Paper Palate

For Christmas, I put several things on my wish list and, of course, at the top of this list were barbecue books related to the style of barbecue that I enjoy the most, “Texas Style Barbecue.”  Having this in mind, I chose to review a book I feel has a unique feel and great recipes for both the beginner and the seasoned pro. This book has become my go-to book for many receipes and methods for cooking delicious BBQ.  Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook, Recipes and Recollections from the Pit Bosses is written by Robb Walsh, a two-time winner of the James Beard Award, food critic and contributing author to numerous newspapers and magazines covering the subject of Texas food cusine.
   
What first catches your eye with this particular book is the cover. It has the look and feel of a book that I would expect to have found in my grandfather’s collection, tucked away with the pages dog-eared so you could easily find that one recipe or technique that you prize the most.  When you examine this book, you are drawn to the pictures of some of the first Pitt Masters, events and culture of the true pioneers of barbecue. In my opinion, any barbecue enthusiasts would treasure this book simply because of the pictures alone.
What I love most about this book is that it reads like a book. In my opinion, anyone can collect recipes and organize them to form a cookbook. But the individual that can put the recipe together with some background information, techniques and history or a tale that makes it appeal to the reader, to me, that’s what makes the book unique.

One of the recipes I’ve enjoyed is found on page 64, Marvin Lange’s Barbecued Chicken. What I like most about this recipe is the use of Wishbone Italian Dressing as a marinade. It’s hard to argue that this isn’t a barbecue tip to try when it’s reported that Marvin Lang has won ten trophies for his barbecued chicken!

Marvin Lang’s Barbecued Chicken
1 whole fryer, about 3 ½ pounds
¼ cup dry rub of your choice
6 cups Wishbone Italian dressing

Prepare your chicken by removing the giblets and cleaning the cavity of the chicken. Next, butterfly the chicken using a pair of poultry shears, cutting the chicken along the backbone. Rinse the insides of the chicken and season with dry rub. Next, place the chicken in a freezer bag with 3 cups of Italian Dressing and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and discard the marinade. If desired, re-season with dry rub and prepare for the smoker. Place chicken bone side down on the grill and smoke at a temperature of 225-275 for about 3 hours or when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

The picture above is an example of this receipe and my last contest entry of 2006. My BBQ team won an 8th place ribbon out of 78 entries using Marvin Lang’s technique!  I hope this review has inspired you to read this wonderful book, giving a glimpse of the history, tastes and people that have contributed to the delicacies of barbeque.