Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling Cookbook

One of the "100 Best Cookbooks" Of All Time.

—Southern Living Magazine

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Better Technique, Better Results

Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling isn’t just a cookbook—it’s a masterclass in cooking meat properly. Steaks like you get at top steakhouses. Brisket and ribs the way they’re done at the best BBQ joints. Combining delicious recipes with proven science, this book helps backyard cooks and seasoned pitmasters unlock better flavor and juicier results. Whether you’re grilling burgers or slow-smoking pork, Meathead shows you how knowing a little science can make every bite better.

Where Barbecue Meets Science

At the heart of Meathead is a simple belief: better barbecue starts with understanding what’s really happening in your grill or smoker. This book blends culinary passion with food science—explaining the how and why behind heat, meat, smoke, and flavor. It’s not just about following recipes—it’s about cooking with confidence, backed by real data and tested techniques. With 400 pages and more than 400 of Meathead’s own photographs, plus color illustrations, there is a fair amount of new material and new recipes not found on this website. The first half of the book emphasizes concepts. The second half is 118 slam-dunk recipes that demonstrate the concepts with delicious results.

Forget What You Think You Know

Barbecue is full of old wives’ tales passed down like gospel. But many of those “tried-and-true” approaches are flat-out wrong. This book was co-authored by Greg Blonder, who has a physics BS from MIT and a physics PhD from Harvard. He conducted original experiments disproving scores of old BBQ myths. Before you fire up the grill or load up the smoker, find out what’s been holding your cooking back.

Discover The Truth About Great BBQ

Myth

Bone-in meat tastes better because the bone adds flavor.

Busted!

Bones don’t release flavor into meat during grilling or smoking. What they do is affect how heat moves through the meat, which can impact texture—not taste.

Myth

You should cook ribs until the meat falls off the bone.

Busted!

Perfect ribs should be tender with a gentle tug—not falling apart. Overcooked ribs can turn mushy and lose their texture.

Myth

Pink meat means it’s undercooked.

Busted!

A pink color near the bone or in smoked meat doesn’t always mean it’s raw—it can be a smoke ring or a result of chemical reactions. Always check with a thermometer, not your eyes.

Myth

Searing meat seals in the juices.

Busted!

Searing browns meat and creates flavor, but it doesn't weld the fibers shut. Want proof? Look at your cutting board or plate. The meat juices are still escaping even before you make a cut.

Bring Your Knowledge Alive With 118 Reliable Recipes

“Meathead…is an ‘indispensable guide’…[from] a ‘barbecue savant.'” — Helen Rosner, The New Yorker

“One of the 34 Essential Cookbooks for Every Kitchen” — Serious Eats

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The Meathead Method Is Where Barbecue Goes Next

In the follow-up to his New York Times bestseller Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling, BBQ Hall of Famer and founder of AmazingRibs.com, Meathead presents a guide to new methods for great outdoor cooking with 114 creative and inspiring recipes. The Meathead Method is a toolbox to elevate all your cooking, outdoors and indoors.