Ale Street News Online

I used to wonder why, when my friends had a spare ticket to a football game, I was often the first person they would call to join them. At first I thought maybe it was my looks, maybe my personality, or maybe it was the beer...NO! It was the food! The tasty treats I would bring typically turned a tailgate party into something closer to a catered affair.

Along the way I truly perfected my pre and post game menus always trying to achieve easy set-up and easy clean up with a lot of great food in the middle. The key word here is disposable. Make life simple and toss everything when your finished. I would like to share some recipes with you which travel well, prepare easily and would even thrill the cross-lot rivals. Additionally, I will give you a list of common tailgate cooking gear to have on hand to make it as uncomplicated as possible.

First, it wouldn’t be a tailgate party without the grill. Reviews are mixed on whether to use charcoal or gas. I prefer charcoal for the flavor but the downside is disposal (no littering!) of the hot coals and there is always the element of fire which can be dangerous unless the correct precautions are taken. (Brewchef rule #12: Never put out the fire with beer).

Next, always pack at least two folding tables. One for setting up your cooking items and to stash your food coolers underneath; the other for display plastic ware, plates, napkins condiments and of course the food. Lightweight chairs are a must and coolers can double as seats as well.

Some smaller items to consider are Ziploc bags for any leftovers (although I rarely have any), aluminum foil for the grill and to wrap any larger size leftovers. Garbage bags and paper towels — wow, what a concept!

Bring along a small cutting board, a sharp knife, a spatula and a pair of tongs. Trust me, I don’t leave home without any of these objects. Try to prepare anything that will travel and store well ahead of time.
On a safety note, it is always a good idea to have some water on hand, along with the beer, to put out any potentially hazardous fires. A fire extinguisher is certainly an option.

Here are some of the things I love to make (and eat) not only when tailgating but at just about any shin-dig. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do and may the best team win!

I prefer to use andouille sausage, although kielbasa or chorizo can be substituted. You can buy beer mustards (Sierra Nevada makes a few) or you can make your own by simply blending ¼ cup beer of your choice with a good Dijon mustard.

Ingredients:
12 4-ounce smoked sausage
links (pre-cooked)
12 ounces sauerkraut, heated
with 2 ounces Vienna lager
12 potato rolls
Beer mustard

Method:
Pre-heat the grill and cook the sausages for approximately 10 minutes until hot. Serve on fresh potato rolls and top with The Brewchef’s Offsides Onions and beer mustard. Simple and tasty!

This versatile stout-enhanced BBQ sauce blends sweet and tangy flavors with a nice final smack of spice. Enjoy on meatballs, chicken or like we do here as a base for beans. This recipe calls for pre-cooked canned beans. I like to use white beans. You can use any bean you choose just don’t forget the beer!

Ingredients:
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
4 ounces stout
6 ounces chili sauce
2 ounces BBQ sauce
6 ounces grape jelly
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon cajun or BBQ
spice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce
½ teaspoon salt
cracked black pepper to taste
dash of Tabasco
2 12 ounce cans cooked white
beans, rinsed

Method:
Place all of the ingredients in a heavy bottom 2 Qt. sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the white beans rinsed to the stout BBQ Sauce. Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate and bring to the next big game!

For more recipes and information about the Brew Chef™ or the restaurant please visit our website, www.brewchef.com or give us a call: In Morristown: (973) 538-3330, In Sherrills Ford: (704) 483-9127