BrandFlair

"Manly Gift Wrapping Job"

Happy Holidays and welcome to the first annual BrandFlair Most Manly Holiday Gifts list. Woot! Men are notoriously hard to shop for and when we are asked what we want we usually reply with the usual shrug of the shoulders and “I Dunno.”

The fact is men want manly gifts. Stuff that we think is cool but that everyone else just doesn’t understand. So if you need help shopping for your man take a look through this list and pick out a manly gift for the holidays or any special occasion. Chances are if you think it is weird, he will love it!

Please note that I have linked each gift using Amazon Associates and will donate all proceeds from any BrandFlair Most Manly Holiday Gifts purchases to Fuzzy Friends Rescue in Waco, Texas to help support their fabulous efforts rescuing, caring for, and placing cats and dogs into good homes here in Central Texas. We are looking to adopt a new fuzzy friend from them and it is a wonderful organization if you wish to make a donation.

The BrandFlair Manly Holiday Gift List Revealed on The Bruce Sallan Show!

Audio: BrandFlair’s Most Manly Holiday Gifts on The Bruce Sallan Show – Part 1 (mp3)

Audio: BrandFlair’s Most Manly Holiday Gifts on The Bruce Sallan Show – Part 2 (mp3)

1. Grillin’ & Chillin’ – Smoker and BBQ Gear

Men love food. We love cooking it, serving it and eating it. These four gift ideas are taken from my “Tasty Tips for Fantastic Home Barbecue” post and all are winners. I personally have this Weber Smokey Mountain and Chimney Starter (two actually) and have the gloves and book on my personal manly gift list.

2. Kitchen Gear – Margaritas and Mangos

Yes beer is manly but how many pint glass set do guys really want and need. This margarita machine will crank out fun frozen drinks in the man cave (type and strength is up to you). Margaritas are not manly you say? Not true. Like any good cocktail it is all in the recipe. The mango cutter is something that I picked up and seriously use all the time. Go buy a mango from the store and try cutting it with a knife. You will quickly understand the value in this kitchen tool. Plus it works (unlike apple cutters) and mangos are awesome!

OXO Mango Cutter

3. Build Stuff – Lego Desk Calendar

During our family trip to Disneyland I found this in the Lego shop. Men love to build things, loved Lego as boys and we never need another desk calendar ever again. I have mine on my desk here at Dell and rebuild it every month. Crazy and cool!

LEGO Brick Calendar

4. Skate Tough – Longboard, Kahuna Big Stick, Chuck Taylors and Helmet

I loved skating when I was younger and still have my board and Chuck Taylors. Classic shoes for a classic sport. Cool thing about this gear is you can get a great workout while chilling out and cruising through the streets. Any man can kick back and enjoy this gear and of course real men wear helmets!

5. iTunes..NOT! – AC/DC Essentials

Fact: AC/DC rules.

Fact: Angus Young is the Honey Badger of Rock n’ Roll.

Fact: You will not find any AC/DC albums or songs on iTunes.

This is because Angus and crew do not believe that the albums should be broken up and songs sold as singles. They also don’t need to sell their music on iTunes. These are the four albums I would buy for your man to rip into his iPod. If you have to pick one…get Back in Black.

6. Protecting His Pack – VueZone (#DadChat Sponsored Item)

Bruce Sallan (@BruceSallan) adds this gem to this years list. One of Bruce’s favorite gift ideas for the season is the VueZone personal video network, a wireless monitoring system that enables families to stay connected to their homes, kids, and pets from anywhere at any time. In a nutshell, VueZone is a system of miniature cameras that stream live video to your smartphone or any PC or Mac. From dads who want to see their families while traveling for business or want to make sure kids are doing their homework while they are out running errands, VueZone makes video monitoring simple.

Vue Zone 440

7. Manly Shows – The Band of Brothers/The Pacifc & The Walking Dead

The Band of Brothers is a classic book to read and hands down the best made for television mini series I have ever seen. This collection includes the newer series about the war in the Pacific and belongs in every mans collection. You will find him watching it again and again for many reasons. It helped me understand a bit more about my grandfather’s (Major Robert L. Boyle Sr.) world as a young man the war he served in.

Zombies hold a special place in the hearts of many men and zombie movies are some of the most popular horror movies ever. Sad thing is many of then are not as great. That all changed when AMC brought Robert Kirkman’s comic series to the small screen. The Walking Dead is a fantastic series packed with zombie punch, bite and drool (the slow type from the classic Night of the Living Dead).

8. Jam Session – Amplitude iRig and American Fender Stratocaster

Every man wanted to be a rock star at some point in their lives. Many still have an old “axe” lying around the house but sadly do not own a working amplifier. The Amplitube iRig is a great gift to get instead of an expensive amp. With iRig you can plug your guitar into your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad and jam anywhere. You can choose to shred on a Marshall or Fender Twin and add effects like distortion, chorus, delay and more! I picked one of these up this year and love it! Headphones are a must add.

For the man who does not have a great guitar but deserves the best, nothing is as classic as the Fender American Standard Stratocaster® Electric Guitar with 3 Tone Sunburst and a Rosewood Fretboard. It is a classic wielded by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan and one every man would be proud to own. Think of it as the Tiffany of electric guitars.

Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS

8. The Power To Do More! – Dell XPS 17 Laptop

I love computers. Fact is (full disclosure) I work for Dell and love it! My current laptop is a robust Latitude loaded with power and goodies and it works great but my personal man gift list would have to include a loaded Dell XPS 17 Laptop. A manly configuration would be an Intel i7-2630QM processor, 8GB RAM, 17.3in FHD WLED AG (1920×1080) Screen, NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M 3GB graphics with Optimus (think games), 1TB 7200 RPM Hard Drive (Say it again – One Terabyte…Aawwww yeah!), Tray Load Blu-ray Disc BD-Combo and Windows 7 – 64 bit OS.

I like the Dell XPS models because they are workhorses for business and fantastic gaming machines in one. What more could a man want? Did I mention One Terabyte? Aawwww yeah!

Finally ordering through Dell is great because you can configure the new XPS or any Dell computer the way you want it to meet your needs. So give a guy “The Power To Do More” and get him an XPS 17. The most spendy item on my list this year but worth it!

Dell XPS 17

9. Tool Time – Dewalt 18v Drill & Craftsman 154 Piece Mechanics Set

Tools and gift cards to Lowe’s and Home Depot are standard man gifts. The problem is most of the tools men get are lawnmowers, leaf blowers, weed eaters and “practical” things that scream “time away from the football game” and “honey do list.” Gift cards 99.9% of the time are spend on home projects that pop up and not on what a guy just wants to buy for the workbench.

Two great gifts sure to please any guy and make him grunt like Tim Allen in Tool Time is the Dewalt 18v Drill and Craftsman 154 piece mechanics tool set. No weekly chore is dependent on on either of these gifts and every man loves power tools and mega uber useful tool sets. You cannot lose gifting either or better yet both of these. Think of them as Nordstrom Bags and Belts for dudes.

10. Fitness & Training – Polar FT4M Heart Rate Monitor

There are many things in life deemed manly by popular culture but let’s face it, working out is not really one of them. Well pop culture is wrong. Taking care of ourselves so we can feel good (and more manly) and live long happy lives to enjoy family and friends is pretty awesome and something I could work on more in 2012. One of my favorite health and fitness Tweeps Heather Frey (@SmashFit) introduced me to the wonders of heart monitors. This thing keeps track of your fitness improvements, heart rate and calories burned. Guys like data and Polar delivers. This is a basic model to get started down the fitness track in 2012 but it is all most guys need anyway to get started. Plus when we all get really in shape and do Iron Man triathlons weekly we can do something else guys like to do. Upgrade technology!

11. Game on! – Wilson NFL Football

Every guy needs a good football. Nuff said!

Thanks to Bruce Sallan (@BruceSallan) of the Bruce Sallan Show and #DadChat for hosting this years live launches of The BrandFlair Most Manly Holiday Gifts via radio and Twitter.

“The Bruce Sallan Show – A Dad’s Point-of-View” is broadcast live each Thursday from 11:06 a.m. – noon, PST and repeated Thursday evenings at 9:06 p.m. and Saturdays at 12:06 p.m. It can be heard on KZSB AM 1290 in Santa Barbara and via live stream over the Internet. #DadChat is every Thursday night from 6:00pm – 7:00pm PST on Twitter.

If food is great then barbecue is fantastic. Many view the art of slow cooking meats with smoke as something reserved for professional pitmasters and find getting started intimidating. Truth be told it is not as hard as it looks and you will produce some of the tastiest food you have ever cooked. With a little bit of advice and practice barbecuing is a lot of fun and very rewarding.

Let the learning begin.

1. Barbecuing versus Grilling

Many people assume if you are cooking outside you call it barbecue. Wrong! Barbecue is low and slow heat, typically 200 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Grilling is direct and hot, typically 300 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Grilling you measure in minutes. Barbecuing you measure in hours.

2. The Smoker

There are a variety of choices at different price points when it comes to smokers. If you want you can start with a standard old school Weber Kettle Grill putting charcoal on one side and meat on the other. With that basic setup you can make authentic barbecue for friends and family, but temperature control and capacity are challenges. With the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 22.5-Inch Smoker you can smoke 12 racks of ribs at once and have more temperature control. The large Smokey runs about $325 on Amazon. The The Big Green Eggis a great grill, smoker and oven all in one. While a Green Egg offers great capacity, control, fuel efficiency and versatility the price range is $800 to $1300. While I wrote this post my best friend, Victor Grigorieff (aka Lothar), and I were barbecuing 25 pounds of meat using a Weber Smokey Mountain (photo in this post is our savory creations in progress).

3. Tools

Not accessories. Tools! Save accessories for a post about shoes, bags and belts. We are working with tools here people. Proper tools are a very important part of the process. They make barbecuing more fun, easier and provide fantastic gift ideas for your next birthday.

Here is a short list from Victor of 12 essential barbecue tools.

- Clear zip lock bags (1 gallon and 2 gallon)

- Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer(a must have!)

- Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue Insulated Food Gloves, Pair
(saves your skin in a number of ways)

- Plastic Spray Bottle – 22 oz (for mopping)

- Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Measuring Spoon Set (1/4-cup, 1/3-cup, 1/2-cup, 1-cup, 1/4-tsp, 1/2-tsp, 1-tsp, 1-Tbsp)

- Heavy Strength Aluminum Foil

- 12-oz. Squeeze Bottles(cut half the top off)

- Barbecue Sauce Mop with Removable Head

- Weber 21-Inch T-Grill Brush (because it lasts forever)

- Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

- OXO Good Grips Triple Timer

- OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Locking Tongs

4. Charcoal

This gives you your heat. It all comes down to standard charcoal versus lump briquets. Charcoal is consistent and predictable but does not burn as long or burn as Lump. Lump briquets are a mix and match of little pieces and logs and burns hot for a long time. Best mix is 50/50 of each which gives predictable heat as well as higher heat over time. Kingsford is an excellent brand to start with for both types.

5. Wood

The primary purpose of wood is to provide smoke which adds flavor. The type of wood used comes down to personal preference although there is avid debate about which woods to use with certain meats. Best advice is to experiment with different woods and find what you like. Good woods to start with are cherry and apple. Both are mild, cheap and easy to find.

6. Rub

The rub is probably the most important part of barbecue. A dry rub is where you pat your meat dry and cover every inch of meat with a mixture of salt, pepper, sugar and spices/seasonings. A common commercial rub costs about $4.00 for five ounces which is enough for about two racks of pork ribs. The good thing about commercial rubs is that you can easily experiment with different brands and discover what you like. The problem is that they are expensive and you do not have control over the taste. Homemade rubs are cheaper to make and you have control of the ingredients. A good homemade rub can be made in sizable quantities and stored it for up to a year. If it lasts over a year you are not barbecuing enough. Here is a recipe Victor has crafted over time starting using Steven Raichlen’s Memphis Rub recipe as a base.

Lothar’s Memphis Rub:

1 cup paprika

6 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons celery salt

1 tablespoon ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

2 teaspoons chili de arbol powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons dry mustard

3 tablespoons ground cumin

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix using a fork to ensure any clumps of brown sugar and mustard are broken up. This is enough for A LOT of meat. You will use it all in one day only if you plan to cook for an entire high school football team. Store unused rub in a zip lock bag. Discard any rub (or sauce) that has touched raw meat.

7. Meat

Smoking is better for tougher cuts of meat with higher fat content such as pork shoulder (also called pork butt), brisket, ribs, uncooked sausage and chicken thighs. You can also cook whole chicken, whole turkey, drumsticks, chicken wings and salmon. Typically these cuts of meat are much cheaper than those you would grill, salmon being the exception. There is no rule dictating what you choose. That honor is reserved for the taste buds of your home’s pitmaster.

8. Temperature

The lower and the slower the temperature, the better with barbecue. As mentioned previously, 200 to 250 Fahrenheit is the ideal range with 200 to 225 degrees being perfect if you have the time to let it cook. For entertaining it is crucial to know your cook time based on your choice of meats and target temperature. There is a huge difference between ribs at 200 degrees (4 1/2 hours) and 250 degrees (3 hours).

9. Time

With barbecue, the more time the better. Professional pitmasters will cook a brisket for 10-12 hours. Few people will devote 12 hours but you can get fine results in less time with practice.

10. Water

If you have a water smoker the water will really help you in three ways. First it acts as an insulator between your meat and the fire. Second, the steam adds moisture to the meat. Third, the water pan catches your grease keeping it away from the fire, and it easy to clean. The Weber Smokey Mountain is a water smoker. The Big Green Egg is not. Again it comes down to personal preference.

11. Mopping

Mopping is basting with a lighter liquid than a barbecue sauce. The merits of mopping is often debated in the barbecue community . The basic rule is with higher temperatures at 250 degrees or above mopping becomes necessary. If you use a water smoker like the Weber Smokey or a Big Green Egg you do not need to mop and it becomes a matter of taste. Those using electric grills/ovens should never mop as it is dangerous. If you are using an electric oven you are not barbecuing. Just sayin’!

Victor uses 50/50 apple cider and Makers Mark Kentucky Bourbon for his mop. I brand this as Lothar’s BBQ Mop! My father likes this recipe but adds that some of the Makers Mark needs to go on ice for the pitmaster and friends. Good times!

12. Sauce

This is your opportunity to explore. We are not talking about Heinz barbecue sauce sold nationwide. Try different regional sauces. Go to a store with a solid selection, buy a few and find your favorite flavor.

This information should get you started in the right direction and motivate you to make a trip to your local meat counter to introduce yourself and make friends with your local butcher. A fantastic smoking book is Smoke & Spice by Cheryl and Bill Jamison. A complete tour of grilling, barbecuing and smoking is The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen. Barbecuing can seem intimidating at first but you learn all good things in life from trying. So get our there and get smoking!

Please post any questions you have for us as we are here to help. We also welcome any of your barbecue tips and tricks!

Photo provided by BrandFlair via Creative Commons. Additional barbecuing images by @BrandFlair available on Flickr.

The BrandFlair Manly Holiday Gifts for 2011-2012