By Colleen Rothe

Father’s Day is approaching soon. With gas and food prices eating away at what little disposable income that many working American families have, creativity is going to have to be part of what we pull out of our wallets, in order to significantly honor Dad on June 15.

Fortunately, most fathers aren’t too picky. They may not wear that silly Dr. Seuss tie you bought him back when your dot-com job was making you more money than sense. But he still fondly remembers that you gave it to him.

My hubby is like a lot of men. On Father’s Day, they really just want to roost high surveying their own little kingdoms, and seriously be king for the day. For many men, it doesn’t mean that the whole day will be spent on the couch – although some of it surely will. Instead, it’s a day to be king of the grill.

Last year we splurged and got the best meat cuts from a local butcher shop. This year, marinates and dry-rubs will turn more financially palatable cuts into something as tasty and juicy as the finest-marbled ribeye steak. (You may have noticed your local grocer circulars won’t even advertise the price of ribeyes or T-bones, just that you’re saving $5.50 a pound! Yikes!) All the while, giving Dad the chance to man the grill and grunt with satisfaction that all is right in the world – even just for a day – at his castle.

Marinades were first used in cooking as far back as 3,000 years ago, mostly to cover the “fishy” taste of the day’s catch. Today, they are used on not only fish, but pork, chicken and beef. The effects of a marinade are to not only flavor the meat but tenderize it.

Any basic marinade is made of three parts: oil, acid and flavorings. You can create your own. Maybe even make one up that reflects the personality of your Dad for his special day. Favorites include lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. You can’t go wrong starting from there. In short, marinade combinations are limited only by your imagination.
My hubby’s favorite is a marinade based in his favorite liquor – tequila. It’s simply lime juice, olive oil, tequila, cilantro, garlic, black pepper, and dried chili peppers from my garden last year. You can also use chopped jalapeno if you don’t have dried chili peppers. Generally you want ½ cup of liquid for every 1 pound of meat. Now to the cut of meat: the real workingman’s ribeye is the cut of meet called the “chuck eye.” But that cut of meat can be difficult to find, because it can be as flavorful and as tender as a Ribeye, but at half the cost. This means your local meat cutter is most likely taking it home with him. However, if you have a good relationship with the dude behind the meat counter at your local grocer, you might be able to get him to get you some. You’ll need at least ½ pound per person. Especially if you’re serving grilled vegetables from your local farmers’ market along with it and Auntie brought a huge Tupperware bowl of macaroni salad.

If you can’t find a chuck eye, you can use a top blade, or mock tender cut. They will look less like a ribeye, but with the marinade, they will be tender, juicy and delicious. If you’re looking for more of a T-bone taste, you can get a chuck roast and have the meat cutter cut it into steak-like pieces.

Be sure to marinade your meat in plastic or glass. Metal pans can interact with the marinade and the meat – not good. Most folks prefer the convenience of a heavy-duty Ziploc bag, because you need to turn the meat during the marinating process. But I have found a glass baking dish works just as well.

Timing of your marinade is very important. Not enough time and you won’t tenderize your working-man’s cut of meat well enough; too much and the marinade will break down the enzymes in the meat too much and your Father’s Day dinner will turn to mush on the grill. For small cuts of meat, fish or chicken, you only need between 30 minutes to two hours. For larger cuts and less tender varieties, four to 12 hours.

Then be sure to make sure your grill is good and hot. It helps sear in the flavor and juiciness. Dab the meat with a towel or shake excess marinade off to minimize ‘flare-ups’ when the meat is placed on the grill. Resist the temptation to turn the meat too quickly. Give it a chance to get good and seared on one side before flipping. The soonest is about 6 to 8 minutes a side.

During that time, be sure you hand Dad a nice cold one. And enjoy that moment, especially now that you didn’t have to break the bank in order to let him barbecue up a tasty treat.