Tales from the Tailgate

On Sunday, I attended my very first Giants game. After years (and years) of attending Jets games with my Jets-fan husband, I finally got to cheer on my team from lower tier seats at Giants stadium, as opposed to from my comfy couch. And of course no football experience would be complete without a proper tailgate. For my first Giants game, we went all out. Here's the menu:

1 six pack Miller Lite
2 bottles water
2 cans diet orange Fanta
2 Yurgers (see recipe below)
2 Nathan's hot dogs
1 bag potato chips
1 bag Tostitos
1 container onion dip
1 container chicken salad spread
Condiments such as ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce
Before we get to the goods, can we take a moment for getting up close and personal with some of my favorite offense? (Though no Brandon Jacobs in this shot...)

Getting ready for the snap...Eli, Smith, Boss, Bradshaw

For the type of tailgate we designed, it required some help from our friends. And by friends I mean fancy tailgating appliances. We learned the hard way that when grilling in a windy parking lot, the charcoal chimney is a bonafide necessity. This little baby was a gift from my father-in-law and since we've added this to our tailgating repetoire, gettin' the grilling done has gone a lot more smoothly. Isn't she pretty? While I'm not sure where ours is from, you can find them on Amazon or at Target, Lowe's, Home Depot.

Of course, what's the point of the charcoal chimney without it's couterpart...the grill itself. Not sure how much tailgating we'd actually do this season, we snapped up this little guy at Target for a mere $29.99. Though a bit low to the ground, this little grill has been the perfect cooking tool for steaks, burgers, and dogs alike, and it's inexpensive to boot. Being as it's made it through at least 4 tailgates this season and still going strong, we've already gotten our money's worth.
Chimney + baby grill = a match made in tailgating heaven, don't you think?

Though I always try to take the reigns when it comes to cooking (because I love it so much), I leave the grilling to my very own personal Grill Master, Shaun.

The finished product. A perfectly cooked doggie with my favorite combo of mustard and ketchup, and Shaun's recreation of the Yurger - apparently a tailgating favorite created by none other than a fellow Giants fan. Though he altered the recipe a bit (no veal for this lady) the Yurgers were soft, juicy and basically the perfect tailgate companion. Check out his alterations below.

And of course no grill or burger would be complete without the perfect barbeque sauce. Though we've tried a few, our favorite thus far is the Olde Cape Cod Black Angus BBQ & Grilling Sauce. A perfect combo of smokiness, savory, and sweetness, this bbq sauce is a must. And no tailgate would be complete without my brandy new Giants t-shirt jersey featuring number 27, Brandon Jacobs.

So that's the tale of my first Giants tailgate. I guess I should mention the actual game while I'm at it. While the game was so exciting and we had a gorgeous night outside, unfortunately the Giants lost in the last few minutes of the game. Huge disappointment for this Giants fan (especially since they've been on a seriously downward spiral in the losing department). But the experience itself? Amazing. So much fun. I highly recommend it.

 Eli plotting his throw...Smith ramping up for a reception!

Shaun's Yurgers recipe:
1 lb ground sirloin
Shredded cheddar cheese (eyeball it)
Minced onion to taste
Chili powder to taste (this gives burger the flavor)
Salt/pepper to taste
Olde Cape Cod Black Angus BBQ sauce

Mix altogether, adding the BBQ sauce a little at a time so the mixture isn't too wet. Ok, it's not an exact science and the measurements are vague. But they came out fabulously! Just add the ingredients to your own taste (my favorite kind of recipe)! For the original, go here.

Comments

[Catherine]

I love this!!!!! Only thing missing is a pic of your fab Giants makeup!!!!!!