Smokin' with Myron Mixon: Recipes Made Simple, from the Winningest Man in Barbecue: A Cookbook

He keeps it simple and real. I love the way the book flows as a cookbook and a story. As soon as you get into it, there's no doubt this is Myron's cookbook. His language is what you'd expect and it's absolutely appreciated. There are a good number of recipes and all of which are easy to follow. I can't wait to try the cupcake chicken! The best part is how he explains the different recipes and techniques. You may not agree with some of what he says, but he does.. and it's made him ton's of money. What you'll find: Recipes for Rubs , Marinade, Injections, Glazes and Sauces. All or most recipes of his famous dishes (ribs,cupcakes chicken, brisket, etc.) Cooking temps and techniques (tools,types of wood, etc) Super easy to follow recipes and real simple ingredients. Great stories about Myron and his dad. Good information about the BBQ competition circuit. Who it's for: Beginners/Intermediate/Pros Beginners: You will learn some of basics and find easy to follow, awesome recipes. Intermediates: My category. It will make you feel good. It will bring you back down to earth and remind you to not over-think the BBQ process. Pros: Good info on the BBQ competitions. And of course, Myron's award winning recipes. I'll update this review as I try out the different recipes. Update May 21, 2011 Last week I tried the pork shoulder recipe. It called for an 18lb whole shoulder (picnic + boston butt I only had the butt (9lbs I followed the recipe to the letter, except I had to alter a bit because of the smaller cut of meat. I essentially did a 3-2-1 method at 275. I used all the ingredients from the recipe and in the end a perfect boston butt. It was moist and flavorful. Just perfect. My setup: (not in the recipe WSM - 2 full chimney starter coals- apple and cherry chunks. water and apple juice in the water pan. google 3-2-1 method if you'd like more info (rib technique) Update October 28th, 2011 A lot of smoking since the last time I updated this review. So, here's the update: Cupcake Chicken - It was a huge hit. Truly delicious but way too much work. I don't believe I'll be making these again, BUT I will definitely being using the glaze and rub in future chicken dishes. I've done a few more pork butts. I've learned that without the Myron's injection recipe, it's not as good. Still delicious, but not as good. I don't use pans either, sorry Myron. I only us a pan or wrap the meat in aluminum foil during the "2" part of the 3-2-1 method. 3 hours on the grill, 2 in an aluminum pan with apple juice, then 1 hour back on the grill spritzing every 15min.. Myron usually calls for the meat to be in the pan from start to finish. I'll adjust the 3-2-1 timing depending on the cut and size of meat. Side note: I've tried a ton of different rub recipes. His basic BBQ rub is by far the best I've ever used, especially on Ribs. The only adjustment I make is cutting the cayenne pepper amount in half (the wife doesn't like too much heat) I'll be doing a beef brisket this weekend. First one! Will use Myron's recipe and will update soon after.

I thought I knew who Myron Mixon was. We have all seen his arrogant, boisterous personality on TV. And of course you know he is "the winningest man in barbecue" because he constantly reminds us of this fact. While I know he is a talented BBQ cook, I was not really a fan. Until I read his book. I have quite a few cookbooks about BBQ. Many written by masters in the field. I have made many of the recipes, following the directions exactly, only to be slightly disappointed about the results. I would get the feeling that some of these "masters" were leaving out important ingredients to keep their recipes secret. Yes, that kind of goes against the whole concept of writing a cookbook, but why can't I produce the same award winning results? Well I can with Myron's book. I have cooked about a half dozen of the recipes in this book, and every one of them has turned out excellent! There is not a doubt in my mind about why Myron wins all these contests, his recipes are fantastic. Yes, they are a little different than what many people classify as true BBQ. Yes he cooks many things a little hotter and faster than the "low and slow" mantra proclaims you must. But the proof is in the results. And this book gives results! I mentioned above that I get the feeling, and have also heard it from some others, that some authors leave out steps or ingredients so that their award winning recipe will be safe, and stay secret. Myron's book is different, his recipes work. I get the feeling he is so confident in his skills that he can give away all his secrets and still win. I can actually hear him saying in his accent "I can give away all my secrets cause most people are so dumb they will mess it up anyway." Then he will give that wink and smile. Ok, on to my results. -The Cupcake Chicken was very good. More work than usual chicken, but definitely worth it. -The Whistler Burger was also very good. Not sure why I never smoked a burger before reading this, it just makes sense now. -The Brisket came out great too. I don't cook a lot of brisket because it can sometimes be a tough meat to get perfect and the extremely long cook times are killer. But using Myron's recipe, going hotter than normal, using the trays instead of just putting it on the racks, all seemed to work out great. -The Chicken Wings were very good too. Deep fried, not smoked, but it is another recipe I recommend. -The Smoked Turkey (I did not do a whole turkey but rather a turkey breast) was good. I normally deep fry turkeys for Thanksgiving, but this year we are going to smoke one using this recipe. This cookbook is about more than recipes. It gives an insight into Myron himself. The chapters are mixed with his stories and recipes. While he does remind us that he is the best cook ever, he comes across as very genuine. When I only knew him from TV I thought he is not someone I would like to spend time with. After reading this book I realize I may have been wrong. I would actually invite him over the house, and probably have a great time. Although I would have to cook in my pizza oven because there is no way I would dare cook BBQ for him. I highly recommend this book. It is quickly becoming my new favorite BBQ book.

This is a solid, well-written book with lots of good recipes. Unlike many cookbooks, it's actually a pleasure to read through. There are good stories, background, and anecdotes associated with each recipe that makes it worth a cover-to-cover read. Don't expect this book to be a "smoking 101" - it doesn't give you instructions on how to light your smoker, get it to 250, etc. He does, however, give many good, detailed recipes as well as lots of good tips for how to make the most of your smoker, assuming you already know the basics. And that's fine - there's plenty of info on the Internet for smoking 101. This book lets you take your game to the next level. Another good feature is that this book isn't only about the meat (though, to be sure, it is largely about the meat). There are good recipes for side dishes, drinks/dessert, and even some non-smoker meat recipes (e.g. fried chicken). Myron's personality is what it is - he's a cocky old boy. But heck, his track record speaks for itself. Also, if you are into competitive BBQ, there are many tips, tricks, and recipes in here that are incredibly valuable. I'm more of a home cook, but much of what he says will still be application on a smaller scale for folks like me.

I just purchased a Camp Chef Propane Smoker this summer and really enjoy using it and the flavors of the food. I've been a pretty avid BBQer but wanted to try smoking. My first attempt was with tri-tip and it came out great so I've made that a few times by request. Also tried ribs but those didn't turn out as I expected...good flavor, too tough. So, I'm a beginner. Anyway, just wanted to give that background to describe my experience. I was looking for a cookbook on smoking to get some other ideas and expand my options and learn more about the process. After reviewing several books here on Amazon, I decided to give Myron Mixon's book a shot. This book was exactly what I needed. Myron gives some great tips on preparation and some commentary about cooking competitions but what I really liked were all the recipes. The recipes are easy to follow (so simple) and provide temperature requirements and approximate cooking times. There are also quite a few recipes for rubs and sauces. The one thing that could improve this book from 4 to 5, in my opinion, would be more pictures. It has a lot of pictures but not for each of the recipes. I like recipe books that have a picture for each item. I've only tried the turkey recipe (preview for Thanksgiving) and it came out great. It was simple. Looking forward to trying the "Bacon-Wrapped Coca-Cola Chicken Breasts", several rib recipes, and others.

I've seen Myron Mixon on TV many times, and decided to grab this after a few recent so-so ribs and sausages on my Big Green Egg. I've only tried a few of his simpler recipes(chicken, turkey, ribs). but expect this spring I will venture on to his longer smoked items and bigger cuts. He is the "Anti-Gourmet" of cookbooks, and tells you simple combinations of regular grocery store ingredients make great rubs, marinades, and glazes. Of the three I've tried so far, he is spot on. If you want simple, let the meat shine through, tasty Barbecue; Get this book. Simple to follow instructions, simple recipes. And do invest in a few of his "must have" tools of the trade, you'll find those in the beginning of the book. Only word of caution. These recipes are can be big, (8-12 servings), so if you have a small family, you may want to try to save a few for the big occasions. I've never had success with halving recipes (and then adjust for heat and time). It ends up wrong somewhere, and its either dry, or over seasoned, etc. Happy cooking

And because of that it’s a most entertaining and useful book. You want the science and engineering approach to BBQ, get and use Meathead’s book. Want every little ethnic variation using uncommon ingredients, get one of Raichlen’s. Want an emphasis on the accompaniments and a picture of the chef on almost every page, get one of Flay’s (for almost as many, but with bigger hair, go back to Raichlen). Want the author’s biography to influence every recipe, get Kim’s. Like the idea of BBQ recipes developed just to put out a cookbook, get Tuffy Stone’s book. Want mostly a memoir and anecdotes of the BBQ lifestyle, get Mill’s. Want 2047 variations on how to BBQ the same thing, just Google, or join Meathead’s Amazing Ribs internet site. I could go on, there is Franklin’s tome on brisket, and Cookston’s (“ the winningest woman in competitive BBQ”), and so many worthy others to select from (and I have). But if you want fairly simple recipes, using ingredients you really can get at your local supermarket or butcher shop, that are regularly made and eaten by one of the most accomplished Pitmasters of all time, then the title of Mixon’s book informs you of where that can be found. It is a genuinely enjoyable and useful book, for most of us.

Absolutely a great book. Myron's recipes are a huge hit at my back yard BBQs. I am just a normal backyard smoker. I have taken my skills to a whole other level. I never thought I would be making my own sauces. I have titrated and customized the sauces more to my tongue. I have become the envy of friends and family. This book is a must own if you are looking to enhance your skills. A little background on myself. I BBQ or attend a cook out every Sunday just about year round. Being from south texas the weather usually allows it. My cousins, uncles and myself rotate the BBQ site. At my house I am the cook, uncles house he cooks and so on. We are all pretty good back yard BBQers. We are also very competitive amongst each other. Of course I thought I was the best cook, my cousin thinks he is the best and so on. I bought this book to become the clear cut number one. Mission accomplished. Thanks Myron. My wife enjoys listening to the other wives brag about my food. So if you're thinking about buying this book, please do so. You will be doing yourself a favor. Update. Just smoked a pork butt for the first time. South Texans dont't do a lot of pork. Anyway the results were fantastic. Tender, juicy and flavorful. I have also done the baby back ribs a few times along with some of his different chicken recipes. A direct quote from a family member a week later "I was talking about your ribs for two days." Next weekend I will be trying his brisket recipe. I will let you know how it comes out. I am having a hard time understanding some of the negative reviews. Due to the flow of the book I can see how it would be very difficult to read on a Kindle. Buy a copy of the book. Also is arrogance is his style and personality. I bought this book for his awesome BBQ tips and tricks.

This is a great book. But the Kindle version is missing numbers in critical points... under Smoked Jack Bologna, it says "cook for hours". I checked the book out of the library and confirmed the ebook is missing "1 1/2" there. There are other places where numbers in the recipes are missing or different. For a cookbook, this is serious error. Especially if the publisher is going to set a price higher than Amazon's paper price, they owe it to the customer to pay attention to details and proofread the electronic text after layout. Errors aside, the publisher has done a beautiful job on the electronic version. All of the photos, asides, commentary are laid out very much like the paper version, with the bonus of linking between recipes... when a recipe calls for a rub elsewhere in the book, you can just click on the name to jump to that recipe. Not something I've seen in the three other cookbooks I've bought. If it weren't for the technical errors, I would hold this book up as an example to other publishers on how to do ebooks right. If the publisher can fix these errors, I will retract or edit this review and raise my rating. Myron does a great job of teaching mixed with personal experiences and I hate to see his sales suffer due to publisher errors. I went through the paper book and compared every number to the ebook, and have reported each one to Amazon support through the Kindle for PC error reporting tool. Hopefully these errors will be reported back to the publisher and the ebook corrected. Here are the errors by "location" for your own reference. You can use the notes feature of your Kindle to attach corrections. 518: 1/2 cups salt, book says 2 cups 639: 1/2 hours, book says 1 1/2 hours 677: 1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce (ebook omits number) 1071: 1 1/2 hours (ebook omits number) 1134: 1 1/2 hours (ebook omits number) 1608: 1 teaspoon beef rub, book says 3 tablespoons 2113: 1/4 cup sour cream, book says 3/4 cup Places where the paper book and ebook differ *may* be corrections and not errors. The omissions make me doubt that, but approach the discrepancies with caution.