Hi Reader,

Father’s Day planning is really just future-you doing present-you a solid.
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A few decisions made now can spare you the holiday classic: standing in the kitchen at 4:12 p.m., holding an empty platter, wondering why every good idea has suddenly left the building and taken the car keys.
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I learned this the hard way, which is how I learn most things. There’s nothing quite like deciding to “keep it simple” and then, two hours later, realizing you’re making three marinades, hunting for the good tongs, and arguing with a bag of charcoal like it owes you money.
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Father’s Day doesn’t need that kind of drama.
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What it needs is a menu with shape. Something hearty enough for the dads, uncles, partners, brothers, and honorary grill masters who claim they “don’t need anything special,” then proceed to inspect the ribs with the seriousness of a Vatican inquiry.
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Plan the big things now. The main dish. The sides. Something sweet. Then leave the day loose enough for second helpings, long stories, and the happy clatter of a table that refuses to hurry.
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Because the point isn’t perfection. It’s feeding the people who fed us, fixed things badly but confidently, taught us questionable life lessons, and somehow made “hold the flashlight steady” sound like military service.

The Father’s Day Head Start

• Choose the main event now. Ribs, steak, chicken, burgers, seafood—pick the anchor so the rest of the menu has somewhere to go.
• Make one thing ahead. Potato salad, slaw, dessert, marinade, sauce. Future-you will look back and whisper, “You magnificent genius.”
• Build in something snackable. Dads hover. It’s what they do. Give them nuts, dip, olives, deviled eggs, or something grilled to “test.”
• Don’t let the grill run the whole show. Have at least one side that doesn’t require flame, timing, or someone named Gary offering unsolicited advice.
• Leave room for lingering. The best Father’s Day meals don’t end when everyone’s full. They end when the stories run out. Which, in my family, means never.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Smoked Prime Rib​
• ​Bacon Infused Bourbon​
• ​Salt-Crusted Beef Tenderloin​
• ​Cornmeal Crusted Fried Chicken​
• ​Cowboy Steaks With Guinness Sauce​
• ​Red Wine Braised Beef​
• ​Grilled Flank Steak With Chile Rub​
• ​Texas-Style Chili With Pork & Brisket​
• ​Cedar Plank–Grilled Salmon​

​Smoked Prime Rib​

This smoked prime rib, coated with a sugar spice rub and smothered with a horseradish mustard mixture, becomes slowly infused with smoky flavor and is simply the best prime rib we've ever tried.

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​Bacon Infused Bourbon​

Bacon-infused bourbon tastes exactly like what you'd expect. Bacon that's slowly cooked to smoky loveliness and then dropped in your favorite bourbon. Sip it neat or use it to doctor up your favorite drinks.

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​Salt-Crusted Beef Tenderloin​

This salt-crusted beef tenderloin from Gabrielle Hamilton is perfect for special occasion—birthdays, dinner parties, Christmas. An optional tomato-garlic bread crumb salsa only adds to its allure.

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​Cornmeal Crusted Fried Chicken​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 from 10 votes

This cornmeal-crusted fried chicken from Sydney Meers, thanks to a quick brine and an easy dredge in flour and cornmeal, turns out tender, juicy meat, and shatteringly crisp skin. Here's how to make it.

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​Cowboy Steaks With Guinness Sauce​

Cowboy steaks with Guinness sauce are simply bone in rib eyes, which are known as cowboy steaks by old-time butchers, seared in a skillet and embellished with a simple yet complex pan sauce. You could satisfy a couple noncowboys apiece with these or keep one all to yourself and indulge the next morning in the extravagance of leftover rib eye and eggs for breakfast.

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​Red Wine Braised Beef​

This red wine braised beef is made by slow cooking an inexpensive beef roast in red wine, beef broth, carrot, onion, and celery until fall-apart tender. An Italian classic. Simple, elegant, and ideal for entertaining.

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​Grilled Flank Steak With Chile Rub​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.73 from 18 votes

This grilled flank steak with chile rub relies on a quick and easy dry rub of cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic, and cayenne rather than a long-soaking marinade so you can toss it together at the last minute without hassle. Perfect for tacos.

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​Texas-Style Chili With Pork & Brisket​

For those who want a quick version of this: just eat the cooked bacon and shoot the tequila . . . I won’t tell a soul and just might join you.

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​Cedar Plank–Grilled Salmon​

This easy cedar plank grilled salmon is made on your grill with a simple Asian-inspired glaze of wasabi, sugar, soy sauce, and ginger.

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