Myron Mixon's BBQ Rules by Myron Mixon & Kelly Alexander – Hardback Cookbook

Myron Mixon's BBQ Rules is a 240-page hardback from Georgia's four-time world barbecue champion Myron Mixon that teaches old-school pit smoking, from burning down your own coals to Southern pulled pork, brisket and ribs. It holds 50 classic recipes and shows how to get the same results on a gas or charcoal grill if you don't have a pit.

Back to the pit, Georgia style

Myron Mixon has won more barbecue competitions than almost anyone alive, but this book isn't about trophies. It's about the old way: a homemade coal-fired pit, wood burned down to embers and shovelled under the meat. He breaks it down so a backyard cook can do it too.

What's inside

The book is split into four parts: Meat Helpers (the rubs, sauces and marinades), The Hog, Birds and The Cow. Step-by-step photos and illustrations show how to build a pit, manage the fire, pick your wood and choose meat for smoking. A set of Mixon's barbecue rules runs through it, starting with making your own coals.

Classics include Pit Smoked Pulled Pork, a North Carolina Yella Mustard-Based Barbecue Sauce, Prizewinning Brisket, Smoked Baby Back Ribs, smoked spareribs and Thick and Smoky T-Bone Steaks. There's also a Pitmaster's Turkey Sandwich for the leftovers.

Who it's for

Smoker owners who want to understand fire the old way, competition dreamers, and anyone who loves Southern pork. The pit lessons are the hook, but the gas and charcoal methods make it useful for everyone.

About Myron Mixon & Kelly Alexander

Myron Mixon is known as "the winningest man in barbecue": a four-time world barbecue champion with hundreds of titles, a restaurateur and a TV regular on BBQ Pitmasters. He's from Unadilla, Georgia, and is also the author of Smokin' with Myron Mixon and Everyday Barbecue. Co-writer Kelly Alexander is a former senior editor at Saveur and a James Beard Journalism Award winner.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

This is the one that takes barbecue back to a shovel, a pile of embers and a whole lot of patience. Darryl's favourite part is Myron's rule about burning your own coals, the step that turns a cook into a pitmaster. Get it on the shelf and your next pork shoulder will thank you. Pair it with Rodney Scott's World of BBQ for more Southern pit wisdom and Big Moe's Book of BBQ for another competition legend's playbook. Mop the pulled pork with Tillman's Florida Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce and nobody at the docks will ask questions.

Questions answered

Who wrote Myron Mixon's BBQ Rules?

It was written by Myron Mixon, the four-time world barbecue champion and BBQ Pitmasters star from Georgia, with food writer Kelly Alexander.

How many recipes are in BBQ Rules?

There are 50 classic recipes, including Pit Smoked Pulled Pork, Prizewinning Brisket, Smoked Baby Back Ribs and a North Carolina mustard sauce.

Is BBQ Rules good for beginners?

Yes. It explains fire, wood and meat selection step by step with photos, and gives methods for gas and charcoal grills as well as a pit.

Is BBQ Rules a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 240-page hardback published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang (Abrams) in 2016.

Do I need a masonry pit to use BBQ Rules?

No. The book shows how to build an old-school pit, but it also shows how to cook the same barbecue on everyday gas and charcoal grills.