Dry Rubs (the DIY Father's Day gift where everyone wins)

Father's Day is just around the corner. I would know. It is always the same weekend as my birthday. But self centered kidding aside, Father's Day is almost upon us. And if you are looking to give a personal, inexpensive or last minute gift, then give good old dad something homemade. Pictures are great (trust me, our home is practically wallpapered in my kids pictures). But how about a super tasty dry rub to spice up the day dedicated to all things dad?

Whether or not you're on the hunt for a Father's Day gift, dry rubs are something you are going to want for a beautiful summer of grilling anyway. Few things are more iconic and linked to summer than beaches (something we know here about in Hawaii) and grilling. We all know dad (or maybe you) want to show off your grill master skills for summer.

If this is a Father's Day gift, it is such a fun one to do with kids. They can make their own labels, and you can stick it on a Mason jar. Kids can help you measure and take pride in giving daddy/mommy something homemade. Then when everyone eats together, it gets even better.

The first rub we are going to talk about is an Ancho Chile Brown Sugar dry rub. I am in love with this rub. Truly. I was kinda messing around and hit the jackpot on this one. I put it on chicken all the time, but it is also incredible for pork. It has a mild smoky spice to it with the ancho chile, but it is also sweet and salty.

We are also making a spicy coffee rub that pairs great with a brisket and even steaks. Coffee rubs go great on steak. But I also love adding layers of flavor that continue to build on your taste buds. So again I add a bit of sugar for caramelization and just a pinch of cayenne for heat.

The beauty of making your own dry rubs is that you can alter them ever so slightly to your personal preferences.

Ancho Brown Sugar Dry Rub

(Chicken/Pork)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ancho chile powder

2 tbsp salt

1/4 cup garlic powder

2 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup onion powder

2 tbsp corriander

1/2-1 tsp cayenne

1. Just combine all ingredients into a Mason Jar and shake or stir until well blended.

2. When you're ready to use, just coat the meat of choice generously and cook as desired.

I use this dry rub on chicken for this salad and it is great for tacos too! Honestly, this is on of my favorite chicken rubs. In fact, we just did tacos with it and I had someone tell me it is the best chicken they had ever had. This guy is studying to become a priest, so I am pretty sure he isn't just trying to flatter me. Haha.