Andrea Behrends and Helene Dujardin
This time of year—or actually anytime, really—you’ll find author and chef Matt Moore standing at one of his four grills nearly every night of the week at his restored East Nashville home.
In his latest book, Serial Griller: Grillmaster Secrets for Flame-Cooked Perfection (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), he spells out an obsession with cooking over flames that started in childhood—Moore comes from a long line of serial grillers. One grandfather was a butcher, the other was a cattleman, and, he writes,
“Rarely a day would pass that Mama and Daddy wouldn’t fire up the grill in our hometown in Lilburn, Georgia, stepping out on the brick patio they had laid by hand to cook our family supper.”
This book is part recipe collection, part travelogue, part tribute to serial grillers everywhere. Similar to his last book, The South’s Best Butts, this one spotlights experts from around the country—from cousins Bill and the late Tony Darsinos, owners of Greko Greek Street Food in East Nashville; to chef Michael Solomonov, chef of Zahav in Philadelphia; to Ashley Christensen and Lauren Ivey, chef/owners of Death & Taxes in Raleigh. What stands out is not only the mouthwatering food (he includes several recipes from each grillmaster), but also the diversity of cuisines—Israeli, Greek, Argentinian, Tex Mex.
“For me it doesn’t matter your race, your gender, your political beliefs, or your preferred cuisine. All good food can be made even better on the grill,” Moore tells us.
Just past The Grillmasters chapter, you’ll find a broad selection of recipes, like sides and smokin’ salads, handheld items, and big plates.
“I wanted to go a little off the mark,” Moore says, meaning it’s not just your standard grilled fare.
There’s a Country Sausage Bolognese, Skillet Nachos, and Grilled Watermelon. There are recipes that Moore turns to again and again, like a Grilled Brussels Sprout-Feta Salad with Smoked Olive Oil Vinaigrette.
“That’s my most-requested dish when friends come over,” he says.
Moore’s goal with this book is to make grilling feel approachable to everyone.
“I’m not a formally trained chef, I’m more of a generalist. It’s more about teaching novice people how to cook. You know, get out the grill, have a beer, and don’t worry—you can do this.”