The Backyard Fire Cookbook

Get Outside and Master Ember Roasting, Charcoal Grilling, Cast-Iron Cooking, and Live-Fire Feasting

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Pub Date 14 May 2019 | Archive Date 11 Jun 2019

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Description

Ditch the gas grill and light your fire with this comprehensive guide from the author of The New Camp CookbookThe Backyard Fire Cookbook offers techniques and recipes to master cooking with live fire and coals, including planking, cast iron, foil packets, and more.
 
There’s no denying the thrill of cooking outdoors and the sense of community it brings when people gather around a fire, and in this book, author Linda Ly will teach you how to master the flames. For the adventurous, start by building a home fire pit. It’s easier than it sounds and requires minimal investment of time and space. If you’d rather not, that’s okay! There are plenty of other options, from vessel fire pits to tabletop grills. Even a charcoal kettle grill will give you more flavor than cooking with gas. Ly also covers everything you need to know about fuel sources (hardwood, hardwood lump charcoal, and smoking wood), her go-to grilling tools and accessories, secrets for stocking an indoor and outdoor pantry, fire making, fire safety, and tips and tricks for grilling more efficiently.

You can choose your own adventure with over 70 recipes for ember roasting, wood-fired cooking, charcoal grilling, and foil pack meals. Next-level techniques like dutch oven cooking, grilling a la plancha, and plank grilling are all part of the fun, too. With modern twists on classics and globally-inspired meals like Smoky Ember-Roasted Eggplant Dip, Thai Chicken Pizza with Sweet Chili Sauce, Grilled Oysters with Kimchi Butter, Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf on a Plank, and Artichoke, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Feta Stuffed Flank Steak, you’ll find a recipe for almost every occasion. This is not a book about low-and-slow barbecue, and you won’t find overnight marinades or complicated recipes, either. Ly aims to encourage easy, accessible grilling that you look forward to doing on a weeknight because, quite simply, food just tastes better outside.

Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a novice on the grill, The Backyard Fire Cookbook will help you make the backyard your new kitchen.
Ditch the gas grill and light your fire with this comprehensive guide from the author of The New Camp CookbookThe Backyard Fire Cookbook offers techniques and recipes to master cooking with live...

Marketing Plan

Key Campaign Activity  Pre-publication: Long lead national media outreach to food and outdoor media, including media who covered her first book, The New Camp Cookbook Pre-order campaign on Authors online platforms:  website:  https://www.gardenbetty.com/, (uvpm: 58K) Facebook ( 8.5K followers)  Instagram ( 4K followers) Twitter ( followers) and those subscribed to her e-newsletter.  

Trade: Submit for review in Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness, Booklist and Foreword Reviews Display at BEA/BookCon  

School/Library: Submit for review in Library Journal Display at ALA Annual and Midwinter Conferences  

Consumer: Promote on Authors online platforms Goodreads giveaway  Promotion on Quarto Cooks Promote with her Partnership with Ball® Fresh Preservers  

Publicity/Media: Magazine: Food & Wine, Martha Stewart Living, Vogue, bon appetit, Gather Journal, Saveur, Edible, Sweet Paul, Real Simple, People, Rachael Ray Every Day, Good Housekeeping, Parade, Women’s World, Cherry Bombe, O The Oprah Magazine, Cooking Light, Martha Stewart Living, Fine Cooking, Newsweek, The Week, Food Network Magazine, Family Circle, Camping Life, Backpacker, Outdoor, Go Camping, Camping and Caravanning, Scouting, Outdoor Life, Outside, Cowgirl Magazine, Gear Patrol, Time, Adirondack Life Newspaper: The New York Times, Raleigh News and Observer, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, AM New York, Austin American Statesman, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Chicago Tribune, food editors from top 25 regional newspapers Online: Epicurious, bon appetit Healthyish, Eater, Buzzfeed, Food52, Huffington Post, Eat Your Books, Tastebook, Cooking with Amy, Delish, The Kitchn,  Design Sponge, Food Republic, The Kitchn, Serious Eats, Edible Feast, Epicurious, Mother Earth News, Gear Culture, Bless This Stuff, Recipes Now Radio: NPR The Salt, NPR The Splendid Table, The Level Teaspoon,  WNYC Leonard Lopate

Key Campaign Activity Pre-publication: Long lead national media outreach to food and outdoor media, including media who covered her first book, The New Camp Cookbook Pre-order campaign on Authors...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780760363430
PRICE US$26.00 (USD)
PAGES 208

Average rating from 40 members


Featured Reviews

*I was given a copy of The Backyard Fire Cookbook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an impartial review. Opinions are mine.*

As a casual home cook and big fan of outdoor living, The Backyard Fire Cookbook appeals to me in just about every way. Pages are colorful and fun to read, and the book includes a number of educational notes on tools and preparation techniques, making the volume more than a compendium of favorite recipes but also a useful resource for home cooks exploring outdoor cooking. In fact, the first section covers all manner of basics from live-fire cooking methods, tools and accessories, temperature and flame, types of charcoal and cooking wood, and various tips, tricks, and hacks. Recipes are for the most part simple, combining interesting but not too exotic (ie, hard to find) ingredients to an attractive effect. Spreads are thoughtfully laid out, with vivid photographs, straightforward instructions, and ingredients lists and measurements separated for easy reference. Organizational choices here are interesting—recipes are categorized by technique rather than food types. For instance, rather than Entrees or Poultry, you get outdoor recipes for the Grill, Pots and Pans, and even Foil Packets. This division makes it a little harder for me, as a vegetarian, to quickly identify useable recipes, though omnivores will not likely be put off. Apart from that, this book offers a fair amount for meat lovers as well as vegetarians, those adapting keto or other low-carb eating styles will also find plenty here to experiment with. Recommended for causal home cooks and outdoor living enthusiasts, as well as anyone looking for some quirky takes on tried-and-true fare.

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Great resource for patrons that shows different methods and technique for backyard cooking. Photography is excellent and represents the material.

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This is a must have for grillers and fire pit enthusiasts. It demonstrates how to build your own fire pit with illustrations. I especially like the foil recipes for the fire pit. I really like that the recipes use commonly found ingredients that you most likely already have.. They are recipes that aren't in my normal repertoire, but look and sound delicious. My favorites are the gumbo and jambalaya. It has tips and recipes for cast iron grilling too.

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The Backyard Fire Cookbook has everything you want and need in a book about backyard cooking. My neighbors and I love to grill, and we share a fire pit, so we were very excited to see so many great recipes and knowledge about things we hadn't tried yet. I also have a friend that just bought a house - he was loving the instructions on how to build a fire pit, so that he can start cooking over an open flame. The photos are great and plentiful, with each delicious recipe pictured and perfectly showing readers how each type of backyard cooking works. Ly covers everything about open fire pits, cast iron, planks, grills, foil packets all grown up), and recipes for each.

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This book was so much more than I was prepared for - deliciously wonderful!
It covers topics I had not begun to consider and gave me valuable insight from someone who clearly enjoys cooking with fire, eating unusual foods, and discovering new ways to prepare a feast!

From how not only the type of wood used for the fire affects the taste of the finished product but also where the wood comes from, and safety precautions to consider, and best products to use while grilling, and so much more!
This is not your hot dogs and burgers cookbook. She has tempted me to expand my own skills as well as expand the types of food I want to taste!
I am excited to get outdoors (and maybe even indoors) and cook over fire with friends.

I requested this book from Netgalley to review but this is going to be great as gifts for special occasions.

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The recipes look really interesting and I can't wait to try them out in our backyard firepit and grill. They definitely seem more party sized than anything. However, the first chapter on grills and building your own firepit was very informative.

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This book exceeded my expectations. It is one of the most visually appealing recipe books I have ever seen, with clear and easy to read recipes. I like how it shows you how to do all the cooking techniques, with great explanations both in text and photos. I love this and, not being familiar with the author, was really happy to see the Korean grilled chicken recipe as my daughter had recently requested we learn how to make it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

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Linda Ly has outdone herself once again (her first cookbook, The New Camp Cookbook is one of the best in the outdoor cooking category) with The Backyard Fire Cookbook: Get Outside and Master Ember Roasting, Charcoal Grilling, Cast-Iron Cooking, and Live-Fire Feasting. Not only are there excellent instructions for setting up a home fire pit, but also excellent instructions for cooking outdoors on a grill or anywhere outdoors.

This cookbook doesn’t contain recipes for mundane, pedestrian Dutch Oven dishes that campers seem to fall back on; rather, Ly has an imagination, and includes recipes that are unique and a bit on the gourmet side. The instructions are easy-to-follow, however, and even though the end result may seem fancier than most camp food, the dishes are fairly easy to make and will be welcomed and devoured by everyone. There are also excellent photographs of the dishes and photographs of step-by-step instructions for setting up a pit and setting up the grill.

Foil dinners are popular right now, and Ly includes several, like Shrimp in Coconut sauce (Yum!), Garlicky Salmon, and Foil Pack French Dip. Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf on a plank is a new favorite, and no one can resist the Loaded Nachos on the Grill. There are several new recipes for cooking on planks, which are easy to find and have at the ready for some of Ly’s innovative recipes. Korean Grilled Chicken is soaked in an incredible Korean marinade before grilling, and the marinade is great for beef and pork, too. There are pizzas, Dutch oven pancakes, and tacos with grilled fillings, as well as a few appetizers and a Dutch Oven Corn Chowder that is delicious.

Anyone who likes to cook outdoors, whether it be at home or at a campground will want to pick up a copy of this excellent cookbook. Linda Ly knows her stuff and includes dishes that make outdoor meals fun.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

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I really enjoyed this cookbook; it really opened a new world of fire cooking for me. I learned all about how to cook, setting up teh fire pit as well as the kinds of wood to use. I was surprised at the recipes; it defied my expectations of open fire cooking. I would encourage you to check out this book if you like learning new recipes.

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Wow! This is my new favorite cookbook. I'm a pretty seasoned backyard griller and I still learned a ton from this informative cookbook. We camp a lot in the summer and I'm always looking for easy but still gourmet grillable meals from breakfast through dessert. This cookbook is packed with flavorful, creative ways to grill your favorite foods and is healthy yet indulgent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for allowing me to read an advance copy of this cookbook in exchange for my honest review.

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Very interesting and full of useful tips and ideas. Can see this being a huge hit. I know I would buy it to use

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The Backyard Fire cookbook is a fun guide to cooking over an open fire complete with recipes. It shows you how to cook over a grill, campfire or fire pit and gives instructions on how to build a campfire and how to build a fire pit in your yard. It discusses cooking with charcoal and the various types of hardwood and how to choose. There are many fun recipes including foil packet cooking and Dutch oven cooking. This book is an easy introduction to those looking to cook outdoors. I can’t wait to try some of these recipes!

Special thanks to NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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The Backyard Fire Cookbook contains an Introduction and 6 chapters: Getting Started, Back To Basics: The Fire Pit, It’s A Wrap: Foil Packets, Iron Chef: Pots, Pans, and Planchas, Under Cover: The Grill, Up In Smoke: Plank Grilling, and a Resources section. I have a bbq grill and a fire pit at home but hadn’t considered using the firepit to cook. There is a wealth of information, including how to build a firepit, what types of wood and/or charcoal are best for different recipes, types of grilling tools, fun facts and hot tips, gorgeous pictures, and lots of recipes.

What can I say about the recipes other than these aren’t ordinary ‘grill a hot dog or hamburger’ type meals. I tried the Smoky Ember-Roasted Eggplant Dip, Grilled Brie with Sweet Cherry Sauce, Juicy Jumbo Creole Shrimp, and Spicy Grilled Shrimp on Avocado Toast( all delicious). It has been really cool and rainy spring on Long Island, but with over 70 recipes, I can guarantee that I will be trying many more( especially when my garden starts giving me a lot of veggies). There is enough detail for you to feel confident whether you are cooking on a fire pit or grill, and the author really seemed passionate about the whole process,
A really great way to turn up the heat when cooking outdoors and make every meal special. I can’t wait for summer parties and am looking forward to backyard get-togethers. I have subscribed to the author’s blog, Garden Betty, and it is one of the rare emails that I take the time to read every time. Her outdoor life, travels, adventures, and garden are a worthwhile read, and I am thinking that this book would be a great gift for some foodie friends( and a hard copy for me).

I received a DRC from Quarto Publishing Group-Harvard Commons Press through NetGalley.

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Living in Louisiana I am lucky that we get to cook outside almost year round. My hubby does most of my outdoor cooking and we love to experiment with different foods and dishes. From what type of wood to use or to what type of grill or sauce we are loving this book and exploring er recipes.
This is not your hot dogs and burgers cookbook. She has tempted me to expand my own skills as well as expand the types of food we want to taste! Have a BBQ fan at home perfect Father’s day gift.

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The Backyard Fire Cookbook written by Linda Ly is a great new book for the start of the outdoor cooking season. I don't have a lot of experience cooking outdoors, so I was really interested in the tips that I could learn in this cookbook, that would allow me to get more comfortable with cooking outdoors. I am very happy to say that I learned a lot, thanks to this book, and I am looking forward to trying out some recipes over Memorial Day weekend.

Types of live-fire cooking at home
Open Fire Pit
Vessel Fire Pit
Open Grill
Covered Grill

In this book, they explain pros and cons of each of these live-fire cooking methods. These options cover all budget options, and take into consideration space needs and even weather conditions. I could see that even choosing more than one method could be helpful if your family does a lot of outdoor cooking. I have decided to start with a covered grill to start my journey. Next you learn about the grilling tools and accessories. I have promised myself that I need to start small, but I admit that shopping can be quite fun for these options.

Wood and Charcoal for The Backyard Fire Cookbook

For outdoor cooking, your choice of fuel, wood or charcoal, really is just as important as the food that you are going to prepare. This cookbook includes a great table that shows the different options available for wood choices. Everything from Apple to Mesquite, you have choices on the favor that comes from cooking with various wood options. Charcoal is another great option, and I discovered the option of hardwood lump charcoal. The last thing offered (which I had NO idea about) is that you could add herbs and spices to your wood or charcoal to give your food an earthy smokiness. Since I love herbs so much, this is going to be a great thing for me to experiment with!

There are many more pages that cover techniques, grilling times, checking for when your food is done, and fire safety. Whether you are new to cooking with fire, or a seasoned outdoor chef, there is a lot of information that will help you to up your game.

The Recipes
Here are just a few of the recipes that you will have to choose from;
Peppercorn-Crusted Caveman Steak with Horseradish Cream
Smoky Ember-Roasted Eggplant Dip
Italian Burgers with Basil Mustard and Giardiniera
Whole Grilled Trout with Blood Orange and Fennel
Foil Pack French Dip
Dutch Oven Jambalaya
Thai Chicken Pizza with Sweet Chili Sauce

You get the idea. These recipes are exciting and taking things up from the regular burgers and steaks that are often the meals of the outdoor home chef. Whether you love to grill meat, or you prefer to explore vegetable options, this cookbook will have ideas to make you mouth water.

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As an avid camper who lives by both her fire pit and grill for the entire summer, this book definitely gave me some awesome ideas. Can't wait to try one of the foil packet meals for the next time we have company over. Lots of variety so that everyone can find a method they are most comfortable with, too. Really liked that. Also, there are all kinds of foods in this book, including dessert recipes.

Minus 1 star for no dietary value breakdown because I always think that's important (though the thoroughness of the rest of the book and the bright and enticing photos almost were enough to put the star back. Almost.

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I would easily purchase this book after only a quick flip-through. The organization is clear and well-suited to repeated reference. The photos are beautiful and inspiring. At a more in-depth read, the basic information at the beginning, and tips scattered throughout, are extremely useful for both new and experienced outdoor cooks. Another great cookbook from Linda Ly!

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This is not just a book for following a recipe, it is a great book of knowledge - from different types of wood, to the heat of coals, to how to actually build your fire pit in the first place! Wonderful. We have tried out a number of recipes so far, and will be sure to cook with this some more as the summer commences.

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While I was reading this book I had two immediate reactions. I wanted to buy a copy for my daughter right away and I was mentally searching the fridge thinking what ingredients I had on had to try some of the recipes. A total hit!
Loved it!. I already checked her blog, I'm following on every single social media, I became a food stalker ;)
The book not only has a fantastic array of recipes, but it goes into detail on how to actually build your fire pit, different kinds of woods and all the essentials to become a master at grilling. Covering Foil packets, Cast Iron cooking, Planked grilling, Cover grills and more.
Fun, clear and easy to read recipes with vivid photographs. There are choices for every palate, Mexican, cowboy, Italian, Cajun, Indian, Spanish, to name a few.
You not only get the typical grill beef, fish and veggies. There are choices for breakfast, lunch dinner, desserts...
Some examples are:

Dips: Smoky Ember-Roasted Eggplant Dip

Salad:Ember-Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Fennel and Feta

Appetizers:Loaded nachos on the grill, Planked pears with Gorgonzola and honey

Canning and preserving:Grilled Cucumber Dill Pickles, Homemade kimchi

Sandwiches: Foil packed french dip

Desserts: Glazed Cinnamon Sugar Peaches

Breakfast: Dutch Oven Baked Buttermilk Pancake with Raspberries and Almonds

I'm dying to try Garlic butter gnocchi and mushrooms on the grill! My next camping trip will be amazing.

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The Backyard Fire Cookbook by Linda Ly is a fantastic collection of recipes and tips for cooking food on a live fire. The book explains the different ways of cooking on fire, as well as how to create the perfect fire. It is a detailed book that can be useful to anyone wishing to cook on fire, regardless of experience.

Cooking on fire is something that I had pretty much reserved for camping trips. When I first saw The Backyard Fire Cookbook, I was really intrigued about the possibility of bringing a campfire to my own backyard. It is definitely a cooking technique that requires lots of additional planning and time, but the end result is absolutely worthwhile.

❀ PERFECT FOR THOSE WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE

Ly has organized this book into different sections that describe various ways to cook on fire: the fire pit, foil packets, pots, grills, and planks. For those with little experience, there is a section at the beginning that goes through the basics and describes the tools and types of wood that will work best.

❀ EASY TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

What is also really enjoyable about this book of recipes are the colourful images and easy to follow instructions. The recipes are also very unique and varied. The unpredictability of cooking on a live fire can, as Ly describes, be exciting as the tastes and outcomes are never the same. This is one recipe book that has inspired me to change the way I approach cooking outdoors.

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Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.


This book is a gem for anyone interested in cooking outdoors. The author covers most types of outdoor cooking including, but not limited to: open or firepit grilling, covered grilling, use of planks,
foil packets, and even outdoor cooking with pots or pans. The photos add a lot to the recipes and grilling instructions. This book includes fire building instructions as well as safety recommendations.
The “Hot Tips” included are interesting as well as useful. The recipes are new and interesting. I am especially interested in trying pizza on the grill as well as the chicken and the steak tacos. This book could perk up your outdoor cooking and entertaining this summer.

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This is a great book for those who want to try backyard fire cooking. It goes beyond just recipes and gives good tips, such as which type of wood to use for what food.

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This unique new cookbook brings a new spin to very old methods of cooking: grilling over an open fire. Not only does it give basic receipes, but it takes you back further in the process, explaining how and why people cook over a fire, the supplies you might need and how to choose or build them (I loved that it walked step-by-step through the process of creating a fire pit). The recipes weren't what you'd generally expect from a grilling book, with much more of a focus on veggie and fish dishes and less on traditional beef and chicken, but while new twists on the concept, many sound wonderful.

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Great recipes for a fun night outside. Beautiful photographs! I look forward to nights with friends and good food under the stars!

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With the start of summer having just peaked around the clouds, this is the perfect book to accompany the ceremony of cleaning up the BBQ and being truly inspired for entertaining family and friends for al fresco dining. The book covers all different types of firepit and bbq, and has intriguing and tantalizing recipes for the novice or confident cook alike.

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The Backyard Fire Cookbook by author Linda Ly has a wealth of information for those who want to cook outdoors and try something a little different from the typical barbecue or hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill. Ms. Ly covers things from Know Your Cooking Woods, Build the Ultimate Cooking Fire, and Fire Safety, to name just a few.

Chapters included the following:
Chapter 1: Getting Started
Chapter 2: Back to Basics: The Fire Pit
Chapter 3: It’s a Wrap: Foil Packets
Chapter 4: Iron Chef: Pots, Pans, and Planchas
Chapter 5: Under Cover: The Grill
Chapter 6: Up in Smoke: Plank Grilling

I liked the layout of the cookbook. It's clean looking, easy to read and ingredients and directions are not overly complicated. With over 70 recipes, there's something for everyone.

A few recipes that caught my eye:
Dutch Oven–Baked Buttermilk Pancake with Raspberries and Almonds
Spicy Grilled Shrimp on Avocado Toast
Cumin-Crusted Chicken Tacos with Smoky Salsa Verde
Grill-Roasted Elephant Garlic
Glazed Cinnamon-Sugar Peaches
Dutch Oven Creamy Corn Chowder
Juicy Jumbo Creole Shrimp
Grilled Halloumi, Sweet Corn, and Tomato Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Planked Shrimp with Spanish Green Sauce
Cedar-Planked Salmon with Soy-Ginger Glaze

One thing that I always enjoy is when a cookbook has pictures of the food and this book is loaded with gorgeous photos. So if you're looking to venture into outdoor cooking and want something a little more than throwing some meat on a grill this book is definitely one you want to pick up!

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This is a delightful cookbook. It was fun to read this cookbook and look at all the wonderful pictures as well as learn about the various outdoor cooking tools and cooking skills the writer shared. If you enjoy cooking outside I recommend this cookbook and if you enjoy camping then this is a must for your camper cooking library. You’ll get tons of great tips for cooking methods and tools to create delightful fire-cooked meals.
There are some interesting recipes you may find compelling enough to add to your must-have meals too. Sure you could make some of the recipes on a gas grill, but the recipes in this cookbook are designed for campfire meals and the special flavors that result for foil packets, fresh off the fire and those type of technique meals are wonderful. You’ll find over 70 recipes in this cookbook made in a variety of ways over a fire such as Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Thai Chicken Pizza with Sweet Chili Sauce and Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf. Yes, I know just thinking about these recipes make you want to get this cookbook! It is worth it because these are only a few delicious choices inside and you could be fixing many options tonight.

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A really nice outdoor cooking book with emphasis on getting a good fire cooked meal. The book goes into detail on how to create an outdoor fire pit for cooking and focuses on the tools, and cooking tips. There aren’t little tips that pop up throughout the book one of the best ones is how to create an “outdoor pantry” so you don’t have to keep returning to the kitchen mid cooking.

The recipes actually tell you what kid of fire (that the book explains in the fire/tools part) to use for each one instead of the dishes to get the perfect cook. I also like that it adds a Korean influence to otherwise mostly American grilling dishes.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a digital ARC to review.

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My husband loves cooking outside on his smoker and the idea of having a homemade firepit back there is incredibly tempting and something I definitely may want to pursue after reading The Backyard Fire Cookbook, but even if we don't build our own backyard fire pit, many of these recipes would be great for camping trips! I love that there is a how-to for building a firepit and a plethora of interesting recipes that I wouldn't have even thought about making outdoors. I love that the book goes beyond burgers, pulled pork, and brisket. and offers a fresh new take on backyard cooking. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys being outside and loves cooking and trying new things.

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Hier geht dem Grillfreund so richtig das Herz auf: alles rund ums grillen, von diversen Feuerstellen bis hin zu reichlich Rezepten - was man so alles auf den Grill packen kann - der Sommer ist gerettet, man kann aus dem vollen schöpfen und im Genuß schwelgen. Abgerundet mit informativen und inspirierenden Fotos.

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I'll admit, I'm intimidated by grilling. I never grew up anywhere near the grill when my dad was using it, and it's always been seen as the "dad's domain". So I was pleasantly surprised to see that the author of a book all about backyard fire cooking is a female. I realized in the process of writing this review that I've actually read a Linda Ly cookbook before. I gifted my brother-in-law and sister-in-law her book, the New Camp Cookbook, last Christmas and found myself unable to stop myself from flipping through it. All the recipes sounded delicious, and the photography was gorgeous. This book continues in the same style, right down to the cover, but with a different focus.

While "backyard fire" sounded vague to me at first, it becomes apparent that Ly aims to make the process of cooking over a fire, no matter what kind of vessel you use, both approachable and gourmet. The first section of the book really takes the time to demystify the process of setting up a grill in your backyard. As someone who doesn't yet have a backyard or a grill, I wasn't able to put her wealth of knowledge to the test, but it seemed like a very thorough introduction to setting up your own grilling paradise.

The recipes themselves are interesting, creative, modern, and things I could totally see myself making. There's dishes like Smoky Ember-Roasted Eggplant Dip, Grilled Brie with Sweet Cherry Sauce, Feta-Stuffed Flank Steak (um, this sounds utterly delicious), Shrimp in Coconut Sauce (made in a foil pack!), Korean Grilled Chicken, and Dutch Oven Jambalaya. There's a great diversity of techniques and cuisines here, and I really enjoyed flipping through and seeing what new ideas would pop up next.

As expected, the photography is top-notch and really makes you want to go into your pantry and start cooking as soon as possible. The rest of the cookbook is clean and well-designed. I would totally buy this for any grillers in my life. I'm already adding this to my list of Christmas gift ideas.

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

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Terrific photos and guidelines to achieve every weekend backyard warriors dream of pulling off the intricacies of grill masters. Loved it and will be sure to use these great tips for mastering backyard grilling!

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