Sire & smoke
Celebrity chef Michael Symon is ready to get you all fired up this Father’s Day weekend
GENTLEMEN, fire up your grills! Father’s Day has become synonymous with outdoor cooking, and with pandemic restrictions lifting across the US, this weekend may be one of the first in months that small groups will be able to gather — at a healthy distance, of course.
But there are still many who may be celebrating indoors — or on a Zoom call with family and friends — and they shouldn’t be left out of the barbecued, smoky fare that so many come to expect on this holiday.
That’s why we asked chef Michael Symon to share a classic BBQ-style meal that can be done on the grill or in the oven, so eaters can feel those summertime vibes no matter what. The former “Iron Chef ” contestant has been busy with production on his new “self-shot” show, “Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out,” which premiered on the Food Network last week and is available to stream via the Food Network Kitchen app.
Symon told The Post that versatility is one of his show’s primary objectives.
“Look, we’re [cooking everything] outside on the grill, but it’s very easy to make inside, also,” he said.
Of course, the Food Network celeb has already filmed this weekend’s episode, so he’ll be able to spend some time with family on Sunday.
This year, he’s planning on putting his father to work — sort of.
“We’re gonna do a cook-along video with me and my dad making burgers and stuff outside on the grill,” he says.
“My father likes to say, ‘I’m going to teach everybody how to make burgers this year,’ ” Symon says. “I’m like, ‘Oh, boy!’
“My dad’s most famous dish when we were growing up was to fry hot dogs with potatoes and put eggs on it, and call it ‘hot-dog hash.’ ”
As it will be for many this year, his Father’s Day won’t be the same as it has been.
“Up until about five years ago, on Father’s Day, we would all go golfing together,” Symon says, referring to his father and grandfather — who recently passed away at a remarkable 102.
“My grandfather was an amazing cook,” says Symon.
His dad’s hot-dog hash won’t be on the menu for the Father’s Day edition of “Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out.” (It’s a disappointment, we know.) Instead, Symon says, he’s going with a more elevated theme, albeit one that’s a longtime family favorite.
“They’re all fans of saltysweet,” he says, pointing to the sticky ribs with a salty-sweet sauce he shares here with The Post. (On the episode, he also makes a giant, grilled, saltysweet cookie.)
The decadent holiday menu won’t be without some balance, though. “I just had to make sure I had some vegetables for my wife,” he said of spouse Liz Symon. “She’s trying to keep us healthier.”