A number of years ago, my wife Cheryl and I discovered wood pellet grilling, a new way of cooking outdoors that goes beyond charcoal grills, gas grills, and smokers. We had created many enjoyable meals on our earlier grills, but learned that this new cooker offers only an astonishing array of gourmet options but also a healthier way of preparing food. Because the juices from the meat don’t fall onto hot coals or heated surfaces when using a wood pellet grill, our foods aren’t exposed to the potentially harmful substances that form when food is cooked on most other grills. So this cooker pleases not just our taste buds but also our desire for more wholesome food.

Although the health benefits of wood pellet cooking are very real, what has intrigued us most of all is that the wood pellet grill can function as a smoker, a grill, a barbeque, and a convection oven. Since this device is so versatile—and can be fueled by a variety of wood pellets, each of which imparts distinct flavors and aromas—the backyard chef can cook the exact same ingredients in different ways and enjoy deliciously different results. Adjust the temperature (and, therefore, the cooking method), and you’ll have a dish that is subtly different. Use another type of pellet—hickory instead of apple, for instance—and you will again transform the dish. Of course, there is also a tremendous range of flavors and aromas that can be introduced by adding rubs, seasoning blends, marinades, and barbeque sauces. The possibilities are truly endless. And because the pellet grill is capable of so many different types of cooking, you can prepare foods that you never dreamed of making outside the confines of your kitchen. My wife and I have been amazed to find that nearly everything we make in our kitchen oven and stovetop—as well as many foods that we wouldn’t attempt to prepare in a conventional oven—can be cooked easily (and better) on our grill.

When we began using the wood pellet grill, we didn’t realize that this wonderful piece of equipment would become our favorite way to prepare foods, and that over the years, we would develop dozens of pellet grill recipes. The cookbook you are holding in your hands is the result of our “love affair” with wood pellet cooking. It was designed as a comprehensive guide to using this outdoor cooker to create delicious foods, from burgers, steaks, and poultry to savory vegetables and sweet desserts.

Because this type of grill may be new to you, Chapter 1 presents all the basics of wood pellet cooking. In this chapter, you’ll learn how the grill works and how you can use and maintain it for best results. You will also learn about the different types of cooking made possible by the grill, and you’ll find a guide to the many varieties of wood pellets that are available to fuel your cooker and add flavor and aroma to your food. A handy table tells you how to use the internal temperature of meat to gauge doneness so that meats, poultry, and seafood are always cooked to perfection.

Once you’re familiar with the basics, you’ll want to start cooking. Chapter 2 begins this recipe collection by offering tried-and-true barbeque rubs, seasoning blends, marinades, and sauces. In the chapters that follow, you’ll find tantalizing recipes for beef; burgers, hot dogs, and sausages; pork; chicken; turkey; seafood; vegetables; breads, pizzas, and grilled sandwiches; and even desserts—including cakes and cookies. All in all, there are over one hundred and thirty recipes, each of which has been carefully developed, tested, and re-tested so that it works superbly on your wood pellet grill.

Wood pellet cooking fits beautifully into our busy schedules. We use our grill practically every day. However, in flipping through the recipes, you will notice that in some cases, meats should be left to absorb a marinade or seasoning blend for several hours, and that some cuts, like briskets and ribs, require longer cooking times so that the meat has a chance to absorb the aromatic smoke and become tender and flavorful. In other words, some dishes take longer to prepare than others. For that reason, every recipe begins by providing the times required for marinating or seasoning and cooking. This will help you choose the best recipe not only for your tastes, but also for your day. I think you’ll find that although some recipes require long cooking times, it is the grill that does most of the work. Once you place the meat on the grate to smoke or to cook “low and slow,” the grill will prepare your food to perfection while you tend to other matters. Because the wood pellet grill cooks through indirect heat, you don’t even have to turn the food over to ensure even cooking. When a recipe directs you to turn the food, it is usually done to create appealing grill marks or to enable you to baste both sides of the meat.

In some cases, you’ll find that a recipe is accompanied by a Quick Grilling box that guides you in cooking the food more quickly by increasing the level of heat. Although it is not always possible to speed cooking time, in some cases, you can shave off minutes or even hours and still enjoy a delicious dish.

Besides listing the times required for marination and cooking, each recipe also clearly states the wood pellets that I have found to best complement that dish. Just keep in mind that although this may be my favorite choice, you may prefer to use another wood pellet when preparing that dish, and you may even want to blend several different woods. That’s one of the beauties of wood pellet cooking: It gives you so many opportunities to be creative and to tailor each dish according to your personal preferences.

So fire up the grill and get ready to enjoy a new and unique culinary experience. A world of delicious outdoor cooking awaits you just a few pages away.