Back, Back, Back, Back Ribs by Chris Berman and Texas Caviar by Gale Sayers
Adapted from The NFL Family Cookbook, published by SMITHMARK Publishers, New York, NY
Well it is finally here, that time of year that all of us sports fans live for, football season. College football kicks off next week, and the NFL kicks off the week after that. Whether you are tailgating, watching a game with friends, or screaming at the tv with 100 other patrons in a sports bar, one thing is for sure…there will be food.
If you are planning a football party, know this; there must be food before the game, snacks for during the game, something special brought out at half time, and a little dessert to nibble on throughout the day. I always try to make as much food ahead of time as possible and have Mark operate the grill so that I’m free to watch all the pre-game stuff, and visit with the guests.
Two of the following recipes come from The NFL Family Cookbook. The first recipe is Back, Back, Back, Back Ribs from Chris Berman, the humorous ESPN sportscaster who is so well-known for giving the players funny nicknames in his broadcasts. The second recipe is Texas Caviar from the legendary NFL Hall of Fame Running Back, Gale Sayers.
Ribs and Brats, along with the Pasta Salad are great for eating before the game. Texas Caviar with tortilla chips can be munched on all during the game, along with a veggie tray that includes your favorite dip. Make some Chili in a crock pot and have all the fixin’s (shredded cheese, chopped onion, crackers, macaroni, etc.) ready before the game starts, then at halftime you can serve a great Chili Bar with very little effort. Peanut Butter Cookies and Buckeyes are yummy at any time and will be gone before you know it, so make extras. Here’s hoping your team has a great season…and Go Bucs! Enjoy!
Football Party Menu
- Ribs
- Brats
- Pasta Salad
- Halftime Chili Bar
- Texas Caviar
- Veggie Tray
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Buckeyes
Baby Back Ribs Ingredients
6 pounds baby back pork ribs (each rack is about 3 pounds)
32 oz. ketchup
1/3 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke
1 Tablespoon Louisiana pepper sauce
Directions
1. Set up your gas grill for indirect cooking with the setting on low. Cook the racks of ribs for about 2 1/2 hours.
2. After 1 1/2 hours prepare the BBQ sauce. Bring the sauce to a low boil and then simmer for about 1 hour.
3. Brush the BBQ sauce on the ribs and cook over a medium, direct heat for about 5 minutes. Flip the ribs, brush on some more BBQ sauce, and cook on the other side over the direct heat for about 5 minutes or until the ribs are browned to your liking. Keep basting the ribs with sauce and move them to the back of the grill ( indirect) if necessary to allow the sauce to cook in to the ribs.
Texas Caviar Ingredients
2-14 oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained
1 -15 oz. can white hominy, drained
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (I used the tame jalapenos)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped or snipped (cilantro would work well in this recipe, too)
1 8 oz. bottle Italian dressing
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the black-eyed peas and hominy.
2. Add the tomatoes, green onions, and garlic. Mix well.
3. Add the green pepper and jalapeno peppers, onion and parsley (or cilantro). Toss well.
4. Pour the salad dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Drain, and serve with tortilla chips.
The Wicker Chicken 