The Texas Backyard Kitchen: A Kamado Joe & Texas BBQ Cookbook

Yes, but it is more than a collection of recipes cooked exclusively on a Kamado Joe. The book was written around the way I cook in my Texas backyard. Many of the recipes use the Kamado Joe for smoking, grilling, roasting or baking, while others are prepared in the kitchen to complete the meal.
Most recipes either start or finish on the Kamado Joe, and the book includes dedicated Kamado Joe recipes for brisket, ribs, prime rib, pork, sausage, smoked meatloaf, side dishes, appetizers and even desserts. The idea is simple: the Kamado Joe may be at the center of the meal, but a complete Texas dinner does not have to be cooked entirely outdoors.

The cookbook contains 88 recipes covering breakfast, appetizers, margaritas, main courses, side dishes, fresh-ground meats, sauces, salsas, dry rubs and desserts. The recipes range from Texas barbecue staples such as smoked brisket, ribs and pulled pork to Tex-Mex favorites, homemade sausage, breads, vegetables and desserts.

No. Although the cookbook was written by a longtime Kamado Joe cook and many recipes include specific Kamado Joe instructions, the book also contains recipes prepared on a conventional stove, in an oven or on a griddle.

If you own another ceramic grill or kamado-style cooker, many of the grilling, smoking and indirect-cooking techniques can also be adapted to your grill. The book is designed to help you prepare complete meals, not limit you to recipes that can only be made on one cooker.

The book includes low-and-slow barbecue, direct grilling, indirect cooking, reverse searing, cast-iron cooking and baking on the Kamado Joe. Recipes include smoked brisket and burnt ends, St. Louis spare ribs, smoked pulled pork, smoked pastrami, smoked meatloaf, reverse-seared beef tenderloin, smoked beef ribs and dry-aged smoked prime rib.

There are also Kamado Joe side dishes and appetizers such as chorizo jalapeño poppers, grilled artichokes, smoked mac and cheese, grilled sweet potatoes and cast-iron jalapeño cheddar cornbread.

Yes. One of the main reasons I wrote The Texas Backyard Kitchen was because barbecue is more than the meat in the center of the plate. The side-dish chapter includes Texas-style coleslaw, smoked mac and cheese, barbecue brisket baked beans, smoked charro beans, creamed corn, Mexican corn ribs, grilled stuffed baked potatoes, jalapeño cheddar cornbread, dinner rolls and more.

Some sides are cooked on the Kamado Joe while others are prepared in the kitchen, allowing you to make the most of your grill space while the main course cooks.

Yes. The main-course section includes smoked brisket and burnt ends, braised brisket, brisket-stuffed chile rellenos, St. Louis spare ribs and smoked pulled pork, along with beef short ribs, dino ribs, pork loin, pork tenderloin, prime rib, beef tenderloin and several other grilled and smoked meats.

No. Barbecue is an important part of the book, but the concept is broader. The Texas Backyard Kitchen was created around complete meals. In addition to smoked and grilled meats, it includes breakfast tacos, huevos rancheros, migas, appetizers, Tex-Mex dishes, homemade sausage, burgers, side dishes, breads, sauces, salsas and desserts.

That is what separates it from a traditional barbecue cookbook. Instead of stopping with the brisket or ribs, the recipes are designed to help you decide what should go beside them and how the entire meal comes together.

Yes, particularly if you are comfortable with the basic operation of your grill and want more ideas for what to cook on it. Recipes include temperatures, cooking methods and Kamado Joe setup instructions where appropriate, including direct heat, indirect heat, smoking and reverse searing.

If you are primarily looking for detailed instruction on temperature control, grill setup, troubleshooting and maintenance, my Kamado Joe Owner's Handbook is the better starting point. The Texas Backyard Kitchen is primarily a cookbook built around recipes and complete meals.