By | September 23, 2011
Photo: Joshua Bousel
Tailgating is a combination between Sunday grillin’ and the rugged freedom of campin’; it’s where the bratwurst meets the grill and the grill meets the road. Pure, all-American, delicious freedom! There’s no reason tailgating should be confined only to sports games either.
About to be stuck watching an operatic clown crying on stage for four hours? Get there early, turn up the AC/DC, throw some baby back ribs on the grill that you just happened to bring, and knock a few brewskies back. It’ll give you the strength to make it through the show, at least if the itis doesn’t get to you first.
In a traffic jam, throw on some jalapeño poppers. Nothing will matter except those little pork-wrapped, cheese-filled, wonder gushers.
There really are no bounds to the greatness of tailgating.
Now to celebrate the most important invention since the Spork, here are some tailgating recipes that will probably change your life forever!
For other great tailgating recipes, check out Food Republic’s tailgating coverage here.
Hot Brew Chicken on a Can Recipe:
This mildly spicy, beer can chicken is nice and easy, so you can get back to doing what tailgating is really all about: hanging out.
Recipe is for 1 chicken. For more, just multiply accordingly.
Parmesan Veggies Kabobs Recipe:
I know it’s easy to think meat when your grilling, but don’t forget to get your greens, yellows, and reds.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Happy grilling everyone!
- 1 (4 lbs.) whole chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp rosemary
- 1-2 tbsp hot or sweet paprika, depending on your tastes
- 1 (12 oz.) can of beer
- *All vegetable ingredients are largely chopped into chunks.
- 1 cup red bell pepper
- 1 cup yellow squash
- 1 cup zucchini
- 1 cup baby Portobello mushrooms
- 1 cup yellow onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup pineapple
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh garlic-minced
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions
To Make Chicken:
1. Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken, and rinse the chicken inside and out.
2. Pat it dry and rub it with the olive oil, then the sea salt, pepper rosemary and paprika.
3. Open up a beer and show your friends how fast you can drink half. Place the half-beer on a solid surface, and by holding a chicken leg in each hand, jam that bird cavity down over the can.
4. Put the beer-chicken hybrid on upright on the can on an area of your grill with medium, indirect heat. Make sure no burners or charcoal are directly beneath it.
5. Let it grill about 1 1/4 hours or until the thigh juice runs clear.
To Make Vegetables:
1. Whisk together your marinade. Put the veggies in a plastic bag and pour your marinade over them. Soak the veggies for 2 hours (making sure to exclude the pineapple, of course). Try and evenly cover the veggies with the parmesan
2. Once everything is marinated and you're grill is up and going, take some aggression out by stabbing all your marinated veggies (and pineapple) with skewers.
3. Over medium heat, grill your veggie-fruit skewers uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes. Don't forget to turn them. You can use the leftover marinade to baste your veggies for maximum flavor.
