Master the fire and discover the flavor of grilling—meat, fish, veggies, and more—with YouTube star Sam Zien.

Your quest is over—the holy grail of outdoor cooking is here. Unique, charismatic, and a damn fine cook, Sam the Cooking Guy has made perfecting backyard barbecuing his worthy mission. From keeping a chicken breast tender to smoking a turkey, from “dino ribs” to artichokes, these recipes will take your grill game to the next level. Gas versus charcoal? Why is mayo magical? What if a vegetarian is coming for dinner? These questions and more are answered in this indispensable guide to cooking with fire and smoke. Perfect for beginners and seasoned grill aficionados alike, these 100+ recipes include appetizers, vegetables, chicken (and one duck!), seafood, kebabs, side dishes, and desserts. Start with the Caveman Steak and work up to the Whole Grilled Fish with Cilantro, Chile, and Lime. Make it a full-course meal with the Chopped Grilled Caesar and Angel Food Cake with Grandma Ruth’s Chocolate Sauce and Grilled Pineapple.

Sam Zien's profile page

Sam Zien accidentally (no, seriously) became a leading cooking personality and restaurateur after a 20-year crusade to discover what he wanted to do. With more than 4 million followers across social media platforms, he cooks, films, and lives in San Diego, California.

My man Sam is so chill when it comes to outdoor cooking. This cookbook and his style are definitely Meat Church approved!—Matt Pittman, founder and pit master, Meat Church

In true STCG fashion, Sam delivers a book filled with incredibly delicious, creative, and easy-to-follow recipes supplemented with mouth-watering photographs. It will help raise your backyard BBQ and grilling game to new heights!—Greg Rempe, host of The BBQ Central Show

Restaurateur and YouTube channel sensation Zien (a.k.a. “Sam the Cooking Guy”) wants “to save people from undercooking, overcooking, and blackening food (not in a good way) on the grill.” With his latest enticing cookbook, Zien (Sam the Cooking Guy: Between the Buns) covers the basics on equipment and frequently asked grilling questions and then delivers more than 100 step-by-step recipes for everything from rubs and sauces, such as Carolina mustard sauce, to entrees, including caveman steak (so named because it is cooked directly on charcoal) with hot butter sauce. Non-carnivores will welcome dishes like citrus and herb veggies and Bang Bang Tofu. Some non-flame-kissed treats, like an old-school wedge salad, are also included, as they go great with grilled dishes. As an added bonus, Zien spices his writing with an addictively acerbic sense of humor (check out the book’s illustration of different degrees of meat doneness) that is hard to resist.

VERDICT Even among other excellent guides, like How To Grill Everything by Mark Bittman and Smokin’ Hot in the South by Melissa Cookston, Zien’s exuberantly written cookbook will encourage readers to let out their inner caveperson and throw something tasty on the barbie.

—Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW