Meat Illustrated: A Foolproof Guide to Understanding and Cooking with Cuts of All Kinds

Posted on May 31, 2025May 31, 2025 by Reluctant Retiree

MEAT EATERS, REJOICE: Increase your meat counter confidence with this award-winning meat cookbook that shows you how to cook 72 cuts of meat in 300+ kitchen-tested recipes!

With chapters organized by animal and its primal cuts, Meat Illustrated is the meat eater’s go-to meat cookbook and handbook! Discover essential information and techniques that will empower you to make steakhouse-worthy meals and explore everything your butcher shop has to offer. Inside you’ll find:

• 300+ recipes covering 72 cuts of meat—including beef, pork, lamb, and veal
• Cut-specific guidance on buying, prepping, storing, cooking, and more
• Step-by-step photos, break-out tutorials, and hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations
• Need-to-know techniques, from smoking and grilling to braising and curing

Learn the best methods for center-of-the-plate meats like Butter-Basted Rib Steaks (spooning hot butter cooks the steaks from both sides so they come to temperature as they acquire a deep crust), and meltingly tender Chinese Barbecued Roast Pork Shoulder (cook for 6 hours so the collagen melts to lubricate the meat). And get ideas on how to complete your meals with delicious sides like Fried Brown Rice with Pork and Shrimp or Libyan-style chickpea and orzo soup!

So, don’t just go to the butcher—become the butcher. Full of comprehensive, hands-on guidance, this ultimate meat cookbook takes the mystery out of buying and cooking meat like a pro.

Find more recipes like this on my companion blog, “Good Food, Good Meat, Good God, Let’s Eat!”

From My Kitchen

60 Low-Calorie Barbecue Ideas to Try Tonight

Posted on May 29, 2025May 27, 2025 by Reluctant Retiree

Low-calorie does not mean low-flavor, and this list of wholesome summer grilling ideas confirms that. Our light, delicious, low-calorie barbecue recipes are perfect for a backyard barbecue. The best part? Each serving is less than 350 calories!

At Taste of Home, we know the grill can handle many different ingredients, so we have tons of unique grilling recipes—many of which are low-cal! In this list, expect lean meats in entrees like our herbed pork chops, grilled salmon fillets and fish tacos. We also include super flavorful sides, like mojito-style tomato salsa, grilled guacamole and lime-sesame grilled eggplant, that get a whammy of flavor thanks to one or two components’ time on the grill.

Want to be the host with the most or the guest with the best? Whip up a healthy dessert recipe to follow. From desserts under 200 calories to low-sugar desserts, there are lots of sweets for sticky summer evenings when we crave something a bit lighter.

Recipe

Find more recipes like this on my companion blog, “Good Food, Good Meat, Good God, Let’s Eat!”

100 Instant Pot Recipes To Add To Your Regular Rotation

Our Best Ideas for the Instant Pot

There’s no denying that an Instant Pot® is a must-have for every kitchen. What’s not to love about a slow-cooker, pressure cooker and stovetop stand-in all wrapped into one compact appliance? With a few accessories and the right recipes, your multicooker can get cozy soups, crowd-pleasing chicken dinners, healthy weeknight meals and even desserts on the table with ease. Ready to put your Instant Pot® to good use? You’re in the right place—we’ve got plenty of delicious options for you to choose from.

Food Network

From My Kitchen

52 Cheap & Easy Grilling Recipes That Won’t Break The Bank

Posted on May 26, 2025May 25, 2025 by Reluctant Retiree

When you think of planning a summer cookout, you might immediately think you’ll have to drop serious $$$. But we’re here to say that balling on a budget does not mean you have to skip out on any of the barbecues you plan or attend this season Hardly! With a few (quite delicious, might we add) swaps, you’ll have a full spread of barbecue sides, appetizers, and grilled favorites that more than deliver (without breaking the bank). Making a few of these 51 cheap & easy BBQ recipes might be the best budgeting has ever tasted, TBH.

Newsflash: Some of your favorite BBQ recipes are already pretty affordable! Pasta salads, potato salads, slaws, and pretty much everything with beans will not only save you a few bucks at the store, but also are always first to go at the cook-out. So do yourself a big favor and make a double batch of antipasto potato salad, Thai-style slaw, and Hawaiian macaroni salad. When in doubt, building a dish based around affordable summer produce (like watermelon, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini) will guarantee you won’t go too wild at the grocery store.

When it comes to grilling, there’s a ton of protein options that are budget-friendly, too. Chicken thighs and drumsticks, pork tenderloin, and grilled chuck roast are great cuts to consider for the carnivores on your invite list. And it’s just not a BBQ without hot dogs, so we love jazzing up regular franks with our Big Mac hot dog toppings. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you probably know that going full meatless is the easiest way to eat well on a budget. Not gonna lie, we’ve even seen a few of our omnivore friends preferring our BBQ tempeh sandwiches and copycat Shake Shack shroom burger, so be sure to make a few extras!