Edit: Welcome, Pinterest visitors!  This would make a great holiday gift for any of the men (or women who love to grill) in your life!  Enjoy!
 
For Father’s Day this year, I made grilling spice blends for both of our dads.  This was an easy and fun gift to make, and I had all the materials/ingredients on hand!

Grill seasonings make great gifts for anyone you know who likes to cook and/or grill.  It would be a great hostess gift for a summer BBQ, or you could even make these for Christmas gifts (the men in our lives love to grill year-round!).

I found recipes for three spice blends I wanted to make, then I mixed them up, put them in baby food jars (which I painted the tops of with chalkboard paint), and labeled them with fun new names.  I made these blends: Kickin’ Chicken, Ragin’ Cajun, and Cuckoo for Cocoa (recipes below). I packaged them all in a little paper bag tied up with baker’s twine (and of course, a card made with my letterpress).

We hope our dads enjoy grilling with these spice blends!

Here are the recipes:

Kickin’ Chicken (a spicy rub for chicken)
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Brush chicken pieces with olive oil.  Season liberally with rub.  Rub in gently.  Cook over a hot grill.

Ragin’ Cajun (for fish, chicken, ribs, chicken, & pork chops)
3 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. ground dried thyme
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Rub liberally into meat. Let stand 10 minutes. Grill as desired.

Cuckoo for Cocoa (for chicken, steaks, chops, ribs, & roasts)
2 Tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Rub 2-3 teaspoons into each serving of meat.  Let stand at least 10 minutes before grilling.

Enjoy!
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