I sure do love my dad. He is wonderful. He is funny. He is a Tennessee man who is straight from the Georgia-Florida border. Finally, like most red-blooded American men, he loves grilling. And meat.

So in celebration of Father’s Day, I decided to throw together a little rub and send it to him – so Dad, try to act surprised ok? . It makes enough for a few pieces of meat (chicken, steak, or pork) for about 2 people. This rub is heavy on the thyme, a little bit spicy, and kind of smoky. When you throw your meat on the grill, expect it to actually smoke a bit and as the meat heats up, the rub will caramelize to create a deep-flavored crust. 
 

Mix together::

• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 TBS paprika
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp coarse salt

You can put the rub on the meat up to 24 hours ahead of time. To apply, simply rub the spices all over the meat with enough pressure that the spices stick.