Ultimate Barbecue Gift Guide for Dad

Does your favorite dad love to fire up the backyard barbecue and throw something yummy on the grill? From gloves and grill accessories to illustrated cookbooks filled with fresh grilling ideas, there are plenty of Father's Day gifts delight any dad. Here's a quick guide to some of the most popular gifts for dads who live to barbecue.

Gloves and Utensils:

Heavy-Duty Grill Gloves. A sturdy pair of leather grilling gloves is a must-have to protect dad's hands from the burning. The best grilling gloves are made from heavy leather and lined with sweat-absorbing material to keep his hands cushioned and comfortable. Many grill gloves can also be personalized for your favorite barbecue king.

Personal Branding Iron. Cows are branded to show which herd they belong to. Your gift of a personal branding iron can help dad proudly mark his masterpieces to make sure he gets plenty of credit for his grill skills. Look for a sturdy Western-style steel brander that can be customized with dad's initials or sports the logo of his favorite college team.

Gourmet Grill Accessories:

Cedar Grill Planks. Grilled salmon steaks and other types of fish and seafood are healthy alternatives to steaks and burgers. Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest have long grilled fish on thick cedar wood planks to gently infuse it with a smoky cedar flavor. A set of cedar grilling planks would make a great gift for any dad who appreciates the best of everything.

Slider Set. Whether you call them mini-burgers or sliders, freshly grilled little burgers are simply irresistible. A slider set gives dad all the tools he'll need to make perfect sliders, including a burger press, a bun cutter, and a slider grill basket that makes it easy for him to turn all the little burgers with one flip.

Barbecue Books for Dads:

Variety is the spice of life... and barbecues! Whether your favorite dad is a grilling newbie or believes he has mastered the perfect steak rub or chicken marinade, a barbecue cookbook makes a welcome F-Day gift. In addition to recipes for grilled appetizers, drinks, salads, main dishes and even desserts, look for gift-quality books with full-color photographs illustrating food preparation, grilling techniques, ingredients and pictures of the finished dish.

Some of the most popular barbecue cookbooks are:

The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen

Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison

How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques by Steven Raichlen

Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking by Adam Perry Lang

Giving dad a F-Day gift that honors his passion for all things barbecue is a thoughtful and loving way to tell him how much he is loved. And with any luck, he'll soon head for the backyard to fire up the grill and try out your gift.