Our Best Father’s Day Menu & Gift Ideas • Just One Cookbook
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Find inspiration from our thoughtful gift guide and recipes that you can celebrate with Dad this Father’s Day!
Looking ahead to Father’s Day, we know that the dads in our lives deserve our equal appreciation. The occasion presents us with the perfect opportunity to show him our love and to tell him how much we care.
To help you find the best ways to celebrate, we’ve put together our best gift guide and mouthwatering recipes that will make his day. That includes some functional tech gifts, an online learning class, and some best-smoked ribs he’ll not stop raving about.
Happy Father’s Day to all amazing dads!
Mouthwatering Recipe Ideas For Father’s Day
Appetizers
Chicken Karaage – These bite-size fried chicken are exceptionally flavorful, juicy, and ultra-crispy, which make them a winning recipe to serve on a special occasion like this.
Fresh Spring Rolls with Yakiniku – For lighter fare, make these fresh spring rolls filled with juicy Japanese BBQ meat and crunchy vegetables. Incredibly refreshing and packed with flavors, Dad will be in love!
Agedashi Tofu – Kick off the Father’s Day festivities with these crispy deep-fried tofu served in a flavorful umami sauce. It requires deep-frying, but the process is easier than you think. Skip the bonito flakes to make it vegan-friendly!
Edamame – If your dad is big on snack, you can never go wrong with these lightly boiled and perfectly salted edamame.
Sake Steamed Clams – Japanese sake-steamed clams made in 10 minutes with just 5 ingredients! A favorite of izakaya, this seafood fare exudes a fun casual vibe when enjoyed with chilled beer. Expect minimal fuss and maximum flavors!
Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Ball) – A favorite at Izakaya restaurants, yaki onigiri are Japanese grilled rice balls covered in savory soy sauce. With a crispy crust on the outside and soft sticky rice on the inside, these rice balls are simply irresistible and easy to make at home!
Salads
Japanese Potato Salad – This Japanese potato salad is the ultimate comfort food and crowd-pleaser!
Simple Salad with Yuzu Miso Dressing – Transform the simplest of salads with this Japanese-inspired Yuzu Miso Dressing! The bright, aromatic citrusy flavor from yuzu and the unexpected savoriness from miso make the best combo.
Mains
Teba Shio (Salted Chicken Wings) – With only 3 ingredients, these Japanese salted chicken wings (teba shio) are oven-broiled till juicy and crisp golden perfection. So good and unbelievably easy to make.
Yakitori (Negima) – These bite-sized chicken and scallion skewers are hard to resist! It’s great for grilling outdoor or under the broiler. Serve them with a spread of finger foods like pickled cucumbers, grilled shishito peppers, edamame, or temaki hand roll sushi. Of course, cold beer like Sapporo or sake would make the celebration even more memorable.
Traeger Baby Back Ribs Inspired by Franklin BBQ – Inspired by the famous Franklin BBQ joint in Austin, Texas, these smoked baby back ribs are rubbed with a simple dry mix and smoked until fall-apart tender then basted with a sensational BBQ sauce. Once your dad tries it, he would probably request it for every Father’s Day.
Instant Pot Sticky Asian Ribs – Prefer something fuss-free that can be prepped ahead? You will have to make this Instant Pot Sticky Asian Ribs. Slathered with caramelized glaze, you’d get fall-off-the-bone deliciousness in less than 90 minutes! It’s pretty hands-free once you get the ribs inside the cooker, so you get to focus on having a good conversation or just lounging with Dad.
Grilled Kurobuta Pork Chops with Miso Sauce – Juicy, moist, and perfectly grilled, these Kurobuta pork chops with miso sauce are out of this world. The miso sauce is lightly infused with a secret ingredient for a spicy, citrusy kick. When served with steamed rice, you’d get the most flavorful pork chops for Father’s Day dinner.
Honey Garlic Pork Chops – Juicy, sweet, with just a hint of garlic, these succulent oven-baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops are simply irresistible. Its flavorful sauce has all the allure.
Teppanyaki – No outdoor grills? Take it inside and throw a Teppanyaki (鉄板焼き) party for Dad. It works with thinly sliced meat, seafood, and plenty of fresh vegetables. It’s a fun and enjoyable way to bring the family together on this occasion.
BBQ Short Ribs – Having a great rib recipe in your arsenal is always rewarding when it comes to Father’s Day. These short ribs get marinade in a super savory, tantalizing Korean sauce before they get smoked over the grill. Mark this one down if your dad likes his food with a kick of heat.
Temaki (Hand Roll Sushi) – Make sushi at home with simple hand-rolled sushi called Temaki Sushi. Everyone in the family will have fun rolling the nori sheets around sushi rice and their favorite fillings!
Mosaic Sushi – This colorful mosaic sushi features sashimi, tamagoyaki rolled omelette, and vegetables arranged in a checkerboard pattern over sushi rice. It’s a feast for the senses! Despite its exquisite presentation, anyone can make it at home. (Vegetarian/vegan-friendly toppings are included.)
Desserts
Basque Burnt Cheesecake – Creamy on the inside and caramelized on the outside, this Basque Burnt Cheesecake is easier than it looks to make at home. Baked at a high temperature, the cheesecake’s iconic rich dark top is a showstopper!
Matcha Ice Cream – Earthy, sweet Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream is the perfect treat on a hot day, and all you need are 4 simple ingredients! This homemade recipe will bring authentic flavors of Japan right to the celebration.
Father’s Day Gift Ideas
1. Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto – Cookbook
This New York Times Bestseller by the legendary Aaron Franklin is seriously the best book to get for dads who enjoy barbecuing. Aaron’s instructions are easy to follow and the bbq sauce recipe alone is worth buying the book for.
2. Traeger Grills Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker with Alexa and WiFIRE Smart Home Technology
We love our Traeger smoker and have used it for many of our grill recipes. Unlike a barbeque grill, it doesn’t burn food easily as it cooks with indirect heat. If your loved ones are looking to upgrade his regular grill, this is a good time to surprise him with a Traeger smoker. The Ironwood model lets you control from an app so he never has to leave his couch.
3. Breville BES990BSS Oracle Touch Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
Mr. JOC’s latest obsession is to be the home barista! Follow JOC Instagram to see him make latte doodle (not quite latte “art” yet!) on Stories every morning.
If you’ve got a dad who takes his coffee seriously, check out all of our favorite coffee-related products here.
4. YETI Rambler 20 oz Tumbler, Stainless Steel, Vacuum Insulated with MagSlider Lid
The heat waves are getting worse each summer but we can always trust our Yeti tumblers to keep our drinks ice cold. Help dads stay cool all summer long with these amazing tumblers.
5. RTIC Soft Cooler 30, Tan, Insulated Bag, Leak Proof Zipper
We love our RTIC cooler bag, whether it’s for packing food for Miso on a family vacation or keeping our drinks cool at a beach. They come in many colors and we love the retro look.
6. LapGear Home Office Lap Desk
This home office lap desk comes with a device ledge, mouse pad, and phone holder. I’ve got one for Mr. JOC and he’s loving it. It’s lightweight but very sturdy. Whenever he needs a break from the actual desk, he would bring this with him and lounge on the couch while working. It’s a perfect gift for any dads who work on their computers a lot. Read the rave reviews!
7. Apple AirPods Pro
The ultra-sleek, noise-canceling, wireless headphone is a game-changer. He can listen to music, or his favorite podcasts or news updates while running, biking, walking the dogs, or working from home.
8. Sony Wireless Industry Leading Noise Canceling Headphones with Auto Noise Canceling Optimizer, Crystal Clear Hands-Free Calling, and Alexa Voice Control
This may be his favorite present ever, blocking out all the noises and wear these comfortable headphone all day to enjoy music and movies in his world.
9. Hypervolt Bluetooth, Featuring Quiet Glide Technology – Handheld Percussion Massage Gun | 3 Speeds, 5 Interchangeable Head
Does your dad complain about sore muscles or shoulder stiffness? This massage device works to relieve pain and soreness. It is totally worth the money, especially in the long run.
10. Online Master Classes Series
If your dad is into learning or picking up a new hobby, bring the best teacher to him with the MasterClass series. It has on-demand videos for the lifelong learner, taught by the world’s top leaders. Gardening, photography, cooking, business leadership, basketball, you name it, they have it. He would be thrilled to have the experts in the field to guide him along.
11. Callaway Warbird 2.0 Custom Personalized Golf Balls
If he loves golf, there’s nothing more special than gifting personalized golf balls. Put his favorite words, person, or lucky symbol on there so he can play his best game.
12. Gogogo Sport Vpro Laser Rangefinder Golf Hunting Range Finder Distance Measuring with Flag Lock Vibration Slope
The secret weapon for golfers! Takes the guessing game out of how far the flag is. Calculates the distance and slope for him and he’ll have you to thank for a better score.
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