MEMBER SUBMITTED DAD RECIPES
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Smoked Backyard Burgers
Simple as it gets – ground chuck, salt, pepper, toss on the smoker till med-well. Add a fat slice of cheddar and let it melt while you grab another beer.
Ground chuck, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, buns
Form patties, season both sides, and smoke at 250°F for 20–25 mins. Top with cheddar, rest 5 mins, then serve on buns.
Mike
Kansas City, MO
Dad’s Rib Rub Rumble
Been runnin this rub since '08. Brown sugar, paprika, garlic, and that secret dash of instant coffee. Let em sit overnight, low n slow 4 hours.
Pork ribs, brown sugar, paprika, garlic, instant coffee
Rub ribs heavy, wrap in plastic overnight. Smoke at 225°F for 3 hours, wrap in foil with a splash of apple juice, then finish unwrapped for the last 45 mins.
Tony
Tuscaloosa, AL
Garage Steak Tips
Cut up sirloin, Worcestershire bath, cracked pepper, throw on skewers. Great when the kids steal half before dinner.
Sirloin steak, Worcestershire sauce, pepper
Cube steak, marinate 1 hr in Worcestershire. Skewer and grill over high heat 3–4 mins each side.
Rick
Fort Wayne, IN
Beer Brat Bliss
Boil em in beer with onions first, then finish em on the grill. Classic tailgate move, don’t skip the spicy mustard.
Bratwurst, onions, beer, mustard
Boil brats in beer/onions 15 mins. Move to grill and char on medium heat for 10–15 mins. Serve hot with mustard.
Aaron
Green Bay, WI
Midnight Smash Burgers
When the baby's asleep and I’m starving. Smash thin, real butter on the flat top, crisp edges – boom, done.
Ground beef, butter, cheese, buns
Form small balls, place on hot flat top, smash with spatula, add butter, cook 2 mins each side, top with cheese, serve.
Kyle
Tampa, FL
Dadbod Drumsticks
Honey, hot sauce, and BBQ glaze. Toss on indirect heat till sticky. Gets messy, but that’s the point.
Chicken drumsticks, honey, hot sauce, BBQ sauce
Mix glaze, brush on drumsticks, grill indirect heat 35–40 mins flipping often, brush again near the end.
Jeff
Toledo, OH
Sunday Smoke Show
Brisket rubbed with coffee, chili powder, and a lil love. 12 hours on the Traeger, 12 beers later – perfection.
Beef brisket, coffee, chili powder, salt, pepper
Rub brisket heavy, smoke at 225°F until internal hits 195°F, wrap and rest 1 hr before slicing.
Brett
Nashville, TN
Grindhouse Wings
Garlic parm with crushed chips for crunch. Yep, chips. Don’t judge till you try it.
Chicken wings, garlic, parmesan, potato chips
Season wings, grill medium heat 30 mins turning often. Toss in garlic butter and crushed chips with parm.
Cole
Phoenix, AZ
Back Porch Tacos
Grilled chicken thighs, chopped small, squeeze lime, toss in tortillas. Add kid’s leftover cheese from lunch – done.
Chicken thighs, tortillas, lime, cheese
Season chicken, grill 6–8 mins per side, chop, toss with lime, fill tortillas, top with cheese.
Shawn
Louisville, KY
Dad Fuel Skewers
Chicken + pineapple + bacon, glaze with teriyaki, flip till it’s glossy. Easy crowd pleaser.
Chicken breast, pineapple, bacon, teriyaki sauce
Skewer chicken, pineapple, bacon, brush teriyaki, grill 10–12 mins turning and glazing often.
Marty
Omaha, NE
Late Shift Ribs
Start at midnight, wrap in foil by 2, eat by 11am. Coffee rub, sweet sauce finish. That’s therapy right there.
Ribs, coffee rub, BBQ sauce, foil
Rub ribs, smoke 5 hrs at 225°F, wrap 2 hrs in foil with butter/sauce, unwrap, glaze last hour.
Brandon
Detriot, MI
The Grinder’s Dog
Split the dogs, grill face down, load with chili and shredded cheddar. Paper plates required.
Hot dogs, chili, cheddar, buns
Slice dogs lengthwise, grill until crispy edges, top with warm chili and cheddar, serve in buns.
Steve
Columbus, OH
Charcoal Chop Shop
Thick pork chops brined in pickle juice overnight. Sounds weird, tastes wild.
Pork chops, pickle juice, seasoning
Brine chops overnight in pickle juice. Pat dry, season, grill 8–10 mins per side till 145°F inside.
Nate
Tulsa, OK
Dad’s Cajun Catch
Catfish fillets dusted heavy with Cajun spice, throw on cast iron over coals. Cold beer mandatory.
Catfish fillets, Cajun seasoning, oil
Oil skillet, coat catfish in spice, grill over coals 5 mins each side till flaky.
Luke
Lafayette, IN
Gameday Quesadillas
Leftover brisket + cheese + tortillas on the grill press. Dads call it recycling.
Brisket, tortillas, cheese
Layer brisket and cheese in tortilla, grill press 3 mins each side till melted and crispy.
Chris
Denver, CO
Firepit Flatbread
Grilled naan, olive oil, mozz, whatever’s in the fridge. I use leftover pulled pork – trust me.
Naan, mozzarella, pulled pork, olive oil
Brush naan with oil, top with cheese/meat, grill 3–5 mins till cheese melts.
Dylan
Spokane, WA
Built After Bedtime Burger
Midnight grill sesh, topped with a fried egg and hot sauce. It hits different after baby bedtime.
Ground beef, egg, cheese, hot sauce, buns
Grill burgers, fry an egg, assemble with cheese and hot sauce, demolish quietly.
Ryan
Indianapolis, IN
Garage-Built Kabobs
Marinate whatever meat’s cheap in Italian dressing. That’s the secret. Don’t overthink it.
Chicken or beef, Italian dressing, veggies
Marinate 2 hrs, skewer with veggies, grill 4–5 mins each side till cooked through.
Danny
Mobile, AL
Honey Heat Wings
Honey, Frank’s, a pinch of cayenne. Grill high heat, flip often. Sweet burn every time.
Chicken wings, honey, hot sauce, cayenne
Mix sauce, grill wings 30 mins flipping often, toss in honey-hot mix before serving.
Leo
Fresno, CA
Basement BBQ Chicken
Prebake in the oven, finish on the grill when it’s not raining. Still counts as grillin’.
Chicken pieces, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper
Bake chicken 25 mins at 350°F, finish on grill 10–15 mins basting with sauce.
Adam
Cleveland, OH
Dad-Fuel Burgers
Mix burger meat with chopped bacon, grill, melt cheese. Kids think it’s restaurant stuff.
Ground beef, bacon, cheese, buns
Mix chopped bacon into beef, form patties, grill 5–6 mins per side, top with cheese.
Mark
St. Paul, MN
Sunday Steak Sandwich
Leftover ribeye sliced thin on toasted buns with onions. Dads call it breakfast.
Ribeye steak, onions, buns, butter
Sauté onions in butter, reheat steak slices, pile on toasted buns.
Jared
Omaha, NE
Backyard Ribeye Ritual
Room temp steak, salt n pepper only. Flip once. Butter bath finish. No sauce ever.
Ribeye steak, salt, pepper, butter
Season steaks, grill 4–5 mins per side, rest with butter on top 5 mins.
Ben
Dallas, TX
Budget Brisket
Get the cheap cut, smoke it slow, sauce later. No one’ll know.
Brisket, BBQ rub, sauce
Rub brisket heavy, smoke at 225°F till 195°F internal, rest 1 hr, slice thin.
Rob
Toledo, OH
Weekend Warrior Wings
3 sauces: buffalo, honey BBQ, and maple sriracha. Kids pick the winner every Sunday.
Chicken wings, hot sauce, honey, BBQ sauce, sriracha
Grill wings 30 mins, divide into bowls, toss in 3 sauces, serve and let family vote.
Jeff
Buffalo, NY
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