Tailgating ideas?

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Homercidal

Homercidal

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Daughter plays in the marching band at Western Michigan. We go to all the home games. In order to make going to see the Broncos lose every week worth it, I've started tailgating before the game. A little food, a little beer, a little better game!

Anyway, who has some ideas on stuff to make to take to the game? Last game I did burgers on a grill, and this week the wife has ordered White Bean Chicken Chili (Eat it out of little styrofoam bowls.

I need to make sure that whatever I make is either easy to carry and ready to go, or can be cooked quickly on a small grill.

Last week there was a couple who set up a table with flowers and ate salad... Just so you know, I'm not doing that.
 
Homercidal said:
Last week there was a couple who set up a table with flowers and ate salad... Just so you know, I'm not doing that.
Click to expand...

Lol, these people need to learn how to tailgate!

Burgers are probably the easiest things. Otherwise you have steaks or sausages. I like to have sausages on the grill with a fajitas and some chili in it.... if you like ethnic food ;) . With the sausage IN the fajitas of course
 
Make up a big batch of hot Italian sausage and peppers. Bring along a few loaves of good Italian or sub rolls.
Slicing up the sausages makes them easier to handle and don't forget the parmesan or romano cheese.

bosco
 
A small port-a-potty and this popup tent and SWMBO was suddenly willing to go (pun intended):

!!!!tent.jpg
 
Homercidal said:
Daughter plays in the marching band at Western Michigan. We go to all the home games. In order to make going to see the Broncos lose every week, I've started tailgating before the game. A little food, a little beer, a little better game!

Anyway, who has some ideas on stuff to make to take to the game. Last game I did burgers on a grill, and this week the wife has ordered White Bean Chicken Chili (Eat it out of little styrofoam bowls.

I need to make sure that whatever I make is either easy to carry and ready to go, or can be cooked quickly on a small grill.

Last week there was a couple who set up a table with flowers and ate salad... Just so you know, I'm not doing that.
Click to expand...

Do you have a recipe for the chicken chili,or did she use a package recipe. I like chicken chili and have been meaning to look for a recipe,I will probably use chicken I've put on the smoker in it.
 
BrewerBear said:
Do you have a recipe for the chicken chili,or did she use a package recipe. I like chicken chili and have been meaning to look for a recipe,I will probably use chicken I've put on the smoker in it.
Click to expand...

A friend made it once and I liked it. I've since tried to make it, but it's mostly just a simple off the top of my head thing:

Chicken Chili seasoning packets
Northern beans
Grilled and chopped chicken
Chicken broth
Finely sliced carrots
small amount of bacon

I plan on making it tonight and bringing a backpacking stove to reheat at the parking lot, but I can see a problem already. We have to make it tonight and not eat it all before tomorrow!

I better have a plan for filling us up tonight.

There are so many good ideas here. I think my wife would like that texas caviar thing. I like the sausages and cheese steak idea too. Wife is a big fan of cheesesteaks!
 
Walking tacos.

Mini bag of Fritos or doritos, slightly crushed,
Add a lump of Taco seasoned ground meat,
Shredded lettuce, sour cream, and salsa. Eat it right out of the bag with a plastic fork.

Do a while Mexican thing with nachos & cheese, jalapenos, too.
 
Okay, I'm an Alabama fan, and we're the kings of tailgating.

The beer is a no-brainer, so I'll leave that alone.

There's a zillion ways you can go about this. You've got the southern barbecue option where you smoke pork butts (pork shoulder roast) ahead of time, then serve with sauce, slaw, buns, pickles, and chips -- Golden Flake if you can find them, Lays if you can't. Oh, and don't forget the Dr. Pepper for the non-drinkers in the crowd.

There's the burger/dog thing, but you've done that once and it can get old if you do it often.

There's the "byom" thing where everyone brings their own choice of meat and the grill master cooks it. That only really works in a group of fairly close friends, though.

I own Steve Raichlen's "BBQ USA" book. It's the size of an Atlanta phone book and contains hundreds of recipes, from sides to desserts, pork, beef, chicken, lamb/mutton, fish, and of course sauces and rubs. Tons of really great ideas in there, and I'm sure you can find most or all of them online. I bet if you flipped through one in the book store and made a few mental notes you could find some really good ideas.

The one thing I've learned is to stay away from corn dogs. People will think you're an LSU fan.

Have fun!
 
BarefootFriar said:
Okay, I'm an Alabama fan, and we're the kings of tailgating.

The beer is a no-brainer, so I'll leave that alone.

There's a zillion ways you can go about this. You've got the southern barbecue option where you smoke pork butts (pork shoulder roast) ahead of time, then serve with sauce, slaw, buns, pickles, and chips -- Golden Flake if you can find them, Lays if you can't. Oh, and don't forget the Dr. Pepper for the non-drinkers in the crowd.

There's the burger/dog thing, but you've done that once and it can get old if you do it often.

There's the "byom" thing where everyone brings their own choice of meat and the grill master cooks it. That only really works in a group of fairly close friends, though.

I own Steve Raichlen's "BBQ USA" book. It's the size of an Atlanta phone book and contains hundreds of recipes, from sides to desserts, pork, beef, chicken, lamb/mutton, fish, and of course sauces and rubs. Tons of really great ideas in there, and I'm sure you can find most or all of them online. I bet if you flipped through one in the book store and made a few mental notes you could find some really good ideas.

The one thing I've learned is to stay away from corn dogs. People will think you're an LSU fan.

Have fun!
Click to expand...

Good stuff here. I already had the Pulled Pork as an option, but didn't have time this week to smoke the butt.

But I thought Texans were the kings of tailgating. Huh...
 
Smoke/Grill Boston Butt to 190F or Chicken to 165F cooked below 250F for pull pork/chicken BBQ if you got time. Ribs are also a long grill out option. EDIT: always let your hour+ meats rest covered in tin foil for 20+ minutes or else you've wasted your time.

Quicker option is Bratwurst or ground beef (add 1 raw egg and seasoning). For something light shish-kabobs (chicken with peppers, onions and optional pineapple).

Appetizer I do chips with queso/salsa/guac/homemade dip.

Sides are Bush's beans, coleslaw, or a casserole made or heated that morning and kept hot in a cooler.

We're doing our thanksgiving meal tailgating in the parking lot for the Falcons v Saints game this year.

RISE UP!
 
I've been going to college FB games and tailgating since 2001 (when I started). Our tailgates have gotten more evolved over the years though.

I know it's a sin, but I have a Weber Q gas grill. Works like a champ and one of those little green bottles of propane lasts for several games.

Some of our favorites are
ABT's (stuffed peppers)
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp (big ones)
Skewered meats
Pulled Pork
Tacos and/or Quesodillas
Burgers, but you can jazz them up
Chili (for fall games)

You can pretty much do anything for tailgating. A friend of him brings his turkey fryer and fries up bunches of stuff. Always a crowd pleaser! ;)
 
BarefootFriar said:
Okay, I'm an Alabama fan, and we're the kings of tailgating.

The beer is a no-brainer, so I'll leave that alone.
Click to expand...

I think us folks from Wisconsin would challenge that first statement, but we can definitely agree on the second!

A lot of the stuff we do gets prepared the night before and then simply grilled/cooked on game day. beer boil some brats, marinate some wings, slow cook some beef or pork and shred it for sandwiches, chili, taco dips, cowboy caviar, nacho fixings, and of course you can't forget the cheese and sausage plate! (preferably venison, maybe even some bear if your lucky enough to have some). And since we sconnies like to start early, you have to have all the bloody Mary fixins too.
 
I read somewhere or another (can't remember where) that the SEC schools generally have the best tailgating and best travelling fans, followed closely by the southernmost Big 12 schools and southernmost ACC schools. They rated schools in New England and California at about the bottom of the pile, and Miami (FL) as the very bottom.

That said, I know some Cheese Heads who can out tailgate anybody. They're fun to hang out with. And who knows how scientific the "study" was; it very well could have been pulled out of the author's tuchus. So take my "king of tailgating" comment above with a rather large portion of "tongue in cheek". :D
 
Nothing beats a good bratwurst. Add the kraut, potato salad, pretzels, even kielbasa, etc... in October, A miniOktoberfest/tailgater!

Other fare for non-Oktoberfest tailgaters: Bacon wrapped shrimp, bacon wrapped boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliders, roasted red cajun taters, Raichlin's BBQ onions, tater bombs, atomic buffalo turds, any sort of kabobs, planked fish, marinated salmon fillets, custom pizza, spareribs.

Maybe get a rotisserie for your grill (if you don't already have one) and do whole chicken or cornish game hens.
Here's a link to the tater bomb recipe(s)/method:


You could even grill up lobster or portobello mushrooms
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...matoes-and-fresh-mozzarella-recipe/index.html
Regards, GF.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
BarefootFriar said:
I read somewhere or another (can't remember where) that the SEC schools generally have the best tailgating and best travelling fans, followed closely by the southernmost Big 12 schools and southernmost ACC schools. They rated schools in New England and California at about the bottom of the pile, and Miami (FL) as the very bottom.

That said, I know some Cheese Heads who can out tailgate anybody. They're fun to hang out with. And who knows how scientific the "study" was; it very well could have been pulled out of the author's tuchus. So take my "king of tailgating" comment above with a rather large portion of "tongue in cheek". :D
Click to expand...

Aw, we're just trash talkin ya a little bit!

This weekend went nicely. Made White Bean Chicken Chili ahead of time and just reheated on the grill.

There are a few strips of green grass along the sides of the parking lot where we set up the table and grill (Don't have a shelter, but rely on the grace of God to give us good weather, which has has provided thus far.)

My plan for next game might be bacon wrapped shrimp skewers. The best thing about these (besides eating them, obviously) is that they create a generous portion of aromatic smoke, that will probably drive all the other tailgaters crazy.

This week our neighbors made THICK juicy burgers and reheated what looked like pork tenderloins with some drizzle from their marinade.

Oh, and I'm planning on bringing a small football to throw with the kid. She spent the whole time reading some book called "Maximum Ride" (I think). I think she would enjoy some NERF time.
 
coolharry said:
I think us folks from Wisconsin....

...you can't forget the cheese and sausage plate!
Click to expand...

Haha I couldn't resist pointing that out. Seems like its all region preference. The south is known for BBQ and love of football but not to say anyone can't get the job done. For me its about who I am there with.

Also, the big green egg cooks the best meat in my opinion.
 
I've done everything from sausages, ABT's, chili/soup (crock pots can usually run overnight and then be brought part and parcel to the tailgate and stay plenty-hot), pulled pork, brisket, salmon, to quesadilla bars and we have done breakfasts with egg mcmuffin style sammiches, pancakes, eggs and bacon. Forgetting a lot of trial and error menu items, I am sure.

Whatever you decide to bring, my tips are:

1) It is all prepped and ready to go, you don't have to do anything day-of but cook and/or set the goodies out and be done.
2) Know your audience and the weather and prepare accordingly... some foods will work better in colder weather than warm or a windy day will make your life hell (chili/soup vs something lighter when it is hot)
3) If you want to converse and enjoy yourself more, don't do something that requires you to cook continuously with a lot of your attention focused on it. Items that might burn easily if you turn away and get caught up in conversation for an extra minute or 2 are not recommended.
4) Easy cleanup and loading back in the car.

It's pretty hard to feck up a tailgate, IMO.
 
gratus fermentatio said:
Nothing beats a good bratwurst. Add the kraut, potato salad, pretzels, even kielbasa, etc... in October, A miniOktoberfest/tailgater!

Other fare for non-Oktoberfest tailgaters: Bacon wrapped shrimp, bacon wrapped boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliders, roasted red cajun taters, Raichlin's BBQ onions, tater bombs, atomic buffalo turds, any sort of kabobs, planked fish, marinated salmon fillets, custom pizza, spareribs.

Maybe get a rotisserie for your grill (if you don't already have one) and do whole chicken or cornish game hens.
Here's a link to the tater bomb recipe(s)/method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aUNmtSgB0c

You could even grill up lobster or portobello mushrooms
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...matoes-and-fresh-mozzarella-recipe/index.html
Regards, GF.
Click to expand...

The BBQ Pit Boys also did stuffed pit bbq'd lobster & portobella caps stuffed with burgers mixed up with different things with cheese melted over them.
 
Cowboy Stew

Baked Beans
Bacon
Hot dogs
Ground beef (or turkey)
Cook the beef and bacon and cut into small pieces
Add cut up hot dogs, some beer, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce and brown sugar to taste

So bad for you, but so good! Eat with cornbread
 
BrewerBear said:
Do you have a recipe for the chicken chili,or did she use a package recipe. I like chicken chili and have been meaning to look for a recipe,I will probably use chicken I've put on the smoker in it.
Click to expand...
Add ingredients in the order below:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced green peppers
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 lbs ground chicken
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons basil
2 X 28 oz cans Diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans undrained
1 can Black Beans undrained
2 tablespoons diced jalapeno

Boil until preferred consistency

Side: Cornbread with 2 tablespoons jalapeno and 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
 
We did burgers again this week. We probalby won't be going down this coming weekend due to high school homecoming getting int he way, which really only leaves one more week of tailgating.

I DID get to try to make some of that Texas Caviar, and I thought it was awesome! I didn't remember to pick up cilantro, so it could have been even better, and I think next time I'll try Black Beans instead of the Black Eyed Peas, or maybe BOTH.
 
This weekend we are catering a tailgate. Lamb rib chops and tri-tip for a hundred people. Potato salad with shrimp, green salad, sausages with Italian peppers, and Basque beans. The clients are an engineering firm. They have a custom built bar trailer and I will be grilling on a custom John Deere grill trailer with two 8 foot stainless grills. It's owned by the owner of a John Deere dealership, so you know it's pimped out. $4000 paint job! It has become a competition in the last few years to see who can put out the best spread. Some of these guys have rigs that cost more than my house...
 
That's crazy! I'd love to see it and sample it.

I think we are done tailgating. One more college game and it's only going to be cold and wet, probably. Still lots of ideas for staying in and eating though.
 
I don't doubt it. I've looked at it in the store, but the prices are INSANE around here. Probably the best thing for me to do would be to steal a lamb from the middle eastern family who lives down the road. They have a small flock.

And if they complain I can just tell them, "Flock Ewe!"
 
Homercidal said:
I don't doubt it. I've looked at it in the store, but the prices are INSANE around here. Probably the best thing for me to do would be to steal a lamb from the middle eastern family who lives down the road. They have a small flock.

And if they complain I can just tell them, "Flock Ewe!"
Click to expand...

Lamb in the Midwest is not that popular....
 

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