A Taste of Victory: Tailgating Tips and Tricks

It’s football season! Whether you’re planning a big game tailgate near the football stadium or cooking for a crowd at home, Spice World Ready-to-Use products can help you save prep time so you’re ready at game time. Follow these pro tips for a winning tailgate:

Think fast: Choose foods that cook quickly, like corn on the cob, hotdogs, hamburgers, steak, or kebobs.
Easy does it: Pre-chop veggies, mix up your marinade early, and choose ready-to-use products for easy prep. Spice World Ready-to-Use Chopped Easy Onion doubles as a topping for burgers and hot dogs too!
Play on: Keep everyone entertained with a football, cornhole, yard games, and a portable speaker for your game-day playlist.
Stay cool: Bring ice packs or cold towels for your neck and face during hot weather.
Practice food safety: Dedicate one cooler to drinks and one to food.

Hungry for a victory? Try these recipes at your next tailgate event:

Grilled Garlic Pepper Shrimp

Your guests will huddle around the grill waiting for these savory garlic pepper shrimp skewers! Hot Tip: Assemble your skewers ahead of time you can throw them right on the grill.

Ingredients

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 fresh red chili pepper, seeds removed, finely grated
1½ tsp Spice World Ready-to-Use Minced Garlic or Spice World Squeezable Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp coarsely ground pepper
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for grill
1 lemon, sliced into rounds
1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Mix the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Add shrimp and salt, then toss to coat.
Thread shrimp onto skewers.
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; clean grates well, then oil them so the shrimp doesn’t stick. Grill the shrimp, turning once, until cooked through and lightly charred, about 5 minutes total.
Ensure that the open flame does not over-char the shrimp by fanning it away to avoid an oily or smokey taste.
Grill lemon until grill marks are visible, about 2 minutes.
Serve shrimp with grilled lemon.

Creamy Jalapeño Ranch Dip

Your crowd will go wild for this Creamy Jalapeño Ranch Dip, with classic ranch flavor and a spicy zing from pickled jalapeños. Prepare this recipe a few hours before serving so the flavors have time to develop. Pre-chop your favorite raw veggies and pack in resealable plastic bags. Plus you can keep everything refrigerated or cold in a cooler packed with ice until you’re ready to serve.

Ingredient

8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz mayonnaise
8 oz sour cream
¼ cup Spice World Ready-to-Use Chopped Easy Onion or Spice World Squeezable Chopped Easy Onion
2 (1 oz) packages of Ranch Dressing Mix
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp Spice World Squeezable Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp chopped pickled jalapeño
¼ cup chopped green onions

Instructions

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, Spice World Ready-to-Use Chopped Easy Onion, ranch dressing mix, pepper, Spice World Squeezable Minced Garlic, and jalapeños in a bowl. Mix with a hand mixer or whisk.
Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend.
Top with green onions.
Serve with your favorite chips, crackers, or raw veggies.

Chili Onion Turkey Burgers

Game day calls for burgers on the grill! These Chili Onion Turkey Burgers are infused with flavor from fresh chopped veggies and herbs, plus a sweet and spicy punch from Spice World Chili Onion Crunch. Prepare the mixture and shape the patties ahead of time so all you need to do is fire up the grill.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey
¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
½ cup red onion, finely diced
½ cup bell pepper, finely diced
4 strips of uncooked bacon, finely diced
2 Tbsp Spice World Chili Onion Crunch
1 tsp salt
4 slices of Pepper jack cheese
4 hamburger buns

Instructions

In a skillet, add the diced bacon and sauté until just cooked (do not overcook; bacon will continue to cook in patties). Remove from the pan and place to the side.
In the same skillet, sauté red onion and bell pepper with Spice World Chili Onion Crunch. Let it cook for approximately 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a bowl, combine ground turkey with fresh mint, dill, salt, and the cooked veggie and bacon mixture. Mix well and divide the turkey mixture into four equal portions. Shape into patties. Make sure you indent the middle of each patty with your thumb to prevent the middle from rising during cooking.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a bit of oil and cook patties for 4-5 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. Top with pepper jack cheese for the last 2 minutes of cooking (to allow the cheese to melt slightly) and serve on a bun with your favorite toppings and condiments.

No matter which team you cheer for, your tailgate menu is sure to score big this football season. Find more recipes and tips for your game day playbook at Spice World Inc.