Two Plates, One Grill, by Earl & June Pruitt

A real Saturday supper for two, and the cost of every plate.

Three book covers in a stack: Two Plates, One Grill, Earl’s Steak and Cuts Guide, and June’s Weekly Ledger. A digital PDF set, shown as books.
Digital PDF set

253 pages. 90 recipes for a charcoal kettle, each with a picture, June’s receipt and a cost per plate. USDA safe temperatures where they count.

Get the book, $27

Half a chimney of charcoal, cheap cuts sliced tender, June’s sides, and a plan for what’s left. Written for two people on a fixed income, not a cookout for twelve.

Digital PDF. Nothing ships. Opens on your phone, tablet or computer. 30-day guarantee.

Earl and June Pruitt at their checked picnic table with two plates of grilled chicken.
Hello from Earl and June

We quit cooking for twelve.

Earl here. I’ve grilled chicken halves for the fire department’s Labor Day supper since 1979, and for years I cooked for two the same way, which is to say too much.

June here. I kept the books for Earl’s shop and cooked the church’s Wednesday supper for 28 years. When the kids left I went through a year of receipts and found out how much meat we were throwing away.

So we wrote it all down: what to buy, how to split the family pack, how little charcoal it takes, and what supper really comes to on two Social Security checks.

How it works

Pay once. The book opens. It stays in your email.

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  3. It stays in your email

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Not good with computers?

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If you get stuck, hand your phone and the Gumroad email to anybody you trust with a phone. It’s one tap for them.

Honest math

Here is what supper comes to.

Every recipe has a receipt on the page, charcoal included. These are a few of them, a plate each.

From the bookA plate, about

  • Earl’s Fire Hall Chicken Halves$4.80Recipe 1, page 40
  • Thick Pork Chops, Never Dry$3.25Recipe 14, page 68
  • Chuck Eye Steaks for Two$5.25Recipe 25, page 92
  • Earl’s Plain Burger$2.70Recipe 37, page 118
  • One Rack of Ribs, Two Suppers$4.06Recipe 45, page 136
  • Sausage and Potato Packets$3.20Recipe 58, page 166
  • Rib Meat and Beans$3.88Recipe 64, page 180
A checked picnic table set for two with ribs, slaw, cornbread and corn.

Those are rough fall 2026 prices, ours to guess and yours to change. There’s a blank column in every chapter for what it comes to at your store.

Most of the big cuts are built to make two suppers, so one fire and one pack go further.

Look inside

Real pages from the book.

Tap a page to see it bigger.

Recipe page for One Rack of Ribs, Two Suppers, with a picture of ribs and slaw and a receipt.
One Rack of RibsThe picture page: story, fire, June’s receipt, and what the leftovers become.
The cooking page for the ribs, with numbered steps.
The recipe pageNumbered steps, Earl’s tip, the oven version and the safe temperature.
Recipe page for Family-Pack Leg Quarters.
Family-pack leg quartersBuilt for two suppers from one fire.
A page on the two-zone fire with a drawing of a kettle.
How to run the fireHalf a chimney, two zones, a drawing where you need one.
A page of June’s table on splitting family packs.
Splitting the family packJune’s table: how to split each pack for two.
What is inside

253 pages, and where to find things.

The Fire

  • What You Need and Nothing Elsep. 17
  • Half a Chimney Is Plentyp. 19

The Ledger

  • June’s Ledgerp. 28
  • Splitting the Family Packp. 33
  • The Freezer for Twop. 35

Before You Start

  • How to Read a Recipe Pagep. 12
  • Read This Firstp. 13

When It Goes Wrong

  • When It Goes Wrongp. 239
  • Eight Weeks of Suppersp. 242
  • What We Left Outp. 246
  • Indexp. 249

The ten recipe chapters

Cheap Chicken on the Kettlep. 38
Halves, leg quarters, thighs and drumsticks.
Pork, the Best Deal in the Casep. 66
Chops, pork steaks, a loin cut down to two.
Cheap Beef That Eats Like Steakp. 90
Chuck eye, London broil, skirt, sliced for tender chewing.
Burgers, Dogs and Sausagep. 116
Burgers, patty melts, brats, hot dogs done right.
Low and Slow on a Small Firep. 134
Ribs, a small pork butt, chuck roast, on a snake of coals.
Fish and Shrimpp. 150
Catfish, whiting, shrimp and salmon patties.
Foil Packets and One-Skillet Suppersp. 162
Foil and one iron skillet, hardly any washing up.
Second Suppersp. 178
What the first supper leaves behind.
June’s Sidesp. 198
Slaw, potato salad, beans, cornbread, corn.
Sauces, Rubs and Something Sweetp. 224
June’s red sauce, Earl’s mop, peaches and cobbler.
See all 90 recipes

Cheap Chicken on the Kettle

  • Earl’s Fire Hall Chicken Halves 40
  • Family-Pack Leg Quarters, Two Suppers 42
  • Vinegar-Mopped Thighs 44
  • Honey Mustard Drumsticks 46
  • Smoky Paprika Thighs 48
  • Lemon Pepper Wings for Two 50
  • Buttermilk Split Breasts 52
  • Flattened Whole Chicken Under a Foil Brick 54
  • White Sauce Chicken 56
  • Sweet Tea Thighs 58
  • Chicken Kabobs with Peppers and Onions 60
  • Peach-Glazed Thighs 62
  • Chicken Legs with June’s Red Sauce 64

Pork, the Best Deal in the Case

  • Thick Pork Chops, Never Dry 68
  • Thin Chops in Six Minutes 70
  • Pork Steaks with Vinegar Sauce 72
  • Country-Style Ribs, Mopped 74
  • Brown Sugar Ham Steak and Pineapple 76
  • Apple Cider Pork Chops 78
  • Pork Loin Cut Down to Two 80
  • Mustard Pork Tenderloin 82
  • Pork Kabobs with Apple and Onion 84
  • Smoked Pork Chops and Cabbage Wedges 86
  • Sorghum-Glazed Pork Chops 88

Cheap Beef That Eats Like Steak

  • Chuck Eye Steaks for Two 92
  • One Thick Sirloin, Two Plates 94
  • Marinated London Broil, Sliced Thin 96
  • Sirloin Tip Sliced for Tender Chewing 98
  • Chuck Steak, Soaked Overnight 100
  • Small Tri-Tip on Two Zones 102
  • Beef Kabobs with Onions and Mushrooms 104
  • Skirt Steak Fajitas for Two 106
  • Denver Steak with Butter 108
  • Flanken Ribs in a Sweet Soy Soak 110
  • Ranch Steak and Grilled Onions 112
  • Steak Tips and Mushrooms in the Skillet 114

Burgers, Dogs and Sausage

  • Earl’s Plain Burger 118
  • Patty Melts in the Skillet 120
  • Thin Onion Burgers 122
  • Meatloaf Burgers 124
  • Turkey Burgers That Stay Wet 126
  • Brats and Onions in a Pan 128
  • Smoked Sausage, Peppers and Onions 130
  • Hot Dogs Done Right with June’s Slaw 132

Low and Slow on a Small Fire

  • One Rack of Ribs, Two Suppers 136
  • Foil-Wrapped Ribs, the Easy Way 138
  • Small Pork Butt, Four Suppers 140
  • Chuck Roast on the Kettle 142
  • Smoked Turkey Thighs 144
  • Whole Chicken Over a Drip Pan 146
  • Meatloaf on the Kettle 148

Fish and Shrimp

  • Cornmeal Catfish in the Skillet 152
  • Tilapia in a Foil Boat 154
  • Garlic Butter Shrimp Skewers 156
  • Salmon Patties on the Grate Skillet 158
  • Blackened Whiting in Iron 160

Foil Packets and One-Skillet Suppers

  • Hamburger Hobo Packets 164
  • Sausage and Potato Packets 166
  • Chicken, Carrot and Potato Packets 168
  • Shrimp Boil Packets 170
  • Pork Chop and Apple Packets 172
  • Kielbasa and Cabbage Packets 174
  • Skillet Beans and Smoked Sausage 176

Second Suppers

  • Rib Meat and Beans 180
  • Pulled Pork and Slaw Sandwiches 182
  • Grilled Chicken Salad 184
  • Chicken and Rice Soup from the Bones 186
  • Steak and Egg Hash 188
  • Steak Sandwiches on Toast 190
  • Pork Fried Rice 192
  • Vegetable Beef Soup from Chuck Roast 194
  • Barbecue Baked Potatoes 196

June’s Sides

  • June’s Vinegar Slaw 200
  • Church Supper Creamy Slaw 202
  • Potato Salad for Two 204
  • Baked Beans for Two 206
  • Skillet Cornbread for Two 208
  • Corn in the Husk 210
  • Grilled Cabbage Wedges 212
  • Cucumbers and Onions 214
  • Grilled Squash and Zucchini 216
  • Green Beans and New Potatoes 218
  • Baked Potatoes in the Coals 220
  • Small Pan Macaroni and Cheese 222

Sauces, Rubs and Something Sweet

  • June’s Red Sauce 226
  • Earl’s Vinegar Mop 228
  • The Two-Dollar Rub 230
  • Grilled Peaches and Ice Cream 232
  • Skillet Apple Cobbler on the Coals 234
  • Pound Cake on the Grate with Strawberries 236
Free sample

Read a whole recipe before you buy.

This is the same two-page layout every recipe has. Tap to see it bigger.

The recipe page for Thick Pork Chops, Never Dry
Read this page in big type

Thick Pork Chops, Never Dry

We were raised to cook pork until it gave up. Took me a long while to trust the thermometer. First time I took a thick chop off at 145°F, June asked who cooked it.

Serves 2. About $3.25 a plate.

What you need

  • 2 bone-in pork chops, 1 1/4 inches thick, about 1 1/2 lb
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

How to do it

  1. Stir the salt and sugar into the water. Add the chops, cover, and refrigerate 2 hours. Longer makes them salty.
  2. Light half a chimney. Bank the coals on one side and scrape the grate. Pat the chops dry and pepper them.
  3. Set the chops on the cool side, bones toward the coals. Lid on, 12 minutes. Turn them. Lid on, 5 more minutes.
  4. Move them over the coals, lid off, 2 minutes a side, until brown.
  5. Check each chop through the side to the center, away from the bone: 145°F. If short, back to the cool side, lid on, 2 minutes.
  6. Rest on a clean plate at least 3 minutes before you cut.

Safe temperature: 145°F, rest at least 3 minutes

Earl says. A chop this thick cooks like a small roast. Slow on the cool side first, then a quick brown. Do it the other way and the edges dry out.

Five suppers for two, free

Cover of Five Suppers for Two, a free PDF.

13 pages. Five full recipes from the book, in the order June would cook them. Digital PDF. No email needed. It’s yours either way.

Download the free PDF
The offer

One price, one time, and it’s all digital.

Cover of Two Plates, One Grill by Earl & June Pruitt, a digital PDF.

Two Plates, One Grill

Digital PDF
  • The bookTwo Plates, One Grill, 253 pages, 90 recipes, cream pages for your screen
  • Print versionWhite pages for your own printer
  • Large-print copy356 pages, nothing under 14-point type
  • Earl’s Steak and Cuts Guide24 pages: 20 cuts, what to look for, how to split it for two, how to cook it
  • June’s Weekly Ledger10 pages to print: the weekly page, price book, freezer log, pack log
  • Free updatesIf a number changes we fix the file, and your Gumroad link gets the new one
$27One payment. Everything is digital. Nothing ships.
Get the book, $27

Digital PDF. Nothing ships. Opens on your phone, tablet or computer.

Cover of The Grill Cheat Sheet, a digital PDF.
Add-on, if you want it

The Grill Cheat Sheet, $10

7 pages to keep by the kettle: the five fires, times by the cut, and the numbers to stop at. You choose it at checkout, and the two together are $37.

Digital PDF

30-day guarantee

Thirty days to change your mind. If the book isn’t what you wanted, reply through your Gumroad receipt within 30 days and you get your money back.

A note from Earl and June

We don’t have a big finish for you. We’re two people who like a good supper and don’t like throwing money in the trash.

A family pack, half a chimney and a little planning will get you a real Saturday supper, and another one on Tuesday. Cook what suits you and change what doesn’t.

If the two of you still argue over the grill and the oven, good. There’s a Team June version on nearly every page.

Earl & June Pruitt
Outside a small town in Tennessee

Questions

Before you buy

Is this a printed book?

No. It’s a digital set of PDF files, and nothing comes in the mail. You can read it on a screen, or print what you want at home. There’s a white print version that goes easier on ink.

Will it open on my phone?

Yes. Phones, tablets and computers all open a PDF on their own. If small type is hard on your eyes, the large-print copy has nothing under 14-point.

I can’t find my download.

Look in your email for a message from Gumroad. Search for the word Gumroad, and check the junk or spam folder too. If you have more than one email address, check the one you typed when you paid.

The link in that email takes you back to your files, as many times as you need. If the email is gone, Gumroad holds the files, so ask at the help page on gumroad.com and give them the address you bought with.

Do I need a kettle grill?

The book is written for a plain 22-inch charcoal kettle, a chimney, tongs and a thermometer. Nearly every grill recipe also has a Team June oven version, so a rainy week doesn’t stop supper.

I have a gas grill. Will it work?

Mostly. Leave one burner off and that’s your cool side. The times will run different, so go by the thermometer. The charcoal lessons won’t mean much to you.

Are the prices right for my store?

They’re rough fall 2026 numbers, and yours will differ. Each chapter has a column for writing in your own.

Does it cover food safety?

Yes. Safe temperatures follow the USDA chart, and they’re on every recipe that cooks meat, fish or eggs. There’s a Read This First section up front. Use a food thermometer.

What’s in the add-on?

The Grill Cheat Sheet is 7 pages to keep by the grill, for $10. You choose it at checkout. You don’t need it to use the book.

What if it isn’t for me?

Thirty days to change your mind. If the book isn’t what you wanted, reply through your Gumroad receipt within 30 days and you get your money back.

Questions and refunds are handled through your Gumroad receipt.

Supper for two, not supper for twelve.

Get the book, $27

Digital PDF set. Nothing ships. 30-day guarantee.

Get the book, $27