A Menu That Can’t Be Beat

Show your team spirit with a road-ready menu that's a winner with your crew. Use the Menu Maker to pick grilled and BBQ mains, then round them out with grab-and- go sides and goodies that'll make you a shoo-in for this year's MVP.

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Green Bay Brats

“Cheesehead” Brats If you’re a Green Bay Packers fan, you know the importance of a bratwurst prior to game time. This is the method that I was taught by tailgaters when I was researching Barbecue Nation. If you’re anywhere near Green Bay, I highly suggest that you use this method. Packer fans would never use a precooked brat. You might need to make a trip to a butcher shop to find them. Do not, under any circumstances, even think about putting ketchup on brats unless you are not in the state of Wisconsin. Even then, I think they would hunt you down. 2 12-oz. cans beer, preferably the cheap stuff 2 large onions, thinly sliced 6 uncooked bratwursts (if you have big eaters, you might want to double this number) 6 good-quality hot dog buns or small submarine rolls (again, for big eaters, see above) Brown mustard One 1-lb. bag refrigerated sauerkraut, drained More...

BBQ-Braised Bourbon Beef

Barbecue-Braised Bourbon Beef with Mustard Glaze Serve this incredibly tender pot roast with creamy polenta or thickly sliced roasted or grilled potatoes seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper. For the beef: 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 2 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika 1 tsp. dry mustard (preferably Coleman’s) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 4-lb. boneless beef chuck roast For the braising liquid: 2 to 2-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth 1/2 cup bourbon 1 Tbs. coarse-grain Dijon mustard 2 tsp. unsulphured molasses 2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 4 cups) 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled For the glaze: 2 Tbs. smooth Dijon mustard 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary More...

Boston Baked Beans

Boston Baked Beans The larger yellow-eye beans will take about an hour longer to cook than navy beans and may need more water added as they cook. Keep in mind that all beans will vary in their cooking times due not only to size but to age as well. If you can’t find salt pork, you can substitute the same amount of slab bacon, resulting in a smoky flavor that’s untraditional but tasty. 1 lb. navy beans, yellow-eye beans, or other dried white beans 4 oz. salt pork, rind removed in one piece and reserved, meat cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 medium onion (5 to 6 oz.), cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 tsp. finely chopped garlic (optional) 4 to 5 cups water; more as needed 2 Tbs. dark molasses (but not blackstrap) 2 Tbs. maple syrup 3 Tbs. Heinz chili sauce or tomato ketchup 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste 1 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar More...

Guinness-Gingerbread Cupcakes

Guinness-Gingerbread Cupcakes I made a fool of myself when I met Claudia Fleming, who was for many years a noted pastry chef in New York City. Every time I ran into her, I'd gush about how wonderful her desserts were as I watched her slowly backing away from this clearly unbalanced fan. I was always intrigued by her combination of gingerbread with rich, malty stout and was inspired to create a cupcake using the same blend of flavors. I add a bright-tasting lime frosting which complements the spicy cake. If you make these, you're likely to have a few deranged fans, too. Consider yourself warned. For the cupcakes: 1/2 cup stout beer, such as Guinness 1/2 cup mild-flavored molasses 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 tsp. baking soda 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/4 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp.ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. table salt 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup finely minced candied ginger For the frosting 4 Tbs. (2 oz.) salted or unsalted butter, at room temperature 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted 2-1/2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice, or more to taste 1 Tbs. whole milk Strips of candied citrus peel or candied ginger, for garnish More...

Create your own tailgate party menu...

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