Good news for grillers: ‘Low & Slow 2’

There’s still a good month or two of grilling season to go.

“Low & Slow 2: The Art of Barbecue, Smoke-Roasting, and Basic Curing” features 100 new recipes to help get through it.

The latest softcover, 272-page book by pitmaster Gary Wiviott and food writer Colleen Rush (Running Press, $22) is aimed at taking home grillers’ skills to the next level with specific, step-by-step instructions for four popular charcoal cookers: the Big Green Egg, the Weber Smokey Mountain, an offset cooker and a kettle grill.

Sections begin with a note from Wiviott, who starts each one with “Dear Student.” The 11 chapters are divided largely by meat type. Text is blue and green. Writing is clear and simple.

The book’s few photographs are lumped together on glossy paper in the middle; the rest of the pages have a matte finish.

Recipes include Smoked New Orleans-style Barbecue Shrimp, Smoke-Roasted Leg of Lamb, Pitmaster Porchetta, Hush Puppies with Charred Jalapenos and Smoked Elotes, or Mexican-style corn-on-the-cob.

This sequel comes six years after the original version. “Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons” was published in 2009.

Here are a few recipes from “Low & Slow 2.”

Bourbon Brine

From “Low & Slow 2” by Gary Wiviott and Colleen Rush

Because everything is better with bourbon. Plus, adding a small amount of booze to a brine works with the salt to loosen up the proteins in meat, which will make your turkey, chicken or duck even juicier.

6 quarts water

1 cup kosher salt

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

6 to 8 bay leaves

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

Zest of 2 lemons

2 quarts apple cider

1 cup bourbon

In a stock pot or large sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine 2 quarts of the water with the salt, brown sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a low boil and stir until the salt and brown sugar are completely dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat.

In a nonreactive 4-gallon container, combine the concentrated brine with cider, bourbon and the remaining 4 quarts of water, and allow mixture to cool. When the brine is completely cool, submerge the turkey (or other meat) in the liquid, cover the container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Yield: 2 gallons

Gary Wiviott’s Beef Rub

From “Low & Slow 2” by Gary Wiviott and Colleen Rush

This recipe makes far more rub than you’ll use on a few racks of beef ribs, but it’s a great blend to use in many beef cooks, particularly brisket. I like my beef ribs fiery-hot, but if you like a little less punch, cut the amount of cayenne to 1 tablespoon.

6 tablespoons garlic powder

6 tablespoons kosher salt

5 tablespoons freshly ground pepper

5 tablespoons hot Hungarian or half-sharp paprika

5 tablespoons sweet paprika

5 tablespoons Toasted Mexican Chili Blend (see recipe below)

3 tablespoons cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried thyme

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to blend. Store the rub in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.

Yield: about 2 ¾ cups

Toasted Mexican Chili Blend

From “Low & Slow 2” by Gary Wiviott and Colleen Rush

Freshly ground, dried Mexican chilies are ubiquitous in my rubs and other recipes. Whole, dried chilies are far less expensive than the preground, bottled variety and far more flavorful when they are freshly toasted and ground for recipes. This is the standard blend and ratio of Mexican chilies I use in my signature rub and other sauces and seasonings.

4 parts dried, ground guajillo or cascabel

2 parts dried, ground ancho or New Mexico red

2 parts dried, ground pasilla or ancho

1 part dried, ground morita or chipotle

1 part dried, ground pequin or chili de arbol or cayenne

1/2 part dried, ground habanero (optional, for added heat)

Blueberry-Habanero Sauce

From “Low & Slow 2” by Gary Wiviott and Colleen Rush

Duck, turkey, chicken, planks of wood – this unique sauce is good on everything. Sure, it’s a little spicy, but the sugar, ginger and citrus really balance the heat. If you need to dial it down for sensitive palates, cut back to 1 minced habanero.

1 (24-ounce) package frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup reserved

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 whole fresh habanero peppers, minced

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine all of the ingredients, except the ½ cup of reserved blueberries and butter. Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and develops into a thin syrup.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved ½ cup of blueberries and the butter, if using. Taste the sauce and adjust it with more salt and sugar as needed.

Yield: 3 cups