The Complete Meat Cookbook: A Juicy and Authoritative Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, and Cooking Today's Beef, Pork, Lamb, and Veal

The leaner cuts of meat now on the market require extra attention to ensure they don't toughen and dry during preparation, and with that in mind Aidells--owner of Aidells Sausage Company--and Kelly (both coauthored Hot Links & Country Flavors and Flying Sausages) offer more than 230 recipes certain to attract meat-fanciers. They address how to buy meat, flavor it and cook it; specify the temperatures at which various meats should be cooked; and advise using a digital instant-read thermometer to check degrees. Recipes are identified as Fit for Company, In a Hurry, Cooking on a Budget, Great Leftovers and other categories, and they range from familiar--Philly Cheese Steaks, the Classic Hamburger and Grilled Lamb Chops--to nicely inventive: Braised Beef Shanks with Coconut Milk, Ginger and Cumin shows a Pacific Rim influence, while Sauteed Pork Chops with White Wine and Vanilla Sauce adds an even more unusual twist. Master recipes are followed by variations, as in the basic Roast Rack of Lamb and one flavored with Black Bean-Mustard Coating or a Fresh Herb Crust. Complete is a fit adjective for this highly recommended book. Photos not seen by PW. BOMC main selection. (Nov.)