I remember the days that for truly great barbecue I would drive down south, find what looked to be the most broken down old shack of a BBQ joint, and devour the most amazing pulled pork and baked beans that have ever been made. Now, I find that same luscious, smoky goodness right in my own backyard. Thanks to Jamie Purviance’s new cookbook, Weber’s New American Barbecue, I have over 120 recipe options to choose from and never had to step outside of my house. I had the pleasure of being on the editing team during the cookbooks development, and I can attest that looking at the mouth-watering photography before lunch proved to be a detriment to my waistline, but a true inspiration for dinner each night.

This cookbook is no ordinary barbecue book. It’s not filled with heavy meats and just a variety of sauces. Each dish is inspired by cultures and their cuisines and how you can reinterpret barbecue in so many ways. From Slow-Roasted Pork Bo Ssam to Boston Bacon Fatties to Korean Short Rib Tacos- there is something for everyone at every level of their barbecuing prowess. I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to true authentic slow cooking, but once I did the Beginner Brisket and even my pickiest eater cleaned his plate, I instantly became an expert (well…in my families eyes at least!). The Grilled Salmon BLT Sandwiches are one of my go-to weeknight recipes and the Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic Butter and Parmesan are a great secret weapon when I have company because they look so hard, but they are wonderfully simple to make and the flavor is outstanding. Now I need to take my grocery list to the store, fire up the grill, and get my bbq on!