If you haven't figured it out yet Father's Day is just around the corner. As in tomorrow. And if you haven't bothered to start your shopping yet you just may be outta luck. Better start thinking "homemade". OK, maybe there's still hope, and it comes in the form of the last grilling book your dad may ever need, 1,001 Best Grilling Recipes: Delicious, Easy-to-Make Recipes From Around the World.

Just out from our friends at Agate Surrey Publishing, 1,001 Best Grilling Recipes is the latest in their famous "1,001" series of books. Written by Rick Browne, host of the PBS TV series "Barbecue America" and the author of seven earlier cookbooks, this tome is crammed with tried and true techniques, helpful tips and tricks, and just about everything else the aspiring pitmaster could use. Did I mention that it's got over a thousand recipes?

From Beer Burgers to Dragon Ribs to Buttered Bourbon Onions, this book has something for everyone. And don't worry if dad's not all that good with the grill, the book kicks off with Rick's key tips to effective grilling. Think of them as training wheels for the charcoal challenged.
$13.62
AgatePublishing.com

It's finally here, grilling season. Time to start thinking meat, fire and sear marks. Also time to make sure you (and Dad) have all the gear you'll need to hit the coals running this season. Our friends over at Cost Plus World Market have decided to lend us a hand this year with a selection of grilling accessories that are sure to come in handy the next time you've got the need to put flesh to flame.

Applewood Grilling Planks

Whether your grilling chicken or a nice cut of salmon, nothing adds flavor quite like a slab of wood. Rather than messing around with all those wood chips and eyes filled with smoke-induced tears World Market's applewood grilling planks make it easy. Just soak the two food-safe applewood planks in water so they don't burn, put your animal flesh of choice on said planks and place right on your grill. After that it's just a matter of closing the lid and letting the heat do all the work. As I've always said, meat + wood = good.
$14.99
Applewood Grilling Planks

4-Piece Grill Station

Keeping your gear organized while you're grilling is just as important as keeping the raw separated from the cooked, so how about ...There's more

When I was at Kingsford U last month I found a new favorite grilling tool. That I got hooked on. And fortunately when I got back, they sent me one to use at home. (Yeah, I know, my job sucks.)

The Grill Grate does more than make grilling easier, it makes it better. I know you're calling shenanigans on that, especially if you dropped big bucks on your grill, but its unique design makes is the secret.

Unlike other drop-on-the-top grates that are made to use for vegetables, fish and other small or fragile foods, the Grill Grate is designed to catch the escaping juices, and have them sizzle below your food, not cause flare-ups that can dry out your meats. Holes allow the fat to drain out, and you don't have to worry about ...There's more

By now you've seen or read about, or even tasted, the newest trend to hit your local bar: meat infused booze.

The technical term for adding meaty goodness to your favorite spirit is "fat washing," and the most typical fat washed liquor you may have run across is bacon vodka. (Both delicious and mood altering.) But mixologists worldwide are experimenting with all kinds of meats, and adding them to all kinds of spirits. With whiskeys and bourbons being the next most popular - their deep, rich, smokey flavor is a perfect compliment to the deep, rich, smokey flavor of the meat.

So whether you want to add some bacon to your vodka for a next-level Bloody Mary, or some corned beef to your whiskey for an unforgettable St. Patrick's Day cocktail, you'll definitely want to have some of these meat infused spirits on hand.

But there is a right way and a wrong way to fat wash. Some just stuff the cooked meat into the bottle and let it soak for days or weeks, then strain out the solids. And that can work, but there is a much better way. And it yields a lot more flavor. While at Kingsford U, Josh Perry, the mixologist from Pican restaurant in Oakland, CA, showed us the proper technique for getting the most flavor out of whatever you choose to infuse. So grab some meat, a bottle of your favorite spirit, fire up the grill, and get to fat washing.

Here's How to Fat Wash:
1. Start a fire in your grill. Place a large aluminum pan directly on the coals, positioned to catch the drippings of the meat above.

2. Place enough meat on the grill to render at least 1 1/2-3 ounces of fat. For example, 5 slices of bacon should ...There's more

That's right, grilled cocktails. You love the smokey flavor some time over the fire adds to your meat and chicken, so why not get the same delicious flavor in your drinks, too?

When I was at Kingsford U this past weekend, they introduced us to the art of 'cued cocktails: drinks that include grilled and smoked ingredients. And I'm not talking about using a rib as a swizzle stick (which we definitely did, but more on that in another post), I'm talking about using fresh citrus and smokey syrups that have had some time over charcoal heat.

The result is a drink that not only has rich, intense, smokey flavors, but also pairs perfectly with the food you're barbecuing. Below you'll find recipes for Grilled Lemonade and Smokey Southern Sangria. Each feature Four Roses Bourbon, which adds a completely different dimension to the drinks, but for a virgin version of the Grilled Lemonade, you can leave it out for those who are driving but still want to enjoy.

And these should give you some inspiration to come up with your own grilled version of drinks. I'm planning some Hickory Smoked OJ to pair with my bacon and eggs breakfast tomorrow.

Grilled Lemonade
Recipe by Marcus Wang, Senior Scientist, Kingsford Charcoal
Makes: 1 64 oz pitcher
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

6 lbs of lemons (About 16 lemons)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of honey
2 rosemary sprigs (optional)
1 cup Four Roses Bourbon
Ice

1. Cut the lemons in half and dip the cut half in the sugar. Set aside in a tray to be grilled.

2. Combine water, sugar, and honey in a saucepan or disposable aluminum foil tray. Add in a couple of rosemary sprigs. (Optional, but delicious.)

3. Heat up a grill with Kingsford charcoal to medium-high heat. For additional rosemary flavor, throw a handful of rosemary sprigs on the hot coals just prior to grilling.

4. Grill the lemons cut-side down until ...There's more

One of the most common grilling questions I get isn't "What marinade or rub should I use?", it's "What cut of beef should I get for the fire?"

Knowing what meat works best on the grill is one of those "men should just know" bits of information like how to change oil, program electronics, or why she isn't talking to us.

Sure, we know what cut to order in a top steakhouse, but when we're standing in front of the meat case at the local store, we can get that deer in the headlights look. So many choices. So many delicious cuts. But the bottom line is not all of those juicy, marbled beauties work best on the grill.

That's why the Meat Masters over at The Beef Checkoff put together this comprehensive and essential guide to beef. I got a copy when I was polishing my grilling skills at Kingsford U this past weekend. It not only shows where each cut is taken from and what it looks like, but there are handy icons under each that let us know what cooking method works best for that cut. (And as a bonus, the lean cuts are highlighted, for those of us meat lovers watching our fat intake.)

To get the full-sized copy of the chart, suitable for printing and posting near your grill, click the thumbnail image below. Then light that fire and get grilling.



For more info, head over to beefboard.org.

This past weekend I was invited once again to attend Kingsford U, the 3-day grillfest where the charcoal giant brings together food writers, barbecue lovers and pitmasters in an orgy of flame-seared meat, drinking, shared knowledge and general merriment. (Considering they took us to Las Vegas, and threw a giant tailgate at the speedway for the NASCAR race, there was a lot of general merriment.)

And even though I can hold my own around a grill, there's always more to learn. So here are seven of the bits of barbecue wisdom imparted on us this weekend. (Expect to see full posts on most of them this week.)

1. You can barbecue drinks.

And the grilled version of lemonade blows the "raw" version away. Add some bourbon (Four Roses was our bourbon of choice), and you've got a summer cocktail that'll make pina coladas and rum runners weep in their beach chairs. (Recipes for this and grilled southen sangria this week.)

2. You don't need fancy equipment to get the job done.

We did most of our grilling on these Webers. And they rose to the occasion.

3. But if you do want to go high-end, go custom.

The boys at Pitmaker have masterminded some of the wildest portable custom rigs for the most serious barbecue competitors. This one included ...There's more

Baseball season is around the corner and that means tailgating season will be gearing up as well. Any excuse to light a flame and sear some meat. But space is limited for supplies. You can't be packing cookbooks in with your tongs, condiments and paper towels. Plus when you're elbows deep in ground sirloin and kosher dogs, you don't have time to pull out a cookbook and start looking for ideas. The better way to go is to have those grilling recipes on your phone.

Steven Raichlen, author of a ton of grilling books, including The Barbecue Bible, and a man Oprah herself called "the Gladiator of Grilling," has personally selected 31 of his favorite all-time recipes and compiled them in one inexpensive e-book.

For less than $4 bucks you can download Raichlen's Tailgating! 31 Righteous Recipes for On-the-Go Grilling and have classics like Goat Cheese and Dried Tomato Poppers, the Bratwurst "Hot Tub," Santa Maria Tri-Tip, Beer-Barbecued Chicken Wings, and even desserts like Coconut-Grilled Pineapple, right at your fingertips. Without the extra weight and bulk. Of the book. Your extra weight and bulk I can't vouch for.

Download from B&N and Amazon

When all the holiday rippin' and a tearin' is done, and you wake from your post christm-oital nap, you'll look around and realize you didn't get nearly everything you wanted.

That's where Your Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Gift Guides comes in. Available for the rest of the year, it links you to over a dozen guides, with more than 200 of the most desirable guy gadgets, gear, tech toys, party must-haves, fashions, food, liquor, and more. So when you return that hideous green tie that Aunt Edna gave you, you'll know exactly what to do with the money. Think of it as your road map to awesome. Who says Christmas only comes once a year?

The Ultimate Tailgater's Checklist and Gift Guide

The Ultimate Bacon Lover's Gift Guide

The Ultimate Beer Lover's Gift Guide

Your Ultimate Guide to Gifting with Liquor

The Ultimate Gift Guide for the Well Dressed Man

The Ultimate Gamer's Gift Guide

The Ultimate Movie Lover's Gift Guide ...There's more

If you're a tailgate vet you know how important it is to have all your gear packed and ready to go. And unless you've got a checklist, something always gets left behind. And it's usually something important.

So whether you're headed to the stadium this weekend, or have a die-hard tailgate fanatic on your holiday gift list, use this comprehensive checklist/gift guide to make sure you don't forget a single thing.

TAILGATER'S CHECKLIST AND GIFT GUIDE:

FOR COOKING:
Knives. Ever try to run a grill without a good, all purpose knife? Impossible. Pack this Dragon Dagger from Guy Fieri and Ergo Chef, and you get a multi-purpose utility knife with a serrated edge for slicing meat, bread, sandwiches and anything else you slide under it, and fork prongs on the front for picking up food. And at 5-1/2 inches, it'll fit in any gear bag.
$45
ErgoChef.com

Cutting Board You don't want to be slicing that perfectly grilled pork loin on your folding table. Pack this heavy duty glass cutting board made for gridiron parties.
$26.95
Amazon.com

Long Fork. Strictly for cutting, NOT for turning meat.

Spatula. This is for turning meat, especially burgers. Or better yet...

Tongs. You want to turn your meat while it's grilling? Use tongs. They grab without piercing and letting all the juices out. These Pro Tongs
give you 3 ways to flip your food: a jagged edge for hearty foods like steaks, a scalloped edge for more delicate foods like fish, and a straight edge for handling those small veggies.
9" ($25), 12"($25), and 16" ($30)
www.isinorthamerica.com

Apron / Oven Mitt. You don't want to get barbecue sauce on your custom jersey, and you don't want to handle a still-hot grill grate with your bare hands. Pack this apron and oven mitt set, and you'll also get a pot holder for that crawfish boil you were planning.
$19.75
BarbecueGrillsAndMore.com

Cooking Fuel. Who needs to pack an entire bag of charcoal, or a bulky propane tank? FlameDisk fuel is made from solidified ethanol, a renewable biofuel that's clean and safe. It lights instantly and burns for ...There's more