Choosing the right grill.
Choosing the right fuel.
Stocking the essential tools.
Setting up a work area.
Building the best fire.
Picking the correct method - direct grilling, indirect grilling, barbecuing, split roasting, roasting in the  embers.   Managing the cookout. You can treat it as a primer or as a refresher - the fundamentals set the stage for all grilling heroics to come.  The very first technique in the book elevates backyard barbecuing to a new level: Hickory Smoked Prime Rib. It covers the fine points of indirect grilling a large piece of meat along with the technique for using wood chips to create a smoke flavor, and it shows how to French the ribs for a jaw-dropping presentation. Technique by technique, recipe by recipe, the book runs the gamut of grilling skills: How to jerk pork. How to cock a chicken. How to grill an asparagus "raft," a pizza, oysters, tofu, pears, lettuces, delicate  mushrooms, scallops, even a whole lamb.   Says the author, "If it tastes good cooked, it'll taste even better grilled."