The Smoking Bacon & Hog Cookbook: The Whole Pig & Nothing but the Pig Recipes

Gillespie’s follow up to his successful Secrets to Smoking on the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker will likely be an even bigger hit than its predecessor due to a key, magical ingredient: bacon. Even if readers don’t want to take the time to make their own pancetta, pepper-crusted bacon, molasses and coffee bacon, or sriracha-and-honey-cured pork belly (among many others suggested here), they’re sure to appreciate the litany of practical, tasty dishes using one of the world’s most popular ingredients. One of Gillespie’s most frequent and easy techniques is to simply wrap bacon around whatever’s in front of him: chicken wings, onion rings, and even pineapple with mozzarella sticks get the treatment. This culminates in the formidable bacon weave, a blanket of 16 bacon slices woven together and placed atop breakfast burritos, quesadillas, and tater tots. Novelty aside, Gillespie’s got plenty of good ideas here: DIY chorizo, an award-winning recipe for grilled pork chops, barbecued beans, bacon corn chowder, and apple bacon slaw are all winners. Gillespie cut his teeth on the BBQ circuit, and he provides solid advice on ribs, rubs, and sauces without going overboard. Carnivores with a soft spot for grilling and smoking will get the most out of this solid effort, as will fans of outdoor cooking in general. (Mar.)