Time to Fire Up the Grill for Father’s Day

Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto, by Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay
If the barbecue mecca of the world is Texas, the most sacred temple is Franklin Barbecue, a multiple-award-winning and super-popular restaurant in Austin owned by Aaron Franklin and his wife. Franklin is finally bringing the world his barbecue secrets in this debut book, which shares way more than recipes: you’ll learn how to build your own smoker, create the perfect fire, and select the best meat for your feast. He also takes you behind the scenes, narrating daily life at Franklin Barbecue, with tons of photos.

How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques, A Barbecue Bible! Cookbook, by Steven Raichlen
From barbecue beginners to experienced grillers who want tips on perfecting their techniques, this book has plenty for everyone. Raichlen, host of PBS shows Primal Grill and Barbecue University, has packed this tome with everything he knows about grilling: you’ll get a primer on caring for your grill, as well as the best practices for grilling a dizzying number of meats, vegetables, and even desserts. (S’mores, anyone?) Nearly every recipe—from a skewer of shrimp to a whole turkey—in this 512-page grilling bible comes with full-color step-by-step photos.

Flavorize: Great Marinades, Injections, Brines, Rubs, and Glazes, by Ray “Dr. BBQ” Lampe
You have to trust a guy who goes by the name Dr. BBQ. In this, the trucker-turned-chef’s latest cookbook in a series of grilling guides, the focus is on the marinades, injections, rubs, brines, and glazes to take your grilling to the next level, no matter what meat you’re cooking. How about a turkey with a whiskey-butter injection, or rib-eyes with a Coke soak? Whatever your taste, the doctor has a prescription for you.

A Taste of Cowboy: Ranch Recipes and Tales from the Trail, by Kent and Shannon Rollins
Your dad’s fantasies of leaving paved roads behind and hitting the trails may never be fulfilled, so give him the next-best thing: a guide for how to live like a cowboy, at least in the culinary sense. Kent Rollins, a former Chopped contestant, has been cooking for cattle ranches for more than 20 years. He’s got all the knowledge necessary to make you feel like a cowboy—from dozens of recipes, to stories of life on the trail, to a cowboy glossary so you can use words like “cow camp” and “buffalo chips” with authenticity. It’s a beautiful book, with full-page photos of the Rollinses’ ranch and the simple comfort food they cook up.

The Official John Wayne Way to Grill: Recipes and Stories Shared by Duke’s Family, by the editors of John Wayne Magazine
If your dad likes Duke and knows his way around the kitchen (or just a burger), then we can’t think of a more perfect gift. This book, published by John Wayne Enterprises, is stuffed with recipes for all of Wayne’s favorite dishes, along with family photos, movie stills, an intro by Wayne’s son Ethan, and Duke trivia (like the fact that he weighed 13 pounds at birth—“twice the weight of the average beef tenderloin”). Your dad can serve up a spice-rubbed flank steak and “better-than-good guacamole” at his next screening of Rio Bravo.

Smokin’ with Myron Mixon: Recipes Made Simple, from the Winningest Man in Barbecue, by Myron Mixon and Kelly Alexander, foreword by Paula Deen
As the star of TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters and winner of countless prizes in the world of competitive barbecue, Myron Mixon has lots of secrets to share—and in his debut book, that’s exactly what he does. His trademark tip is to keep it simple, so expect a lot of back-to-basics advice throughout these 75 award-winning recipes. Score a copy for your dad in time for Father’s Day. Then tell him that in lieu of a thank-you card, you’ll also accept some of Myron’s world-famous cupcake chicken.
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