Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint

Winners of the World Championship BBQ Cook-Off for six years in a row and with hundreds of other contest ribbons as well, nobody does barbecue better than Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. Chris Lilly, executive chef of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q and great-grandson-in-law of Big Bob himself, now passes on the family secrets in this quintessential guide to barbecue.

From dry rubs to glazes and from sauces to slathers, Lilly gives the lowdown on Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q’s award-winning seasonings and combinations. You?ll learn the unique flavors of different woods and you?ll get insider tips on creating the right heat?be it in a charcoal grill, home oven, or backyard ground pit. Then, get the scoop on pulled pork, smoked beef brisket, pit-fired poultry, and, of course, ribs.

Complete the feast with sides like red-skin potato salad and black-eyed peas. And surely you?ll want to save room for Lilly?s dessert recipes such as Big Mama?s Pound Cake. Loaded with succulent photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and colorful stories, Big Bob Gibson?s BBQ Book honors the legacy of Big Bob Gibson?and of great barbeque.

From the Trade Paperback edition.Book Description
Winners of the World Championship BBQ Cook-Off for six years in a row and with hundreds of other contest ribbons as well, nobody does barbecue better than Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. Chris Lilly, executive chef of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q and great-grandson-in-law of Big Bob himself, now passes on the family secrets in this quintessential guide to barbecue.

From dry rubs to glazes and from sauces to slathers, Lilly gives the lowdown on Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q’s award-winning seasonings and combinations. You’ll learn the unique flavors of different woods and you’ll get insider tips on creating the right heat—be it in a charcoal grill, home oven, or backyard ground pit. Then, get the scoop on pulled pork, smoked beef brisket, pit-fired poultry, and, of course, ribs.

Complete the feast with sides like red-skin potato salad and black-eyed peas. And surely you’ll want to save room for Lilly’s dessert recipes, such as Big Mama’s Pound Cake. Loaded with succulent photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and colorful stories, Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book honors the legacy of Big Bob Gibson—and of great barbeque.

From Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book: White Sauce

People raised in Decatur, Alabama, know that barbecue sauce is supposed to be white. For more than eighty years, Big Bob Gibson’s has been dunking its golden-brown birds, fifty at a time, into a vat of this tangy, peppery white sauce. The steaming, glistening chickens are then cut to order for our customers.

For years and years the restaurant’s early-morning cooks closely guarded the white sauce recipe, which was made each day before the day shift arrived. However, even without doing the math, I can tell you that hundreds of cooks have passed through the pitrooms of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, so I don’t think you can describe this recipe as “closely guarded” anymore.

I do know that Big Bob’s techniques and recipes, including his white sauce, have influenced the flavors of regional barbecue in Alabama. The great thing about passing secrets is that every time they are shared they change slightly. There is now a large number of “authentic” versions of Big Bob’s original secret recipe and cooking method—all different from one another. This is one of my favorite examples.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

(Makes 4 cups)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and blend well. Use as a marinade, baste, or dipping sauce. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

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2 thoughts on “Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint”

  1. Simply excellent This book contains a variety of recipes along with ample history of Big Bob Gibson’s barbecue.At present, I have tried from the book:(1) the pork shoulder recipe, served with the Memphis style sauce(2) the whole butterflied chicken, served with Bob Gibson’s famous white sauce.Both were outstanding and each was easily worth the price of the entire book, particularly the white sauce-WOW.both followed classic barbecue techniques and did not require…

  2. Look carefuly before you buy. Chris Lilly is one of the best BBQ chefs in the country. However, I am disappointed with his efforts here. This book is true to the title. Most pages are about the history of Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ joint. Lots of pictures. This part is interesting, but not helpful to someone who wants to cook. The recipes are some basics and some off-the-chart stuff with unusual ingredients. He doesn’t disclose a lot of Gibson’s recipes, but gives something close. He has 4 or 5 recipes for a whole hog, but…

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