Steven Raichlen
Full Name and Common Aliases
Steven Raichlen is a well-known American food writer, television personality, and chef.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on August 28, 1951, there is no public information available about his passing.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Raichlen is an American with multiple professions: a chef, author, and television host. He has been involved in various endeavors related to food, cooking techniques, and cultural exploration of cuisines worldwide.
Early Life and Background
Raised in New York City's Upper West Side, Steven Raichlen developed an interest in diverse foods from an early age. As the child of a family with Jewish heritage and a father who enjoyed experimenting with international flavors, his household was filled with culinary diversity.
Raichlen attended the University of Pennsylvania before moving to San Francisco for graduate school. He began writing as part of a food column in the San Francisco Chronicle, which eventually turned into a book proposal. His first cookbook, "The Barbecue Bible," became a bestseller and marked the beginning of his career.
Major Accomplishments
Steven Raichlen's accomplishments are extensive:
He has written over 30 cookbooks, including "How to Grill," "The New American Barbecue Cookbook," and "Project Smoke."
As a television host, he has presented popular cooking shows like "Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen," "Barbecue Bible," and "Steven Raichlen's Project Smoke."
His work showcases various cuisines from around the world, focusing on techniques for grilling, smoking, and barbecue.Notable Works or Actions
Raichlen's contributions to culinary literature are significant. He popularized the art of grilling and barbecue through his writings and television appearances. His books often focus on diverse cultures and cuisines, making him a well-respected figure in the food world.
Some of his notable cookbooks include:
"The Barbecue Bible" - This book explores various global barbecue traditions and techniques.
"How to Grill" - A comprehensive guide to grilling methods and recipes from different cultures.
"Project Smoke" - Focuses on the art of smoking meats, covering a range of ingredients and international styles.
Impact and Legacy
Steven Raichlen's impact on the culinary world is substantial. He has:
Popularized diverse global cuisines through his cookbooks and television shows.
Encouraged experimentation with various cooking techniques, including grilling and smoking.
Provided a platform for exploring different cultures' culinary traditions.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Steven Raichlen is widely quoted and remembered due to:
His extensive work in culinary literature, covering diverse cuisines and techniques.
His engaging television shows that showcase various cooking methods.
His ability to make complex recipes accessible and appealing to a broad audience.
Raichlen's contributions have made him an authority on global cuisine and grilling techniques. He continues to inspire new generations of cooks with his extensive body of work, making him one of the most influential figures in modern culinary culture.
Quotes by Steven Raichlen
Obviously this is the next frontier - once you've mastered grilling, smoking is what you're going to want to do.
If you own a simple Weber kettle grill, you own a smoker. You don't have to spend an enormous amount of money or even buy an extra piece of equipment. If you have that kettle grill, the whole secret to getting a lower temperature is to set up your grill for indirect grilling and use only half as much charcoal.
If you're new to the smoking game, the first dish I suggest you smoke would be a pork shoulder. Unlike brisket or ribs, the meat is intrinsically tender. It's very well marbled both on the outside of the shoulder and throughout the meat, so even if you overcook it, even if you get a spike in temperature, it's very hard to screw up. It usually comes out moist, crispy and delicious no matter what you do to it.
I really love the smoked ice cream because it's so unexpected. Yet when you taste it, it's sort of familiar and otherworldly at the same time. I guess that's what I really like about what smoke does to food.
My message is use grass-fed beef, use heirloom pork varieties, use organic chickens, wait until wild salmon or wild seafood are in season, smoke organic vegetables.
One thing that has been fascinating to me is the exploding interest in traditional American barbecue in Europe. We Americans have historically always imported food ideas from other places, and now we are exporting this gastronomic treasure called barbecue.
Live fire cooking and barbecue have been so intimately linked with human evolution and history and politics. Everything we do, barbecue informs it in some way.
A lot of the people who barbecue are guys and guys like toys, so I say anything that helps people grill is okay.
Cooking in the fireplace is the closest thing to grilling over charcoal or wood out-doors. The principle is pretty simple. You just build a good pile of embers and rake them under a Tuscan grill.