The Brisket Chronicles by Steven Raichlen (ARC Review)

Title: The Brisket Chronicles
Author: Steven Raichlen
Type: Nonfiction
Genre: Food and Drink, Cooking
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Date published: April 30, 2019

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for an honest review.

America’s grill-master turns to America’s favorite cut of meat: the brisket. Whether barbecued in Texas, brined into corned beef, or braised for a Passover table, brisket ignites passion in meat lovers, grillers, and comfort-food fans. Now here’s the best, from the best.

⤖ My Review ⬻

Vegetarians and vegans beware…because this review is being written by a carnivore, hahaha. And now I’ve provided that warning, I just wanted to say: The Brisket Chronicles made me hungry! I can’t really speak to the physical formatting of this book, as I am reviewing an ARC version which is a softcover and the final version is a hardcover, and I can’t really speak to the quality of the images on the interior since they might appear differently in the final published version.

But, I can tell you all about the cover, the quality of the writing in the book, and the manner in which the interior is laid out and designed. The way that the recipes are laid out design-wise was pretty straightforward. The ingredients were placed in a block that was coloured differently from the rest of the page, so they’re easy to spot.

I also liked that Raichlen provided a little intro for each recipe and would sometimes provide hacks as well! A history about brisket was also provided at the beginning of the book, which was pretty interesting. The range of recipes was also great, and it was nice to learn about how brisket is prepared by different cultures. I am one who appreciates and encourages cultural diversity in their life, and this of course includes the food that I eat and prepare.

The only note for improvement for the interior of this book that I would have is that I wish more images had been included. Especially when it comes to recipes, I like to have at least one photo for each one since I’m not likely to prepare something without seeing what it’s supposed to look like. (But again, please keep in mind that my copy is an ARC and, therefore, some images might be missing). Overall, this is a good collection of recipes and knowledge, and I have definitely bookmarked a few of them to try!