Everyday Barbecue: At Home with America's Favorite Pitmaster

New York Times bestselling author (Smokin' with Myron Mixon) and star of TLC's Barbecue Pitmasters, Mixon does an admirable job of showing grillers, smokers, and barbecuers how they can turn labor and time-intensive grilling and barbecue projects into weekday meals with a minimum of fuss in this to-the-point collection of 150 smoke-centered recipes. While there's no way to produce properly smoked brisket or ribs in 30 minutes, Mixon makes the prep and cooking/smoking process as efficient as possible, encouraging readers to rely on a simple four-ingredient marinade, and two easy but flavorful rubs for virtually all his dishes. That's not to say his food is monochromatic, but the focus here is on the smoke imparted to the food. His coleslaw, burgers, fried chicken, and Smoked Whiskey Wings are all perfectly serviceable; but it's his ingenious use of leftovers that will make readers take notice as he offers suggestions for mountains of leftover brisket, pulled pork, or chicken. This approach%E2%80%94rather than a multitude of variations on ribs, pulled pork and a bevy of sauces%E2%80%94sets the book apart and make it a keeper, as long as readers can put up with Mixon's boasting and ego. Agent: Michael Psaltis, Culinary Entertainment Agency. (May)