Self-proclaimed barbecue snob Daniel Vaughn embarked on a series of road trips around Texas, stopping at every barbecue place he found along the way. With his photographer friend Nicholas McWhirter, and occasionally another friend or two, he spent 35 days and 10,343 miles on the road. Together, they ate at an astounding 186 barbecue joints. The Prophets of Smoked Meat details their journey through Daniel's words and Nick's pictures, bringing to life the wide variety of meat, pitmasters and restaurant workers in the Texas barbecue world.
Vaughn explains that Texas barbecue actually comes in four distinct styles: hill country style (which uses direct heat), east Texas style (featuring hot links and sweet sauce), south Texas style (centered on barbacoa) and central Texas style (low and slow cooking, no sauce).
Daniel and Nick offer brief takes on the places they eat--dry brisket, perfect ribs, smoky sausages, etc.--and provide a bit of the history about many of the small towns where barbecue traditions have been passed down for decades.
Whether you read it as a travelogue, a cookbook or a restaurant guide, The Prophets of Smoked Meat is sure to appeal to lovers of barbecue and lovers of Texas in general. The gorgeous pictures and short and snappy restaurant reviews keep the pages turning. But fair warning: reading this book practically requires excessive snacking. --Jessica Howard, blogger at Quirky Bookworm