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Pat's Grill Rub

This rub is great on beef, pork, and chicken. Light rub is enough to give really good flavor to any meat. Chicken should be cooked on low heat to avoid burning or drying out. You can use this on fish as well, but I use the same ingredients but different ratio for my fish rub.

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2/3 cup Ancho Chili Powder (I get mine at Penzey's Spices)

2/3 cup Granulated Garlic Powder (I use Tone's from Sam's Club)

1/3 cup Spanish Smoked Paprika (I get this from Penzey's also, but Sam's Club carries Spice Island)

3 Tablespoons Sea Salt

Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container. I use a container with a rubber gasket and locking cap.

Fourth of July Stuffed Burger and Hot Dog Bash in Lima, Ohio

Life just doesn't get much better than this. Thirty or so great neighbors, friends and family, from age 3 to 76, and plenty of beer, wine, a pineapple rum punch and the best food ever. I challenge any neighborhood in any city. Really, we have the best cooks anywhere. We could do a throw down with Bobby Flay any day. No doubt.

Menu:

Grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon with raspberry & jalapeno BBQ sauce glaze

Grilled salmon skewers with ancho chili rub and served with a BBQ hollandaise sauce

Layer bean dip with cheese, sour cream, green onions, red peppers, fresh cilantro, avocado

Make your own stuffed burger:
(culinary gloves and grill transport plates provided for sanitation)

Pre-formed 90/10 ground beef patties 3.75 oz each
(I know what you're thinking. Everybody says 80/20 is more juicy. Cook these on lower heat because they're thicker, they'll stay plenty juicy and they don't flare up. Temp them at 135 degrees before taking off grill for medium.)

Stuffings for the inside:
Monterrey jack, Colby, cheddar, Gouda, feta, Gorgonzola cheeses
Caramelized onions
Creamed mushrooms
Bacon
Jalapeno peppers

Roasted red peppers
Chipolte aioli
Buffalo hot sauce
Dijon horseradish sauce

Rubs for the outside:
Pat's all-purpose grill rub
Tone's Steak Dust
Tone's Brazilian Rub

Toppings:
Fresh green leaf lettuce
Fresh sliced beefsteak tomatoes
Thinly sliced red onion
Dill hamburger chip pickles
Mayo, mustard and ketchup
Relish


Grilled Hebrew National Beef Franks
(in all the excitement forgot the chili, but we ate it with the leftover hot dogs the next day)


Deluxe hamburger and hot dog buns

Accompaniments:

• 
  
  Julia Child Ratatouille (compliments of Mary Anne and Bill)
• 
  
  Smoking Hank ribs (compliments of Hank and Anne)
• 
  
  BBQ beans with pulled pork (compliments of Mark)
• 
  
  Oriental noodle salad (compliments of JR and Pickle)
• 
  
  Broccoli salad (compliments of Rob, Nicole (we missed you), Matilda and Lizbeth
• 
  
  Fresh peach cobbler and fresh blueberry tarts (compliments of Leslie)
• 
  
  Nor' Leans Jambalaya (compliments of Brian)
• 
  
  Veggie tray (compliments of Richard)
• 
  
  Bobby Flay Asian slaw with peanut dressing
• 
  
  Couscous salad with cucumber, feta, basil, tomato and lemon vinaigrette
• 
  
  Southwestern pasta salad with a green chili/cilantro dressing, grilled corn, avocado, red onion and grape tomatoes
• 
  
  Homemade vanilla ice cream

Croquet, water balloons, slip and slide, bubbles and corn-hole kept the kids and adults busy during the daylight hours when we weren't stuffing our faces. I heard JR and Mary Ann play a pretty good game of croquet.

We had an up close and personal experience with the fireworks (you'll have to ask in person to get the details) and if only we could get the neighbors across the street to cut the top 10 feet or so of their trees off, we'd even get to see the low fireworks set off in the park from our side yard.

Overall, even with a little drizzle during the day, which didn't dampen our spirits or the fun, it was truly a celebration fit for any American family.

Thanks to everyone who helped setup, get ice, fetch, especially Mary Ann who helped with the clean up and those who brought food and those whose company we enjoy so much. What a great group of people. Thanks for making it a wonderful, wonderful holiday and Lima, Ohio a wonderful place to live.