Another football season is here, and it’s a new era in intercollegiate athletics. No longer are these representatives of their respective universities the amateur student athletes that we cheered on over the last century plus. They are now, if not professionals, then at least semipros. I’m not sure what this portends for the future of college athletics, but let’s hope it doesn’t adversely impact the atmosphere of the games themselves.
The starting point of the pageantry of college football is, and has been, the “tailgate,” a ritual of pregame celebration that has morphed from a bucket of Colonel Sanders served on an actual tailgate to an extravaganza that has a wide variety of delectables and beverages.
Planning for those Saturday rituals, the tailgates that so many of us partake of prior to the Tiger games, requires some forethought. How many fellow fans do I need to prepare for? What cooking equipment is available? What crowd am I feeding; are there any dietary restrictions?
And you can bet that there will be several tons of burgers and brats being grilled, in addition to the requisite side dishes. But for the discriminating tailgater, the decision becomes much more difficult.
Now, I’m not prejudiced, as there is a lot to be said for a well prepared bratwurst or cheeseburger, but sometimes it seems like the “same old same old” and can be a little uninteresting. Sure, there are the grocery store deli trays, which are extremely convenient but consummately unimaginative, and Aunt Edna’s famous Rotel dip, but you really need a center-of-the-plate item that will make your guests sit up and take notice.
So how does one become creative while staying within a budget and ease-of-preparation constraints? There are a limited number of main ingredients that are economical, easily prepared, and universally popular. Unfortunately, they are also rather boring by themselves (think chicken breast, pork cutlet, cheap steak). But with a little imagination and creativity, they can be made into memorable fare for your pre-game soiree. Some suggestions to add some intrigue to your feast: Incorporate fresh local produce, season with marinades or spice blends, try condiments with bold flavor profiles instead of plain old standbys, and last, but not least, make sure that you can prepare it properly and easily with your available equipment.
Here’s a popular item that you can try at your next event.
Chipotle Aoli
- Mayo (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
- 3 tsp. chipotle peppers in adobo
- 3 tsp. lime juice
Combine all ingredients and process until well blended.
Homemade Mayo
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. white balsamic or white wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Place the egg and Dijon in a food processor, pulse for about 20 seconds, add the vinegar, pulse until incorporated. Then, with the processor on, very slowly add the oil in a thin stream until emulsified, season with salt and pepper.
Slider Ingredients
- Slider mini buns
- Thinly sliced tender roast beef, smoked brisket, or prime rib, approx. 1-1/2 oz per bun
- Shredded pepper jack cheese, approx. ¾ oz per bun
- Sauteed diced yellow onions, green and red peppers
- Sliced pepperoncini
- Prepared chipotle aoli
- Nonstick cooking spray
To Assemble
- Spray a foil pan with non-stick spray and place the bottom of buns in pan.
- Build the sliders with beef first, then veggies, then cheese.
- Coat bun tops with aoli, place atop sliders, spray tops, cover with foil and bake, covered, for about 20 minutes.
- Enjoy!
