Somewhere along the line, Steven Raichlen veered off the path he set for himself.
He studied French literature in college, won a fellowship to study medieval cooking in Europe, and ended up becoming the go-to expert on barbecuing.
The author of “The Barbecue Bible” and a slew of other books on the subject, is one of the food-centric writers who will be at the Tucson Festival of the Books.
He answered a few questions for us by email:
You’ve a degree in French literature — I’m having a hard time making the jump from that to barbecue guru. How did that come about?
“I fell in love with Paris as a teenager. Wrote my thesis on a medieval poet named Christine de Pisan. (Europe’s first feminist, but what did I, clueless 21-year-old guy, know at the time?) Had the idea to apply to the Watson Foundation (of IBM) to study medieval cooking in Europe. (Cooking always a passion.) Much to my astonishment, they gave me a large stipend to eat, drink, and study my way through Europe.”
“That got me excited about the interface of food, history, and culture, and that led me to food writing. Became a restaurant critic for Boston Magazine and wine & spirits columnist for GQ. Fast forward to 1994, when I had the idea to do a sort of midlife Watson year studying how people grill in different countries and cultures around the world. One year turned into four years and that became my book ‘The Barbecue Bible.’ I realized I had found a topic with great depth and broad interest and I’ve been writing about it ever since.”
What is your absolute best tip to perfect barbecue?
“General wisdom: learn to control the fire, not have it control you.
“Basic formula: air + fire = heat. More air + fire = more heat.
“Less air + fire = less heat.
“That’s how you control a fire.
“Don’t have a grill? Grill steaks and chops on a steel shovel over a campfire. Sterilize shovel in the embers first.
“Want to make the best steak ever? Forget the one piece of equipment everyone thinks he needs: a grill grate. Lay and cook the steaks directly on the embers. I call this Caveman T-bone.”
Gas, wood or charcoal?
“Wood first. (I like oak.) Then charcoal. But I’m not above using a gas grill on weeknights.”
The three absolutely-necessary barbecue tools?
“The only three anyone needs: long-handled spring-loaded tongs; a stiff wire grill brush, and an instant read meat thermometer.”
