Meat Cookbook/Reference Book

[hallph]

I'm looking to develop and expand my knowledge of cooking meat.

Different types, different styles of cooking, science behind the methods, meat cuts, and so forth.

Can anyone recommend any reference books or cookbooks that would help me?

I've had a google, and found the following that seem like they might suit:

• Meat: A Kitchen Education (James Peterson)
• Ad Hoc at Home (Thomas Keller)
• The Science of Good Cooking (Though not strictly a meat book)

Any suggestions would be much appreciated, thanks.

Edited March 8, 2013 by hallph (log)

[Martin Fisher]

Wow!

There is no comprehensive book that I know of.

You could fill a good sized home library with all the options, and I have. LOL

Can you be more specific?

What are you most interested in?

~Martin

[Smithy]

I enjoy Bruce Aidells' work. One of his books - the one I go to most - is Bruce Aidell's and Dennis Kelly's Complete Meat Cookbook http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Meat-Cookbook-Bruce-Aidells/dp/061813512X

What I like about it: the book provides recipes for spice mixes, rubs, and sausage spices; it provides butchering diagrams for various animals; it also provides recipes. There may be other good meat/reference cookbooks out there, but I've been happy with this one.

[hallph]

Meat.. A broad subject, I know..

I was looking for a single book that could assist to give me an education in regards to:

• The various cuts from the animals, and techniques that can be employed in terms of preparation for these (in particular, beef/lamb/goat/pork/rabbit/duck);
• How to select an appropriate cooking technique based on the cut, along with reasoning why and some science behind the method; and
• Generally, expand my ideas on what is possible with relatively standard meats - to give me some new thoughts and ideas for cooking as opposed to my currently limited repertoire.

Perhaps there are no great meat cookbooks/reference books that cover these basics? I may need to look into a few separate books, which is fine.

Thanks for the suggestion Smithy, I will look into it.

[docdix]

How to Cook Meat

Christopher Schlesinger

[Renn]

Light on the science, but definitely a comprehensive meat cook book is the River Cottage Meat book. If you want to go into specific, but different methods of live fire meat cookery, I'd recommend Francis Mallmann's Seven Fires. As for game, there are many books out there, but one I particularly enjoy is Andrew Pern's Loose Birds and game.

If your focus really is on the science of meat cookery/differences in cooking methods, I don't think anything out there is as understandable and in-depth as Moderist Cuisine.

[ciderthom]

I agree with Renn, the River Cottage Meat book covers a good range in enough detail to get a good start and with regards to cuts/techniques butter up your butcher!

[rotuts]

Ive learned more about meat from this book than any other, including some mentioned above that I own:

http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Up-Kitchen-Butchers-Poultry/dp/0877010714/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362762237&sr=1-1&keywords=cutting+up+in+the+kitchen

used about 4 bucks. no photos, but line drawings help you understand cuts of meat.

[JAZ]

I enjoy Bruce Aidells' work. One of his books - the one I go to most - is Bruce Aidell's and Dennis Kelly's Complete Meat Cookbook http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Meat-Cookbook-Bruce-Aidells/dp/061813512X

What I like about it: the book provides recipes for spice mixes, rubs, and sausage spices; it provides butchering diagrams for various animals; it also provides recipes. There may be other good meat/reference cookbooks out there, but I've been happy with this one.

Bruce Aidells has a new meat book out. We got it for Christmas but haven't had much time to cook from it -- The Great Meat Cookbook. I loved his old one with Denis Kelly, so I hope this is even better.

[Martin Fisher]

"Cutting up in the Kitchen", is excellent, as already suggested by rotuts.

"The Kitchen Pro Series: Guide to Meat Identification, Fabrication and Utilization" is also very good and so is "The Kitchen Pro Series: Guide to Poultry Identification, Fabrication and Utilization".

There are countless other books that are also great.

HTH

~Martin

[Ttogull]

This might sound lame, but I learned a lot about cooking meat from watching free PBS shows, particularly Primal Grill (Steve Raichlen) and Mexico One Plate at a Time (Rick Bayless). Both shows have reruns at least recently showing on PBS stations, and also have segments available on YouTube and/or on DVD. Although the Bayless show features Mexican recipes, the techniques on display are equally applicable to dishes from other cultures. Raichlen's show covers recipes from a broad set of cultures but primarily focuses on outside cooking. In both shows, there is discussion of matching the cut to the method.

[OliverB]

the meat buyers handbook published by NAMP is a great reference for cuts and where they're from. Not a cook book at all, but very handy to have. Lobel's also put out a couple really good books on the topic.

[&roid]

Another vote for The River Cottage Meat book. One of my favourite books, some great recipes but even better essays on various things to do with meat.

[hallph]

Thanks for the suggestions all, I've placed some orders, will let you know once they arrive!