Slow Fires: Mastering New Ways to Braise, Roast, and Grill

The celebrated chef of Upland explores the fundamental techniques of braising, roasting, and grilling--and shows you how to see them in new ways, to learn the rules to break them.

The chapters begin with thorough lessons on these basic methods. From there, the recipes evolve to feature variations on the techniques, altering ratios of moisture, intensities of heat, reversing expected processes. Sometimes the techniques are surprising, like braising chicken leggs in the juices created by overcrowding a pan of peppers. And sometimes the results are unbelievable, like tender peppercorn-crusted short ribs, made by first steaming the ribs before searing them to a spicy crisp.

This is a book about delighting in the details, about cooking by hand, about learning to see and smell and touch like a modern master. It's a book you will keep, read, learn, and cook from for years to come.

Chef-partner of the acclaimed Upland in New York City, JUSTIN SMILLIE began his cooking career during his teenage years, quickly ascending through the ranks of NYC landmarks Mercer Kitchen and Gramercy Tavern before becoming the chef of the urban-rustic favorite Barbuto. He was the chef at Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria, where he won three stars from the New York Times.

KITTY GREENWALD is the Slow Fast Food columnist for the Wall Street Journal. She has cooked in Portugal, France, and Italy; had a catering company in New York; contributed to Real Simple magazine; worked with Slow Food Nation; and was a fellow at the Montalvo Arts Center.