Tailgating is a grand local tradition that makes the fall Carolina football and baseball seasons much more of an event than just a series of games. Whether you are enjoying a Sunday watching the Carolina Panthers play, taking in a Charlotte Knights baseball game, or at a Saturday college football match-up, tailgating is a longstanding ritual and a fun activity for fans.
Making good tailgating food doesn't have to be difficult. Here are some delicious and easy to prepare tailgating recipes that supply a big burst of flavor and will have the fans around your section of the parking lot giving you high fives well before a touchdown is ever scored or a home run is ever hit.
Easy Tailgater's Hot Barbecued Cashews
These little nuts will be the hit of the tailgating party! Prepare them ahead of time and then serve them cool (even though they're "hot"). A terrifically flavorful treat no one will be expecting. You can double the recipe to make loads more tasty cashews.
4 cups salted cashews
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons white wine
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
2 dashes chili powder
Put olive oil in a medium saucepan and add butter, melt over medium heat. Stir in all ingredients except cashews and heat one minute, constantly stirring. Remove from heat and add cashews, stir to coat cashews completely.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread cashews out in a big baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Take cashews out and let cool completely, then put then in a container for serving at the tailgating party. Keep them sealed airtight until serving.
Carolina Tailgater's Twice-Roasted Barbecued Ribs
This is a simple but very tasty barbecued ribs recipe. It's for six but you can easily double up for more. It calls for "barbecue sauce" at one point—just use your favorite brand. The double roasting is easy and helps the meat develop a rich flavor as well as eliminating excess fat.
6 lbs pork ribs
1 cup barbecue sauce
¾ cup chili sauce
1 onion, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce (like A-1)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the ribs in a large roasting pan, cover and bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes. Drain.
Top the ribs with the lemon and onion slices. Sauté the garlic in the butter until butter is melted. Add it and the remaining ingredients to a big oven pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over ribs. Bake ribs, uncovered now, at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Easy Tailgater's Baked Beans and Franks
This recipe is a variation on the traditional baked beans classic tailgating favorite, with cut frankfurters added to give it a meaty punch. Delicious! This recipe serves 6 but you can easily double it for 12, and so on.
2 16-ounce cans pork and beans
1 16-ounce package frankfurters, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 med onions, chopped fine
1 green or red pepper, chopped fine
¾ cup tomato sauce
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup molasses
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot sauce
Dash salt and pepper
Olive oil
Mix all ingredients and stir well. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish lightly greased with olive oil. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, or until bubbly. Remember to keep it warm until you serve it in the parking lot at the big game!
You'll be the hit of the parking lot with these extra-tasty Carolina tailgating recipes.
For more great recipes check out my blog A Dash of Salty
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