There's no better barbecue mind than Meathead, the owner of the fantastic site Amazing Ribs. Meathead takes a scientific approach to grilling and smoking meats, dispelling myths and making a repeatable process for BBQ. I owe much of what I know about barbecue in general to the man.

So it came as no surprise that when he launched his book it immediately became a bestseller on Amazon. Here's a snippet of the description of the book.

With the help of physicist and food scientist Prof. Greg Blonder, PhD, of Boston University, he explains why dry brining is better than wet brining; how marinades really work; why rubs shouldn't have salt in them; the importance of digital thermometers; why searing doesn't seal in juices; how salt penetrates but spices don't; when charcoal beats gas and when gas beats charcoal; how to calibrate and tune a grill or smoker; how to keep fish from sticking; cooking with logs; the strengths and weaknesses of the new pellet cookers; tricks for rotisserie cooking; why cooking whole animals is a bad idea; which grill grates are best; and why beer-can chicken is a waste of good beer and nowhere close to the best way to cook a bird.