Q & A with Steven Raichlen, multi-award-winning author, journalist, cooking teacher and TV host
Although summer is coming to an end, there’s still time to relish the weather by firing up your grill. We wanted to learn how to make the most out of our barbecue meals, so we sat down with barbecue guru Steven Raichlen. Raichlen has written 29 books on the subject, which include his NY Times bestselling Planet Barbecue! He has appeared on every major national TV and radio show, from The Today Show, Good Morning America, and CNN to Oprah and The View. We asked Steven where he gets his inspiration for his unique barbecue recipes, why he thinks it’s important for men to learn how to cook, and more!
1. We read that Esquire magazine has dubbed you “America’s master griller” – congratulations! Where do you get your inspiration for your unique barbecue recipes?
Many of them come from my travels. To date, I’ve visited 60 countries on 6 continents to document barbecuing and grilling in different cultures. Whenever I start a new book, the first thing I do is pack a suitcase. Other ideas come from my test kitchen in Martha’s Vineyard, or even when I’m sleeping (I keep a notebook on my night table).
2. Speaking of your travel, can you let us know some of your favorite flavors and spices from different regions? Do you ever use these into your everyday dishes?
I gravitate naturally to the explosive seasonings of Southeast Asia–chilies, lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce–and also to the land
of my birth, Japan. However, I also love the aromatic spices of North Africa and the chilies of Mexico and Peru.
3. Pasta in different parts of the world can be so different from what we are used to having here in the US. What was your favorite pasta dish that you tried while traveling?
Whatever is local–be it hand-rolled pici in Tuscany or soba in Japan or hand-pulled egg noodles in Hong Kong. I love how the Vietnamese combine cool rice noodles with sizzling grilled beef in their popular bo bun.
4. Your new cookbook, Man Made Meals, is designed primarily for men to learn the tools, recipes and basics of cooking that go beyond grilling. Why do you think it’s important for men to know how to cook in today’s world?
I think it’s important for men to know how to cook for so many reasons. First, to be able to take care of yourself. Second, to be able to cook for your family (and with more and more women in the workplace, if men don’t cook, our kids may never know what a home-cooked meal is). But Spanish chef Jose Andres summed it up best: In order to be able to lead the tribe you have to be able to feed the tribe.
Watch Steven on CBS explain the necessary tools & skills that every guy needs in the kitchen.
5. We love cooking with pasta because it’s so versatile and can be combined with many proteins and veggies! Which veggies or meats do you think best enhances the flavors of a dish?
The short list includes beef (as in that Vietnamese bo bun), pork (as in a pork bolognese), lamb as in a Hunan lamb and noodle dish, seafood as in Malaysian laksa, and grilled veggies as in my grilled mac and cheese.
6. Finally, do you have a favorite pasta recipe that you can share with us?
Yes, my grilled mac and cheese is a summertime classic that everyone will love. It takes a new twist on the classic mac and cheese recipe.
About Steven:
Hailed as America’s “master griller” (Esquire), Steven Raichlen is the man who reinvented modern barbecue. His books have won 5 James Beard and 3 IACP awards and his last, Planet Barbecue!, was a New York Times bestseller. He also hosts Primal Grill and Barbecue University on PBS. He also has a French language barbecue show in Quebec called Le Maitre du Grill. His articles have appeared in Saveur, Esquire, andThe New York Times. He also created and runs the sold-out Barbecue University at the Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs. He and his wife live in Miami and on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
For more information, please visit barbecuebible.com/about-steven/
You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
