Meat Illustrated by America's Test Kitchen – Hardback Cookbook

Meat Illustrated is America's Test Kitchen's hardback guide to buying and cooking meat, from the Boston test kitchen behind Cook's Illustrated, and it teaches you how to handle 72 cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal. It's part cookbook, part butcher's handbook, with more than 300 tested recipes.

Become the butcher, not just the buyer

Most of us walk past half the meat cabinet because we don't know what to do with it. This book fixes that. America's Test Kitchen tests every recipe until it works, then explains the why, so you'll happily swap short ribs for shanks or try a cut you've never cooked.

What's inside

It's organised by animal and primal cut, with illustrated guides at the start of each section on shopping, storage and prep. Step-by-step photos, break-out tutorials and hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations back up the techniques, from smoking and grilling to braising and curing.

Standouts include Butter-Basted Rib Steaks, a six-hour Chinese Barbecued Roast Pork Shoulder, Crumb-Crusted Rack of Lamb, Pan-Seared Thick-Cut Pork Chops and Beef Wellington, plus complete meals like Fried Brown Rice with Pork and Shrimp.

Who it's for

Every meat cook, from the nervous beginner who wants foolproof steps to the keen barbecue cook who wants to understand cuts properly. It's a reference you'll keep reaching for long after the first read.

About America's Test Kitchen

America's Test Kitchen is the Boston-based team behind Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country, plus popular public television cooking shows. Its chefs put ingredients, equipment and recipes through rigorous testing to find the methods that work every time.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

This is the one that makes you walk into the butcher like you own the place. It's a full map of beef, pork, lamb and veal, cut by cut, with recipes tested until they can't fail. The Butter-Basted Rib Steaks alone, hot butter spooned over so the steak cooks from both sides, will ruin restaurant steak for you. Put it on the shelf and every cut becomes fair game. Pair it with Meat: The Ultimate Companion for an Aussie butcher's take, and Steak for the beefy deep dive. Season with Carolina Smoke Beef Seasoning and rest it well.

Questions answered

Who wrote Meat Illustrated?

Meat Illustrated was created by America's Test Kitchen, the Boston test kitchen behind Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country.

How many recipes are in Meat Illustrated?

It has more than 300 kitchen-tested recipes covering 72 cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal.

Is Meat Illustrated good for beginners?

Yes. Every recipe is tested to be foolproof, and illustrated guides explain how to shop for, store and prep each cut.

Is Meat Illustrated a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 432-page hardback published by America's Test Kitchen in 2020.

Does Meat Illustrated cover smoking and grilling?

Yes. Alongside braising and curing, it covers smoking and grilling techniques for the cuts that suit them.