Man Made Meals: The Essential Cookbook for Guys

Steven Raichlen really knows the pleasure men get from cooking, the joy they take in having the skills, the need to show off a little bit. His Barbecue! Bible books have over 4.7 million copies in print—and now he leads his readers from the grill into the kitchen. Like a Joy of Cooking for guys, Man Made Meals is everything a man needs to achieve confidence and competence in the kitchen.

Man Made Meals is about the tools and techniques (guess what, grillers, you still get to play with knives and fire.) It's about adopting secrets from the pros—how to multitask, prep before you start cooking, clean as you go. It's about understanding flavor and flavor boosters, like anchovies and miso, and it’s about essentials: how to shuck an oyster, truss a chicken, cook a steak to the desired doneness. It’s about having a repertoire of great recipes (there are 300 to choose from), breakfast to dessert, to dazzle a date, or be a hero to your family, or simply feed yourself with real pleasure. These are recipes with a decided guy appeal, like Blowtorch Oatmeal, Fire-Eater Chicken Wings, Black Kale Caesar, Down East Lobster Rolls, Skillet Rib Steak, Porchetta, Finger-Burner Lamb Chops, Yardbird’s Fried Chicken, Blackened Salmon, Mashed Potatoes Three Ways, and Ice Cream Floats for Grown-Ups.