HARDCORE CARNIVORE: Hardcore Carnivore by Jess Pryles – Hardback Cookbook

Hardcore Carnivore is Jess Pryles' hardback meat cookbook, written by the Australian-born, Austin-based meat specialist to teach home cooks how to handle beef, pork, lamb, chicken and game with confidence, from slow-smoked ribs to a thick cowboy steak. It's a meat-first book with no filler, written by someone who has judged, cooked and taught barbecue on both sides of the Pacific.

Meat, cooked like it matters

Jess Pryles grew up in Australia, fell hard for Texas barbecue and built a whole career around cooking meat well. This was her first cookbook, and it reads like her: direct, practical and unapologetically carnivorous. It's the book that turns a decent griller into the person everyone wants manning the fire.

What's inside

The book opens with the tricks of the trade, the groundwork on handling and cooking meat, then moves through recipes for chicken, game, pork, lamb and beef. It closes with a run of foundations and finishes: the rubs, glazes, sauces and sides that pull a meal together.

There's real range in here. You'll find slow-smoked ribs and cowboy-cut steaks alongside comfort cooking like a lamb and barley stew, plus a sweet rib glaze and a smoked garlic potato salad that earn their place next to anything off the pit.

Who it's for

Backyard cooks who want to understand meat, not just follow a recipe. It suits confident beginners through to regular smokers, and it makes a cracking gift for the steak obsessive in the family.

About Jess Pryles

Jess Pryles is an Australian-born cook, author and TV host who now calls Austin, Texas home. She founded the Hardcore Carnivore brand (shop her range in our Hardcore Carnivore collection), co-founded the Australasian Barbecue Alliance and holds a graduate certificate in meat science from Iowa State University. She's also a judge on Food Network's Pitmasters.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

This is Jess Pryles telling you to stop babying your meat and cook it with intent. The Smuggler reckons the sweet rib glaze alone is worth the cover price: sticky, balanced, and built to sit on a slow rack without burning. Grab it, cook through it and watch your steaks sharpen up fast. Then stack it with Meat: The Ultimate Companion for butcher-level cut knowledge and Texas Q for more Lone Star smoke, and keep Butchers Axe Stampede Steak Seasoning by the grill. Salt your steaks the night before for a deeper crust.

Questions answered

Who wrote Hardcore Carnivore?

Hardcore Carnivore was written by Jess Pryles, an Australian-born meat specialist, cook and TV host based in Austin, Texas. She founded the Hardcore Carnivore brand and co-founded the Australasian Barbecue Alliance.

What's inside Hardcore Carnivore?

It covers the tricks of the trade first, then recipes for chicken, game, pork, lamb and beef, and finishes with foundations like rubs, glazes and sides. Expect slow-smoked ribs, cowboy steaks, a sweet rib glaze and a smoked garlic potato salad.

Is Hardcore Carnivore good for beginners?

Yes. The opening section explains the basics before the recipes start, so a confident beginner can follow along, while regular smokers will still pick up new ideas.

Is Hardcore Carnivore a hardback?

Yes. Our copies are the hardback edition from Murdoch Books, with 224 pages.

Does Hardcore Carnivore cover smoking as well as grilling?

Yes. It mixes low-and-slow cooks like smoked ribs with hot-and-fast grilling such as thick-cut steaks, plus a few braises and roasts.