Gridiron Grub -

by Borracho

Gridiron Grub: Venison & Ginger Beer Chili

A couple of weeks ago my Eagles were knocked out of the NFL playoffs and before that, my beloved PSU Nittany Lions embarrassed themselves in the Outback Bowl. Thankfully, while I drowned my sorrows last week, BS provided us with a look at overpriced NFL beer and provided me with some time to regain my composure so that I could return reinvigorated for the final 2 weeks of the 2010/2011 season. The forecast for the games this weekend isn’t too promising and where I live we are expecting single digit temperatures. Needless to say, I will not be heading out to watch any games, but instead thought I would make a big pot of the ultimate winter comfort food….chili.

I don’t know if I have ever come across a bad bowl of chili. There are so many different ways to prepare it and they all end up being pretty delicious. While doing a little research for this post, I confirmed that the word chili is Spanish and the first recorded use was in 1604. The rough translation was: “a bunch of tasty shit stewed together for awhile.” Partly inspired by ML’s recent post about game meat, and the fact that I had access to locally hunted venison, I decided to go with a venison chili. This chili recipe started out a few years ago, straight from a Field and Stream recipe, but with small changes each attempt, I came to this week’s incarnation:

Venison and Ginger Beer Chili with Lime Cream

by BS

Gridiron Grub: How to Trick Drunk Football Fans Into Paying More for Beer

Have you ever wondered how much more beverage you actually get when you pay for a large drink instead of a small? At Seattle Seahawks football games, the answer is — nothing.

In the video above, an enterprising Seahawks fan takes an early lead in the 2011 Drink of the Year race by simply showing that the stadium’s $8.50 “large” cup of beer hold exactly the same amount of liquid as the $7.25 “small” cup.

Bravo! Now this is what the Internet is for!

(via Eater)

in Drinks 1 comments

by Borracho

Gridiron Grub: Playoff Time

The playoffs are here and the Super Bowl is not far behind, which means it’s increasingly difficult to avoid football no matter how hard you try. Whether it’s a game blaring at the bar Saturday night, co-workers talking about how the weather will affect the Philly game or friends inviting you over for a Super Bowl party; the NFL is about to launch a full-scale assault on America.

We are well aware that many ES readers may not be football fanatics. If you are one of those people who doesn’t watch or can barely stand football, I apologize. You probably have read these Gridiron Grub posts only if the dish sounded/looked good, which is fine because, well, it’s free. But my point is — whether you love sports or hate them, January is the time to start seriously upping your appetizer repertoire. Because nothing saves a bad football game like a good dip

So Feed Us Back: What’s your #1 killer go-to gameday recipe? Share a link or a recipe below.

And of course, we’ll show you ours. Here are our favorite party recipes bound to please foodies and footballers alike:

Bacon and Bean Nachos
Chipotle Guacamole
Cuban Mixto Sandwich
Fancy Jalapeno Poppers
Fish Tacos and Chips
French Onion Soup Sandwich
Peach Bourbon Wontons
Southside Park Slope Sandwich
Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach, Cream Cheese and Ricotta
Sugar Cane Shrimp
Sweet Potato Pizza
Tequila Mango Salsa
Texas Caviar Dip
Tofu Buffalo Wings
Zucchini and Chickpea Spring Rolls

in Uncategorized 5 comments

by Borracho

Gridiron Grub: In the Pocket

Well the holidays are over and the east coast is in the process of clearing out from the first significant snowstorm of the year. Because of this snowmageddon/snowpocalypse, or whatever else weatherman say to get us to stay tuned in, my beloved Eagles moved their game from Sunday to Tuesday night.

It is a move that did not go over well. Even Gov. Ed Rendell came out and called America a nation of wusses. To be fair this is the same man who years ago admitted that when he was a Philadelphia-based district attorney he offered cash to anyone who could reach the field with a snowball. Despite the snow being cleared, the Iggles must not have been told that they were supposed to play Tuesday night because they barely showed up. Their lackluster effort ensured that the high point of the night would be the pierogi we had thawed out for dinner.

in Bacon / Cheese / Endless Bacon / Recipe 0 comments

by Borracho

Gridiron Grub: Texas Caviar

I screwed up! It’s true — it happens often, though I seldom admit it. But I have made a major oversight in this inaugural season of Gridiron Grub. We are here to talk about foods that fit perfectly with watching pigskin, and yet I have overlooked one of the ultimate football foods…Dip!!! I mean seriously, what the hell was I thinking? A bowl of something to slather on chips, pitas, tortillas or (gasp) veggies is almost mandatory when you invite people over for the game. Now the possibilities are endless, from standards like spinach-artichoke dip to the more inventive options that incorporate acorn squash or corn and walnut.

A few weeks ago, I began the popular P90x program to get an early start on a New Year’s Resolution. While it has proven effective I have found that 1) Tony Horton is a spandex laced devil and 2) It has really taken an effort for me to come up with new recipes and dishes that fit with the nutrition program. Because of that I wanted to stay away from the typical calorie busting dips. I also thought that since my Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys, I would give the great state of Texas some props in the form of Texas caviar. Depending on where you’re from you may know it as Mississippi caviar or may have no idea what I am talking about. Texas/Mississippi caviar is a fairly common cold dip in the south. It has a ton of variations but obviously neither of those states has a plethora of sturgeon so this “caviar” actually has no roe but instead black eyed peas.

in Recipe 3 comments

by Borracho

Gridiron Grub: Remixing the Mixto

A Cuban sandwich is simply a variation of ham and cheese originally created in Cuban cafes as an easy lunchtime meal. Later on, Cuban immigrants brought it to South Florida where it is still very popular. Traditionally the sandwich is made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. Simple enough, unless, like me, you live in an area where it is almost impossible to find good Cuban bread and when your previous attempts at duplicating the sandwich just didn’t turn out quite right. Despite previous failures I thought I would again attempt what the Cubans call a mixto sandwich, but make some changes to kick it up a few notches.

I attempted this right after Thanksgiving so I decided to incorporate turkey instead of roast pork to make my Remixed Mixto Sandwich. Ingredients and prep are simple because after hosting our first Thanksgiving, Black Friday and a trip to visit family a few hours away, I was beat on Sunday when game time rolled around. You will need: sweet honey cured ham, turkey, Gruyere, cranberry dressing, bread and butter pickles, mustard and ciabatta.

in Cheese / Fowl / Sandwich 5 comments

by Borracho

Gridiron Grub: A Case of the Crabs

Growing up in Northeast Pennsylvania, fresh seafood wasn’t really an option for me. So for the majority of my life, I missed out on such gems as mussels, pollack, porgy and much more. Since my introduction to saltwater proteins, my absolute favorite seafood dish is the regional specialty, Maryland blue crabs. How can you go wrong with a crustacean whose scientific name actually means “beautiful savory swimmer?” Wifey grew up just a short trip from the Chesapeake and crab feasts were a regular part of life. Her parents had one for their rehearsal dinner 30 years ago, their family always got together in the summer to swim and “pick crabs” and one of the first get-togethers to let me know I was part of the family was a crab feast.

For those of you who aren’t familiar the traditional Chesapeake crab prep is a simple mixture of spicy Old Bay seasoning, rock salt and vinegar steamed together. Once the crabs are cooked, we typically cover a table with layers of newspaper and just spill everything out and begin picking. Picking crabs takes time and effort! I have gotten better but the process of breaking the crabs down and getting every luscious bit of meat out is not for everyone. That is why we always have plenty of beer and plenty of time to talk to each other. That combination of great food, drinks and 3-4 hours of quality time makes Maryland blue crabs the perfect Gridiron Grub. They may not be available everywhere but if you get a chance definitely try this while enjoying the games.

in Recipe 6 comments

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