Tailgating parties are a popular early Fall pastime in our community, with thousands of people joining in the fun of parking lot grilling every time the Broncos play a home game. In the old days, a tailgating party consisted of nothing more than a cooler of beer and a bag of Blimpie sandwiches. These days, parking lot chefs haul out the portable grills and fire up a fantastic selection of grilled meats and early fall veggies that make mouths water from hundreds of yards of way. While some parking lot chefs don’t mind spending a few hours around the grill, our family prefers fall grilling recipes that require less work.
Here are some of our favorite fall grilling recipes:
Grilled chorizos
A chorizo is a very spicy, pepper-infused Spanish pork sausage that is a local favorite. We serve it up on a bun, slathered with caramelized onions and grilled Anaheim chili peppers. It’s a perfect fall dish that contrasts nicely with ice cold beer.
Ingredients:
2 package fresh chorizo sausages
2 tablespoons oil
2 onions, sliced with a spiralizer
2 tablespoons butter
1 Anaheim chili pepper, diced
ground black pepper
one package sliced hoagie rolls
Recipe instructions:
1. In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add sliced onions and cook over the low heat of the grill until they begin to turn a light brown, about one hour. After they’ve turned brown, add the butter and diced chili. Move the skillet to the side of the grill.
2. Grill the chorizos over medium high heat, taking care to turn regularly until the sausages are browned all over, about 15 minutes. Place the cooked chorizo in the hoagie roll, top with onions and pepper, and season with black pepper.
(Here are some great onion choppers for you!)
For game goers who prefer a less spicy sausage, German bratwurst sausages and bell pepper can be substituted for the chorizo and Anaheim peppers.
Recommended reading: Best Mexican Cookbooks
Grilled Plum and Teriyaki Chicken kabobs
This totally original recipe from the Heida kitchen came out of the need to get a hot dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes. Grilled plum and teriyaki chicken kabobs are now a family favorite and make regular appearances during the fall tailgate season.
Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into one inch cubes
1 cup teriyaki
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground garlic (Here are some great garlic presses for you!)
1/2 teaspoon sesame seed
2 pounds of fresh fall harvest plums, halved with pits removed
1 onion, quartered
Pre game recipe instructions:
1. Place cubed chicken into a 2 quart bowl, set aside.
2. In a blender, mince one pound of the plums. Place minced plums and juice in a separate bowl. Add to the plum, the teriyaki sauce, seasonings, and sesame seed. Stir to blend, then pour over chicken.
3. Let chicken marinate for about an hour.
Note: you can also use a vacuum marinator! They work like a vacuum sealer, but are meant to better marinade your food!
4. Drain off marinade. Place the cubed chicken directly onto the skewer, alternating with the fresh sliced plums and thin sections of onion. Wrap the skewers in foil and bring to your tailgate party.
Grilling instructions:
5. Grill the chicken kabobs on medium high heat for 15 minutes, taking care to turn as needed.
6. When finished cooking, slide the kabobs off the skewer and serve up with a bowl of hot fried rice or Asian style noodles.
Recommended reading: Best Italian Cookbooks
Broiled Salmon and baked potatoes
Broiled Salmon and baked potatoes is a popular Idaho dish, and grills up nicely at those fall tailgate parties. We prefer using a wire broiler basket for the fish, but straight on the grill is nice too.
Ingredients for broiled salmon:
1/4 cup olive oil (Here’s some olive oil dispensers you may like)
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, or 1/2 tsp dry
Juice from one freshly squeezed lemon
2 pounds salmon steaks or fillets (cut with the best boning knife)
salt and pepper to season. (Check out our recommended salt and pepper grinder sets!)
Ingredients for baked potatoes:
potatoes
butter and sour cream for toppings
Recommended reading: Best Grilling Cookbooks
Pregame instructions:
1. Combine the oil, rosemary, and lemon in a small container; shake well. Let mixture stand at room temperature for an hour before using.
- Bring with you in your Zojirushi Container.
2. Just before leaving for the game, scrub the potatoes, pierce with a fork, and then wrap in thick aluminum foil.
Grilling instructions:
3. Toss the potatoes on the grill, taking care to rotate every ten minutes or so. On an open grill, the potatoes will need an hour to cook.
4. Once the potatoes feel soft between the palms, move to the back of the grill to keep warm, while preparing the salmon.
5. Dip the salmon steaks in the marinade, coating thoroughly.
6. Place the steaks in a well oiled broiler basket, and broil over medium hot coals for 5-8 minutes, basting once with the lemon oil. When the meat appears lightly brown, flip over and broil for an additional 5-8 minutes, basting as needed. The fish is done when the meat flakes easily using a fork.
Serve up the salmon hot off the grill, pairing it with a steamy hot Idaho baker and a fresh garden salad for a taste sensation that is absolutely fantastic.
While you’re here, be sure to check out our kitchen product reviews!