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Father’s Day always reminds me of the kickoff to summer. As long as I can remember we’ve cooked out on the grill.
I wouldn’t claim we are experts at grilling, but living off grid, we are pretty darn close. The dad’s in your life will absolutely LOVE our Father’s Day Dinner ideas and recipes!
1- Grilled Ribs
Ribs and Father’s Day Dinner just go hand in hand. Pair your BBQ ribs with some corn on the cob and homemade potato salad and you have a meal fit for a king!
We like to cook our ribs low and slow so they fall off the bone when you bite them. Place the ribs on the grill about 300° for two hours. Add the sauce during the last 30 minutes or so.
Homemade Pork Seasoning Rub:
You can use this rub on pork or beef ribs.
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- One tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- One teaspoon cayenne
See the full recipe here The Best Pork Ribs on A Gas Grill by The Country Cook
Want to add some homemade gourmet salt to your ribs, steaks, or burgers? Check out our DIY Smoked Sea Salt DIY Father’s Day Presents.
2- Grilled Steak
A good piece of meat should be able to speak for itself. No fancy sauces required, just a little seasoning and a grill. Perfection!
Pick one of our suggested cuts of meat for your Father’s Day Dinner, add some dry rub to your steak, cook on the grill until desired doneness, then enjoy.
Our favorite side dishes to eat with a steak are baked potatoes and grilled asparagus. We grow our own asparagus and we generally have some fresh still growing for Father’s Day that we can harvest.
Cuts of Steak
- Flank
- New York Strip
- Skirt
- Ribeye
- Tenderloin
- Prime Rib
- Filet
- Sirloin
- Porterhouse
- T-Bone
Basic Steak Rub Recipe
- 2 tablespoons sea salt flakes
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
3- Hamburgers
Are you new to cooking burgers on the grill? No worries, the experts at Kingsford Charcoal share step-by-step instructions of cooking hamburgers.
- 80% lean ground beef 1½ pounds (divided into four 6 oz patties)
- salt and pepper to taste
- sliced cheese
- hamburger buns
- tomatoes
- onion
- lettuce
Bring your Father’s Day Dinner Burgers to the next level by making some homemade burger buns. Jill from The Prairie Homestead has a really good bun recipe you need to try.
4- Grilled Beer Brats
For that perfect Beer Brat you’ll want to simmer the brats in beer for a little while then finish up cooking on the grill. Top them off with some spicy mustard, caramelized onions and coleslaw.
Beer Brats Ingredients
- 1 pound bratwurst (4-6 sausages)
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 24 ounces beer of choice
See the full Beer Brats Recipe at Plays Well With Butter
5- Hot Dogs
Want to keep the grilling simple but still have an impressive meal for Father’s Day Dinner? Throw some hot dogs on the grill but add a toppings bar to bring those dogs from boring to amazing!
Hot Dog Toppings
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Onions (grilled or raw)
- Chili
- Pickle Relish
- Chow Chow
- Coleslaw
- Melted Cheese
- Chopped Bacon
- Jalapeño
Hot Dog Sides
Add some side dishes to your loaded hot dogs too!
- Potato Chips
- Potato Salad
- Cole Slaw
- Baked Beans
- Cold Bean Salad
- Pickles
- Home Fries or French Fries
- Watermelon
The Pioneer Woman, Best Baked Beans Ever
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, halved
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
- 3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans
- 3/4 c. barbecue sauce
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. distilled or cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon
6- Grilled Trout
If you took our suggestion for Father’s Day Weekend and went fishing, you’ll want to cook your catch for Father’s Day Dinner.
Fish is a white, tender and flakey meat. Due to its delicate nature, fish tends to fall apart when grilled. Fish baskets help hold your fish together while grilling. You can purchase them pretty much anywhere or you can use a baking stone to cook on.
Depending on the size of the trout you’re cooking, you’ll want to grill it about 5-7 minutes per side. Cook until the internal temperature is 145 ° F.
Grilled Trout Recipe
- 1 whole rainbow trout cleaned and gutted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 3 slices lemon
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- Fresh dill
- Sprig fresh parsley
- 1 garlic clove sliced
Continue to follow this recipe at Ol Blue Dog – How to Grill A Trout
7- Pork Chops
Grilled Pork Chops are an underappreciated grilled meat. They are versatile like chicken and adapt well to many cuisines, from BBQ to Mexican.
This recipe uses black pepper and rosemary for a flavor that will make your palettes jump for this Father’s Day Dinner.
Pepper and Rosemary Grilled Pork Chop Recipe
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
- One teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- A tablespoon butter, softened
- 4 (1/2-inch-thick) rib pork chops
For cooking instructions, visit Pepper-Rubbed Pork Chops
8- BBQ Chicken
So good it’ll make your tongue slap your brains out! BBQ Chicken on the grill for Father’s Day Dinner is sure to be a winner. Add a baked potato or potato salad, corn on the cob or our cold bean salad, and you have a meal that will make any dad happy.
Chicken does take a little longer to cook than other meats so allow some time in your meal planning.
- chicken thighs
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- smoked paprika
- kosher salt
- pepper
- bbq sauce
9- Kabobs
Kabobs are a fun meal that can please any pallet. From those that like chicken or just like steak, including those that are vegetarian or have allergy issues.
Along with the proteins I just mentioned, some other ingredients you can use for kabobs are
- Pork
- Shrimp
- Steak
- Chicken
- Peppers- Green Bell, Yellow, Red
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Yellow Squash
- Onions
- Pineapple
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cooked Baby Potatoes
- Eggplant
In addition to the kabob ingredients, you’ll want to get a pack of bamboo skewers and soak them for about 30 mins before grilling to prevent burning.
Thread the meat and veggies onto the skewers: Cut the vegetables into chunks roughly the width of the protein pieces.
You can soak the protein overnight in a teriyaki sauce for an amazing flavor to your kabobs.
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce
- ½ cup honey
- One half teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ pinch ground ginger
For Grilling Instructions, See KABOBS
10- Vegetarian Dinner
Whether your dad is a vegetarian or you’re looking for a vegetable dish for your Father’s Day Dinner, this recipe is for you. Fresh grilled vegetables are a wonderful addition to any meal. Add some wild rice and fresh fruit for a stand alone meal.
- 3 red bell peppers, seeded and halved
- One pound yellow squash (about 3 total) sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
- 3 zucchini (about 12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
- 3 Japanese eggplant (12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
- 12 cremini mushrooms
- 1 bunch (1-pound) asparagus, trimmed
- 12 green onions, roots cut off
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- Half teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
For complete cooking instructions visit Food Network-Grilled Vegetables
Father’s Day Weekend Plans
How about a camping trip to go with your Father’s Day Dinner plans? Or maybe a day on the lake to catch that fresh trout for dinner. We have 10 ways for you to enjoy your father for a whole weekend that we know he’ll enjoy and appreciate.
Let us know if you tried any of our recipes or weekend plans. If you have a recipe that your dad loved, please share it with us!