The origin of tailgating has been under debate for many years. I personally agree with the idea that tailgating began with the very first college football game between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869, when fans traveled to the game by carriages. When they arrived at the stadium they were hungry and thirsty, so the idea came about to bring along a picnic basket of food for the next game.
As time moved on and more people started bringing food along, groups of people began to get together and grill sausages; the location: at the tail end of the horse. When cars and trucks came along the “tail end” moved to the “tailgate” and that was when the term was coined.
From the grill to the fryer to the portable stove, there is no shortage for ideas when it comes to good food in front of the stadium. Sure, you can pay upwards of $3 for a hotdog and $2 for a drink during the game but where is the fun in that?
Before one can truly tailgate, one needs to have the proper supplies and make sure he or she follows the tailgating checklist. First, one must make sure they have a way to move the equipment and food to the stadium. Second, the question of what food to prepare must be answered. Third, can the chosen menu be easily prepared? Forth, the equipment to cook the food must be clean and in working order. Lastly, tailgaters and their cooks need ice chests filled with ice and their favorite cold beverages.
Moving back to the food, I believe that good food can come from a number of places; my favorite is the grill. Whether it is hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken or steak, heat and meat just go well together. There are other means of cooking though. For those who like fish, fry it. Those who want to eat soup, get the gumbo pot on. Those who want to eat healthy, leave. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy eating healthy, but there is a time and place for it. And I don’t want to hear people complain about the amount of fat in their food.
I could go ahead and give recipes for barbecues and their sauces, for sides or main dishes, but that is not what tailgating is about. Tailgating in the South means parking your RV at the stadium on Wednesday just to have a spot for when you start tailgating Friday for Saturday night’s game. The bigger question is when the celebration ends. Is it at the start of the game, at half time or maybe three hours after your team has lost but you are still cheering for their performance and determination on the field of battle?
But since you all expect some sort of recipe, here goes. Even though it can be dangerous, barbecue chicken is the king of my grill. I like to lightly season the chicken with a little salt and pepper, both red and black, the day before. Before I put the chicken on the grill, the coals have to be nice and hot, with glowing red embers smoking like steam from the nostrils of a dragon. Place the chicken on the rack at an angle to bars, but don’t add sauce yet. Do not touch the chicken for seven minutes. When you do flip the chicken over to cook the other side, you sauce and you sauce heavily. Once the chicken has reached 160 degrees Fahrenheit, flip the chicken one last time to caramelize the sugars in your favorite sauce onto the bird. My sauce is always a sweet yet smoky bourbon-based glaze. Remove the chicken from the heat and let sit for about three minutes — trust me, it does help.
While you are waiting for the food, feel free to open some of those cool or cold beverages you made sure to bring along. Now, sit back in your favorite lawn chair and relax. Remember, tailgating is also about friendships and fun, so share the responsibility of cooking. Also, bring some music and a football or two to make sure you are in the mood for the game.
Paint your faces, wear players’ jerseys, or whatever it is you like to do, but support your team in the stadium too. Give them your heart along with your support and they will give you a win. So, I urge everyone to come tailgate at the next home game on Saturday Nov. 1, which just so happens to be Homecoming. Let’s show our team, school and alumni that Colonel Spirit lives and make Sam Houston State realize that Nicholls is a force to be reckoned with.