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Adrian Miller
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Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue (A Ferris and Ferris Book) Hardcover – April 27, 2021

by Adrian Miller (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 288 ratings
Editors' pick Best Cookbooks, Food & Wine
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Across America, the pure love and popularity of barbecue cookery have gone through the roof. Prepared in one regional style or another, in the South and beyond, barbecue is one of the nation's most distinctive culinary arts. And people aren't just eating it; they're also reading books and articles and watching TV shows about it. But why is it, asks Adrian Miller—admitted 'cuehead and longtime certified barbecue judge—that in today's barbecue culture African Americans don't get much love?

In Black Smoke, Miller chronicles how Black barbecuers, pitmasters, and restauranteurs helped develop this cornerstone of American foodways and how they are coming into their own today. It's a smoke-filled story of Black perseverance, culinary innovation, and entrepreneurship. Though often pushed to the margins, African Americans have enriched a barbecue culture that has come to be embraced by all. Miller celebrates and restores the faces and stories of the men and women who have influenced this American cuisine. This beautifully illustrated chronicle also features 22 barbecue recipes collected just for this book.
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Previous page
  1. Part of series
    A Ferris and Ferris Book
  2. Print length
    328 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    The University of North Carolina Press
  5. Publication date
    April 27, 2021
  6. Dimensions
    7 x 1 x 10 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1469662809
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1469662800
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"An engaging storyteller, Miller brings his subjects to vivid life, as in the chapter on Black barbecue entrepreneurship, which predates Emancipation, with enslaved men and women using their business proceeds to buy freedom. He explores what makes the Black barbecue aesthetic exceptional and the many complexities of etiquette. . . . [and] provides plenty of mouthwatering recipes by Black barbecue artists for sauce, meat and fish, and side dishes as well as profiles of unsung Black barbecue trailblazers across three centuries. . . . A highly entertaining, celebratory, and essential reader for history buffs and barbecue lovers alike."—Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

“Long before the Aaron Franklins of the world had smoked their first briskets, untold generations of Black American pitmasters laid the groundwork for that great and uniquely American culinary tradition we call barbecue. Bravo and thanks, Adrian Miller, for this brilliant book, which shines a light on America's forgotten barbecue heroes and a new generation of Black chefs and pitmasters who are reinventing a style of cooking that’s as old as America itself.”—Steven Raichlen, author of the Barbecue Bible cookbook series and host of Project Fire and Project Smoke on PBS

“Black folks and barbecue have long been synonymous. Perhaps better than anyone before, Adrian Miller has discovered people, places, and stories that even most barbecue experts haven't heard of and weaves them into a compelling alternative narrative about how American barbecue came to be. Their stories demonstrate why the Black hand in the pit has been essential to the development of this much loved food."—Lolis Eric Elie, author of Treme: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of New Orleans

“The contributions of Black pitmasters have been ignored and even purposefully erased from the historical record. These are stories that desperately need to be told if we wish to strive for a more accurate account of American barbecue's foundation and continuing popularity. Thankfully, someone as knowledgeable and dedicated as Adrian Miller chose to take on the task in Black Smoke.”—Daniel Vaughn, editor, Texas Monthly Barbecue

“Black Smoke, a well-researched and engaging offering from Adrian Miller, certified barbecue judge and 'cue maven, sets the record straight about the importance of Black hands at the spits and pits of American barbecue traditions. This much needed book not only recounts the growth of the art and influences of experts past, but also offers interviews with the current masters and mistresses of the flame, a selection of recipes, and a listing of Miller’s favorite barbecue restaurants.”—Jessica B. Harris, author of My Soul Looks Back: A Memoir and High on the Hog

“To tell the story of barbecue, Adrian Miller recenters Black knowledge, labor, and experience. Through firsthand reportage and a deep archive dive, he shows how Black excellence and ingenuity have forged an American cultural lodestar."—John T. Edge, author of The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South

About the Author

Adrian Miller is a certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judge and recipient of a James Beard Foundation Book Award for Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time. A consultant on Netflix's Chef's Table BBQ, Miller's most recent book is The President's Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The University of North Carolina Press; First Edition (April 27, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1469662809
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1469662800
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.83 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 288 ratings

About the author

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Adrian Miller

Adrian Miller

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I'm a food writer, recovering attorney and certified barbecue judge who lives in Denver, CO. I am the current executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches. As such, I'm the first African American and the first layperson to hold that position.

I previously worked in politics: first, in the White House as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton; then as the general counsel and outreach director of the Bell Policy Center--a progressive think tank in Colorado, and then as a senior policy analyst for Colorado governor Bill Ritter Jr. I'm active in my community, and I've served on a number of boards, including the Southern Foodways Alliance.

My first book, "Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time" won the James Beard Foundation Award for Scholarship and Reference in 2014. My next book, "The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas" will be published on President's Day, 2017.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
288 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joyce4Books
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for serious BBQers.
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2022
Verified Purchase
Well researched, excellent reference, interesting reading. Well done!
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rattus69
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read, and I learned things!
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2022
Verified Purchase
I have lived in Kansas City for decades, enjoy cooking, and am involved in diversity activities in my workplace and my community. I enjoyed this well-written, readable book that provides insightful while entertaining insights about the contribution of African-Americans to BBQ culture. I was greatly disappointed to have been out of town when the author gave a talk at a local library last summer, as I was hoping for him to sign my copy of the book! I recommend this book to anyone interested in black history, BBQ culture, and the people contributing to this unique aspect of American cuisine. Burnt ends rule....
2 people found this helpful
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margetta
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
Full on information, learning great resourc
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Alex
4.0 out of 5 stars Good but printing error.
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
I am enjoying reading the book but my book has an error in the sequence of the content between pages 21 and 26. The material on page 26 seems to be a continuation from page 21 and the section at pages to 25 should be later in the book . Editors and/or the printer need to correct and consider replacing the early purchased books . I preordered the book so I got one of he earliest copies . The pages are numbered in sequence so it is a contents sequence error .
13 people found this helpful
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Michael Carpenter
5.0 out of 5 stars Printing errors galore (See my edit)
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is fantastic except for the fact the publishing/printing editors didn’t mind all the pages out of place. Chapters abruptly end and then pick up several pages later in the next chapter.

Edit: no printing errors. I finally realized the profiles are inter placed in the middle of chapters. This does interrupt the flow of the book as a whole, but once I figured it out, I didn’t mind it as much.
4 people found this helpful
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Richard C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Award winning award doing award winning work!
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
Adrian Miller was the only guest featured on two episodes of the acclaimed Netflix series “High on the Hog” for a reason. His work on “Black Smoke” is about American History and Cuisine. It gives credit where credit is long overdue! Regional influences and differences are thoroughly captured going back to Native Americans. He combines intense research with first had experience at hundreds of BBQ restaurants and renowned establishments around the country. The influential character profiles and hand picked recipes are wonderful additions. A must read for every fan of BBQ!
3 people found this helpful
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Fred Gerkens
5.0 out of 5 stars Long overdue
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
Gives a much more complete history of the growth of the barbecue culture, adding in the black component which has been missing in most books I've seen on the subject. Well written with individual vignettes of key contributers to the barbecue world.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars BBQ
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed learning so much about barbecue and the role it has played in American history, and especially how it evolved in African-American history. I am looking forward to sharing this information with others, as well as try some of the restaurants mentioned. And, I will be sure to tell them that you sent me, Mr. Miller!!!🤗
One person found this helpful
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