheese and crema and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Drizzle the lamb with oil and grill until golden brown on both sides and cooked to medium-rare, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the lamb to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Put 8 of the tortillas on a flat surface. Divide the cheddar cheese over the tortillas and season each layer with salt and pepper.
6. Stack the tortillas to make four 2-layer tortillas and top each with 1 of the remaining 4 tortillas. Brush the tops of the tortillas with oil. Carefully place the quesadillas on the grill, oil side down, and grill until golden brown, about 1 minute. Brush the tops with oil and turn the quesadillas over. Close the cover and grill until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer the quesadillas to a baking sheet, put the baking sheet on the grill, close the cover and cook until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
7. Cut the quesadillas into quarters and top with ancho-cherry jam, goat cheese crema, lamb and chopped parsley.

For the ancho-cherry jam

1. Soak the ancho chilies in 2 cups hot water for 30 minutes. Remove from the soaking liquid, reserving the liquid. Transfer the chilies to a food processor with 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid and process until smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the orange juice, 1/4 cup of the ancho soaking liquid, the brown sugar, and honey and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cherries and ancho puree and cook until the cherries soften and begin to break down and the mixture thickens, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Transfer the jam to a bowl, stir in the cilantro, and let cool to room temperature.

About the Authors

Bobby Flay, a New York Times best-selling author, is the chef-owner of six fine-dining restaurants, including Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak, and numerous Bobby’s Burger Palaces. He is the host of many popular cooking shows on Food Network, from the Emmy-winning Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction, Grill it! with Bobby Flay and Boy Meets Grill, to the Iron Chef America series, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star.

Stephanie Banyas has been Bobby Flay’s business assistant since 1996. She is the co-author of Bobby Flay’s Throwdown!; Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries & Shakes; Bobby Flay’s Grill It!; Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook; and Bobby Flay’s Grilling for Life. She lives in New York City.

Sally Jackson lives in New York City with her husband, their son, and one especially well-fed poodle. This is her sixth cookbook with Bobby Flay and Stephanie Banyas.

More cookbooks to try

In My Kitchen by Ted Allen
From Mama’s Table to Mine by Bobby Deen
Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin