Steven Raichlen’s Ultimate Father’s Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day is coming. It won’t be mistaken for Mother’s Day. No breakfast in bed. No noisy restaurant brunch cooked by chefs who would rather be home with their own kids or dads. Just dads doing what they love best: cooking for their families and strutting their stuff at the grill.

Fathers, of course, can be notoriously difficult to shop for.  To help you out, I’ve assembled the ultimate Father’s Day gift guide, including essentials and luxuries for all budgets and levels of skill. These are gifts that will thrill and, yes, involve a grill.

From all of us in the Workman family: Happy Father’s Day.

$25 or less

Project Smoke:
My latest book, released May 4^th, is a must have for dads who are ready to take their live-fire cooking game to the next level, promising 7 steps to smoked food nirvana and 100 irresistible recipes.

Best of Barbecue Ultimate Suede Grilling Gloves:
Generously sized, these handsome black and orange suede grilling gloves protect both your hands and forearms from heat and fire. Voted tops in the category by Cook’s Illustrated magazine.

$50 or less

Best of Barbecue Steak Knife Set:
These hefty knives won’t just feel fantastic in Dad’s hand, they’ll cut through steaks and chops like they’re butter. This set of 4 features razor-sharp serrated stainless steel blades and polished pakkawood handles. For an over-the-top gift, bundle them with premium steaks or a gift card from your local butcher shop.

$100 or less

PolyScience Smoking Gun:
Think of it as a wood smoker in pistol form. Or  a bong for smoking hickory instead of, well, you know. Insert the rubber tube in a pitcher of bloody Marys, a bowl of mayonnaise, or ice cream. Then cover with plastic wrap to seal in the smoke. Let smolder for 5 minutes, and you’ll understand why the Smoking Gun is my favorite smoke delivery device of the season.

**Watch me use the Smoking Gun to make Smoked Ice Cream and Shrimp Cocktail on “Good Morning Washington.”**

Lodge L410 Pre-Seasoned Sportsman Charcoal Grill:
It’s perfect for a party of two. Or buy two, and urge Dad to grill appetizers on it when he hosts larger parties. Not only is the grill pre-seasoned, but it features a convenient drop-down door so you can add charcoal as needed and a vent to regulate heat. It comes with a lifetime warranty, too. How often do you see that? Ideal for people who have downsized, but still have a patio.

Looftlighter 70018 Fire Lighting Tool:
The coolest fire-starter ever. Called the Looftlighter, it was engineered by a Swedish inventor to super-heat air to a temperature of 1256 degrees and can light a wood or charcoal fire in minutes. Or, you could give Dad a flame-thrower. Ask Mom first. 

Sky’s the limit

Barbecue University:
Give Dad a gift certificate for Barbecue University, 2017. It’s an unforgettable experience. He’ll enjoy three amazing days of smoking and grilling at the luxurious Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with the world’s foremost authority on live fire cooking. For more information, contact the Broadmoor at 855-634-7711.

Weber Summit Charcoal Grill:
Since its debut in April, this innovative grill  (Weber’s take on a kamado-style cooker) has the barbecue community buzzing. Double-walled steel construction assures heat retention. The adjustable height charcoal grate, hinged lid, gas ignition, and 24-inch grill grate are all pluses.