Homemade Father's Day Gift Idea: Barbecue Sauce and Rub Gift Set

6/13/10 - By Stephanie Ogozalek

Father’s Day is just around the corner.  Now is the time to start thinking about a creative and useful gift that the kids can make for dad so you don’t have to scramble the day before.  This year, let the kids have some fun in the kitchen by creating a finger lickin’ good barbecue sauce and matching spice rub for a homemade gift set that Dad is sure to love.  

If your kid can play in a sandbox – they can make a spice rub. It is beyond easy just dump everything into a bowl, mix it up and Bam! You are done. The sauce is also quick and easy to put together with most ingredients coming right out of the pantry, but , it does require minimal chopping and a little sautéing.  Something an older child can easily do.  Both items take about 30 minutes in total to complete.

My son and I make this exact gift set for my father every Father’s Day and it is delicious. The sweet and tangy sauce is most definitely a tasty alternative to store-bought bottled sauces and the freshly made rub totally complements it. The set is especially a nice idea if you have two children,  let the younger child mix up the rub and the older one prepare the sauce.

If the man in your child’s life is a city guy aka grill deprived, store this gift idea away for future use, the set also makes a thoughtful, well received not to mention effortless hostess gift for barbecues and other summer invites.

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Basic Barbecue Sauce
The Barbecue Bible:10th Anniversary Edition by Steven Raichlen

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-size onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar, or more to taste
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, or 2 tablespoons meat drippings
2 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons prepared mustard of your choice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt

1. Heat the oil in a large non reactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until softened but not brown, about 4 minutes.

2. Stir in the ketchup, tomato sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, pineapple juice, hot sauce, liquid smoke, molasses, brown sugar, prepared and dry mustards, black pepper, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.

3. Remove the barbecue sauce from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt to taste and more cider vinegar, hot sauce, and/or brown sugar as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned.

4. Transfer the barbecue sauce to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for several weeks.
 


Basic Barbecue Rub
How to Grill by Steven Raichlen

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon hickory-smoked salt or more coarse salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to mix. (Actually, your hands work better for mixing than a spoon or whisk does. Use your fingers to break up any lump of brown sugar.) Store the rub in an airtight jar away from heat or light; it will keep for at least 6 months.


Add some extra love with creative packaging.  I tend to save nice looking glass bottles and jars for just this purpose but you can also buy ball jars or fancy imported jars at places like The Container Store. Put the sauce in a jar or a squeeze bottle, you can make a fun label for it on the computer or let the kids go crazy with their sticker collection and decorate it.  You can also tie on a mop or brush for dad to use as a meat swab. Use a jar or tin with a wide opening for the rub so Dad can reach in with his fingers or try a cleaned out spice bottle w/ a shaker top.  Then tuck the jars into the pockets of a grill apron or wrap up in a bandanna or vintage dishtowel.