Last month, Sam Zien — aka Sam the Cooking Guy of YouTube and restaurant fame — released his latest cookbook, Sam the Cooking Guy and The Holy Grill.

One of the hallmarks of Zien's “brand,” if you will, is that he makes cooking feel approachable and fun rather than stuffy and pretentious, and if you've ever watched his videos, he's probably made you laugh along the way. There's something extremely relatable about a decades-long professional cook who still burns himself on hot stuff and curses himself out about it.

In The Holy Grill he brings that same enthusiasm and humor to the topic of outdoor cooking so you can feel more comfortable grilling and smoking your own delicious backyard barbecue.

“We're gonna kick the fear of grilling right the eff outta you, and answer some important questions along the way.”

—Sam the Cooking Guy

From the book's description:

Your quest is over--the holy grail of outdoor cooking is here. Unique, charismatic, and a damn fine cook, Sam the Cooking Guy has made perfecting backyard barbecuing his worthy mission. From keeping a chicken breast tender to smoking a turkey, from "dino ribs" to artichokes, these recipes will take your grill game to the next level. Gas versus charcoal? Why is mayo magical? What if a vegetarian is coming for dinner? These questions and more are answered in this indispensable guide to cooking with fire and smoke.

Perfect for beginners and seasoned grill aficionados alike, these 100+ recipes include appetizers, vegetables, chicken (and one duck!), seafood, kebabs, side dishes, and desserts.

As you'd expect from a guide of this ilk, the book covers everything from basic equipment to rubs and sauces to determining meat doneness without cutting into it and beyond. Even total beginners should come out making their caveman ancestors proud by the end.

Get the book in these formats:

• Paperback ($25)
• Kindle ($13)
• Apple Books ($13)