Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse

I am a foodie with a slant toward the gourmet, while my husband is a "stick to the ribs" kind of guy. When his sister bought me this cookbook for Christmas a couple years ago, I wasn't particularly overjoyed. A cookbook from a local rib joint was the last thing I thought I wanted. It was with great reluctance (and an effort to please my husband!) that I made my first dish out of it, but that's all it took to make me a believer! I have since tried 12 recipes from this book and they have all been very good to excellent. Not only does it contain the traditional barbecue fare that you would expect from it, but there are many inventive tantalizing ones as well (like Sweet Potato-Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce or Seared Tuna with Wasabi Green Onion BBQ Sauce). And the everyday barbecue recipes? Well, even I can't get enough of them, and that's saying a lot for someone whose dream dinner consists of crab towers and creme brulee. And as if that's not enough, the cookbook is just a really good read. The author's biker, blues-loving wit keeps you entertained as you cook. And even I can appreciate that. :-)

I must admit that I avoided purchasing this book as I have been disappointed in the past with cookbooks that are written for a particular restaurant. Too often, the recipes in such books are only close approximations of the real items. Alas, this book forgoes that tendency and gives the actual menu directions. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que cooks traditional 'American cuisine'. The recipes for 'Not Your Mama's Meatloaf' and 'Macaroni and Cheese Shepherd's Pie' were big hits. Each section (Beef, Poultry, Seafood, Pork etc.) contains some suggestions for the barbeque novice. But what separates the 'Dinosaur' from other cookbooks are the recipes for sauces, rubs and marinades. I have grown habanero chiles in my garden this summer and used them to make the hot version of the Mutha Sauce. Problem is, I can't get enough of this stuff. The combination of tastes will just dance on your tongue and you too will use it in more and more recipes. The Creole Rub is also an easy to create but versatile spice combination. On a lighter note, the compilation of the best of Dinosaur graffiti is hilarious. It is obvious that this establishment takes its food seriously without taking itself all that seriously. Buy the book....make the sauces....assemble the rubs and try the recipes. As the authors suggest, this will be only a guidebook for you. Feel free to experiment with your own spices and flavors. If it isn't already, barbeque will become an indispensable part of your culinary experience!

WOW!!!! What can I say received the cookbook on monday and planned my trip to Syracuse today (friday). I'm a Syracuse native and on my trips back there it is quite rare for me not to eat every lunch and dinner at the Dinosaur. Like several of the other reviewers I'm a voracious cookbook hoarder and this book really stands out. It is absolutely my favorite bar-b-que book. It does a great job of capturing the funky vibe of the place and the recipes are unbeleivable, but you've realy got to go there.

I was a little worried at first that this would be a book from the Dinosaur, but not necessarily containing the actual recipes you eat in the restaurant. Fear not, this book is the real deal. It has most of the dishes they serve at the Dino' - from the cornbread, pulled pork, ribs and peanut butter pie to mojito chicken and steak with chimchurri sauce. Throw in the rubs, sauces, and marinades and you've got everything to make some outstanding food.To top it off it has some great tips for cooking. You can tell that John Stage is a stickler for getting things done right. And then the writing and photography really take you there.Yeah, I'm from Syracuse, but the book still stands out from my 80+ cookbooks.

I've got a lot of BBQ books, maybe 40 or 50, and I would have to say this one has moved to the top of my list! Its got it all over the others. This book has "the vibe" its got soul, funk, rock and roll and some of the best damn barbecue recipes you'll ever come across. I'll have to settle for having to recreate the recipes as I am nowhere near this juke joint (but I am putting it on my BBQ Mecca list!)but just flipping thru the pages of this gaw-jus book I get a feeling like I can hear the music, smell the 'que and meet the characters that inhabit this place. Who says Dinosaurs are extinct! Chow time! Get cookin' get smokin! This is one 'Saur that Roars!